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1997 Pontiac Sunbird

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
4Owner complaints

Model-year median: 4

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
42
19941
19954
19964
19972
19983
19993
2000
Compare all Sunbird years →

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

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1Steering
1Suspension
1Unknown Or Other
1

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: 2 of 4 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 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

4 reports
139,713 miles · Aug 12, 2005
Steering

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS LOOSE AND THE DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL WITH STEERING WHEEL. FIRST BROKE LAST YEAR, AND THE OWNER HAD IT REPAIRED ON MARCH 10, 2004. A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS LATER THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN BROKE AGAIN. CURRENTLY, IT BROKE F A THIRD TIME. THE FIRST TIME THE OWNER HAD TO PAY…

Read full complaint

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS LOOSE AND THE DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL WITH STEERING WHEEL. FIRST BROKE LAST YEAR, AND THE OWNER HAD IT REPAIRED ON MARCH 10, 2004. A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS LATER THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN BROKE AGAIN. CURRENTLY, IT BROKE F A THIRD TIME. THE FIRST TIME THE OWNER HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE. THE SECOND TIME WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE THIRD TIME THE OWNER WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AGAIN. THE COST WAS AROUND $200.00. NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA ON WHY THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. THE DEALER DID THE REPAIRS. THE OWNER HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR THE PAST YEAR. THE OWNER WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REPAIRS LAST THIS TIME BEFORE SHE PAID FOR THEM. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE BEFORE THIS. THE CAR IS ACTUALLY A 1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10129555

Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2003
Suspension

THE VEHICLE WHEEL BEARING WERE ON RECALL BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10012289

140,000 miles · Jan 23, 2003
Unknown Or OtherCrash

NO DEFECT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAD HIS SEAT BELT ON, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND HIS HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD WITH FORCE, BUT WAS NOT INJURED. THE CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE AREA WHERE HE HIT HIS HEAD IN THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH WAS THE ONLY AREA WHERE THE GLASS HAD COME OUT. SCC

NHTSA ODI #10003859

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 1997
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

SECOND TIMES THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT 30 TO 40MPH AND THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR THERE IS ALSO A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #813851

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.