IllustrationCONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE NEW MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 02008CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH, BUT IT IS EXPIRIENCING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT RECALL STATES. *AK
1998 Pontiac Sunfire
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sunfire years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30–25K
125–50K
1250–75K
675–100K
8100–150K
2150K+
32 reports with mileage · 88 unknown
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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
21 reportsWHEN VEHICLE WAS IN PARK STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND COULD HAD CAUSED INJURIES TO CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE TRYING TO START VEHICLE AND WITHOUT WARNING STEERING COMPONENT STARTED TO SMOKE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERS, MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IGNITION SWITCH HAD MELTED , NO ENTRY FOR KEY.*AK
WAS TRAVELING 25MPH AND HAD STARTED SMELLING BURNING PLASTIC. ODOR WOULD COME FROM AN D THROUGH THE VENTS. HAD NO CAUSE OF PROBLEM. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP.*AK
UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION SWITCH IF STEERING COLUMN IS NOT TILTED OR POSITION IN A CERTAIN WAY. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK
I THINK YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN YOU HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD CAR SEEMS TO BE FALLING APART FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I ORIGINALLY OWNED MY CAR FOR 3 MONTHS WHEN THE TEMP. GAUGE ZEROED OUT FROM A SHORTED OUT FUSE. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS ODOMETER WENT BLANK AND SHOWED ME SYMBOLS IN 05/1999, AND THE ELECTRICAL CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. LATER IN …
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I THINK YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN YOU HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD CAR SEEMS TO BE FALLING APART FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I ORIGINALLY OWNED MY CAR FOR 3 MONTHS WHEN THE TEMP. GAUGE ZEROED OUT FROM A SHORTED OUT FUSE. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS ODOMETER WENT BLANK AND SHOWED ME SYMBOLS IN 05/1999, AND THE ELECTRICAL CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. LATER IN 09/1999, MY COOLANT SYSTEM BUSTED AFTER A VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT CARS ARE OKAY TO REACH THE RED LINE BEFORE IT WILL OVERHEAT. MOST OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS REPLACED AND TESTS DONE. I DID NOT TRUST THE WORK, AND TOOK IT TO ANOTHER GMC DEALER, TO FIND THAT THE COOLANT TEMP. SENSOR NEEDED REPLACED, JUST 2 DAYS LATER. NOW IN 08/2000, MY ODOMETER IS SHOWING THE SAME OLD SYMBOLS, DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. MY PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, AND I AM UNAWARE OF IT. ALSO, SOME DEALERSHIPS DON'T CARE TO FIND THE BAD THINGS, WHEN IT IS WARRANTY WORK. WYATT JOHNSON DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A PEOPLE SAVING PEOPLE ESTABLISHMENT, IF YOU CANNOT TRUST THEM TO FIND THEIR CARS MISTAKES.
MY RADIO'S LCD LIGHTING IS BLURRED AND NOT PROPERLY LIT WITH FULL DIGITS. IT BLINKS AS THOUGH THERE IS A SHORT. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES ALREADY. THE SPEAKERS ALSO PLAY INCONSISTANTLY EVEN WHEN BALANCE IS SHOWN AS EQUAL SETTING. CD'S WILL SKIP FOR NO REASON. THE CAR WILL NOT START ON FIRST ATTEMPT AFTER DRIVING FOR A PER…
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MY RADIO'S LCD LIGHTING IS BLURRED AND NOT PROPERLY LIT WITH FULL DIGITS. IT BLINKS AS THOUGH THERE IS A SHORT. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES ALREADY. THE SPEAKERS ALSO PLAY INCONSISTANTLY EVEN WHEN BALANCE IS SHOWN AS EQUAL SETTING. CD'S WILL SKIP FOR NO REASON. THE CAR WILL NOT START ON FIRST ATTEMPT AFTER DRIVING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME OR IF IT IS EXTREMELY HOT OUTSIDE. IN TRAFFIC, THE CAR WANTS TO OVERHEAT. THE NEEDLE WILL RISE TO WARNING MARK AND CAR RUNS ROUGH. SOMETIMES A BURNING ODOR IS DETECTED. THE LEFT SIDE FRONT WHEEL SOUNDS LIKE METAL ON METAL GRINDING. CAR FEELS WOBBLY.
WHEN STARTING OUT, VEHICLE STARTS BUT WHEN YOU PUSH THE ACCELERATOR IT STALLS, WHEN YOU TRY TO RESTART IT KEEPS TURNING, IT WON'T CATCH. IT HAS ALSO HESITATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND 60 MPH. IT HAS DONE THIS 15-20 TIMES AND BEEN TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 7 TIMES. THEY SAY THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, ONCE THEY UPDATED MY COM…
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WHEN STARTING OUT, VEHICLE STARTS BUT WHEN YOU PUSH THE ACCELERATOR IT STALLS, WHEN YOU TRY TO RESTART IT KEEPS TURNING, IT WON'T CATCH. IT HAS ALSO HESITATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND 60 MPH. IT HAS DONE THIS 15-20 TIMES AND BEEN TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 7 TIMES. THEY SAY THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, ONCE THEY UPDATED MY COMPUTER, ANOTHER TIME THEY REPLACED MY COMPUTER, BUT IT STILL STALLS AND HESITATES. *AK
HORN RELAY FAILED. YH
CAR IS HAZARDOUS AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE
Official recalls
304V036000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Jan 27, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE FIRE COULD SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, WHICH COULD INJURE OCCUPANTS OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO ADJOINING STRUCTURES.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND CHECK THAT YOUR CAR WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CHECK THEIR VEHICLE ONLINE BY GOING TO WWW.MYGMLINK.COM AND ENTERING THE VEHICLE'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
02V286000 · Steering:rack And Pinion
Nov 4, 2002
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES EVEN FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED. WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENT DAMAGE, THE DRIVER CAN ENCOUNTER HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT. IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 24, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
97V219000 · Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Nov 24, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE WHEEL LUG NUTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED SECURELY RESULTING IN A FRACTURE OF THE WHEEL STUDS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE WHEEL COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TORQUE OF ALL WHEEL NUTS AND, IF NECESSARY, TIGHTEN ANY THAT MAY BE BELOW REQUIRED TORQUE.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.