1994 Pontiac Sunbird

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

42Owner complaints

Model-year median: 4

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1994 Pontiac Sunbird

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 42 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 13 reports
Seats: 5 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 4 reports
Power Train: 4 reports
Suspension: 3 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

94V115000 — Steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Sunbird years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

13 Seats

5 Engine And Engine Cooling

4 Power Train

4 Suspension

All reported categories

Tires

3 Equipment

2 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Service Brakes, Air

1 Steering

1 Vehicle Speed Control

1 Visibility

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 42 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seats. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

Power Train complaints

4 reports

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94,000 miles · Sep 5, 2003

Power Train

Read full complaint

2.0L ENGINE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION--TRAMISSION (AFTER 2+ HOURS OF DRIVING AT HWY SPEEDS) FAILS TO DISENGAGE FROM ELECTRONIC TORQUE CONVERTER/OVER-DRIVE DURING SLOWING TO A STOP AND STALLS ENGINE. *AK I HAVE COMPLAINED TO GMC DEALER--EVEN SPENT 400 DOLLARS FOR TUNE-UP SINCE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE STALL. A CHECK WITH LOCAL 'SHADE-TREE' MECHANIC YEILDED THE FOLLOWING--- COMMON PLACE FOR THE ELECTRONIC TORQUE CONVERTER (ON 2.0 L MITUISHBISHI AUTOMATIC USED IN CHEVY; BUICK; AND PONITAC) NOT TO DISENGAGE. RECOMMENDS A OVERHAUL OF THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER. WHILE THIS MAY NOT CAUSE A CRASH--THIS IS CAUSE FOR ALARM WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN BY TEENAGER(RELATIVE NEW DRIVER).

NHTSA ODI #10037301

Mileage unknown · May 9, 2001

Power Train

DURING LEFT HAND TURNS AND ROADS WITH HARD LEFT CURVES DRIVERS RIGHT KNEE CAN DEPRESS SHIFTER DETENT AND PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL, CAUSING ABRUPT LOSS OF SPEED/CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #745126

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 1998

Power Train

REAR WHEEL HAD A BAD LEAN DUE TO REAR AXLE RUSTING THROUGH, COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #533742

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 1996

Power TrainCrashInjury

CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN PARK TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING FROM DRIVEWAY WHEN VEHICLE MOVED FORWAD, PINNING HER BETWEEN THE VEHICLE AND A TRUCK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #804470

Recall campaigns

94V115000 · Steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm

Jun 24, 1994

THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH OVERTORQUED DRIVE AXLE SPINDLE NUTS. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE EXCESSIVE LOADS ON THE SPINDLE NUT AND DRIVE AXLE RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE DRIVE AXLE OR THE SPINDLE NUT. FAILURE OF EITHER OF THESE COMPONENTS CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE TIRE-WHEEL ASSEMBLY FROM THE DRIVE AXLE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND DRIVE AXLES, BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLIES, SPINDLE NUTS, AND WASHERS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES. CORRECTIVE ACTION: DEALERS WILL REPLACE LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND DRIVE AXLES, BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLIES, SPINDLE NUTS, AND WASHERS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

PE94042 · Horn Button Falling Off

Opened May 23, 1994 · Closed Sep 29, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

There is no summary currently available

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.