IllustrationSOMETIMES WHEN CONSUMER STARTS AUTOMOBILE IT DOES NOT START RIGHT AWAY. SHE THINKS THAT THIS IS RELATED TO 1997 RECALL NOTICE.*AK
1999 Pontiac Sunfire
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
20–25K
525–50K
450–75K
575–100K
4100–150K
7150K+
27 reports with mileage · 66 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports4 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
93 reportsWHILE TRAVELING ON WET PAVEMENT CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT A DITCH. AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, BUT AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT LIGHT INDICATED THAT AIRBAGS HAVE DEPLOYED. CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 25 MPH, DRIVER HIT AN ICE SPOT OR SNOW AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE FISHTAILED, AND FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN TWICE. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK
VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AT HIGH SPEEDS CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLAM HEAD-ON INTO A WALL. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
VEHICLE JUMPED FROM PARK TO REVERSE WHILE ENGINE WAS IDLING. VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND. DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS, DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO ARM AND SHOULDER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
CONVERTIBLE TOP HAS BEEN LEAKING, FIRST NOTICED IT WHEN FLOOR INSIDE OF VEHICLE SHOWED RUST. ALSO, BOLTS OF SEATS WERE RUSTED. DEALER HAS TRIED TO REPAIR 8 TIMES, WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. *AK CONSUMER STATED MANUFACTURER HAS REFUSED TO FIX VEHICLE SINCE 10-1-2001. *SLC
ROTORS IN THE FRONT FREQUENTLY HAVE TO BE CHANGED DUE TO FRONT HUBS BEING TOO SMALL. ORIGINAL LUGS WERE DAMAGED BECAUSE ROTORS DIDN'T FIT RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO SIDE AND MAKING A POPPING NOISE. DEALER TEST DROVE VEHICLE ON A BUMPY ROAD, AND DIDN'T HEAR THE POPPING NOISE. DEALER STATED NOISE WAS COMING FROM CONVER…
Read full complaint
ROTORS IN THE FRONT FREQUENTLY HAVE TO BE CHANGED DUE TO FRONT HUBS BEING TOO SMALL. ORIGINAL LUGS WERE DAMAGED BECAUSE ROTORS DIDN'T FIT RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO SIDE AND MAKING A POPPING NOISE. DEALER TEST DROVE VEHICLE ON A BUMPY ROAD, AND DIDN'T HEAR THE POPPING NOISE. DEALER STATED NOISE WAS COMING FROM CONVERTIBLE TOP.
LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND STRIKE A MEDIAN WALL.*JB (GOODYEAR TIRES) (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT#10-90-449)
REAR WINDSHIELD IMPLODED, AIR CONDITIONING AND REAR DEFROSTER WERE ON. *AK
TRANSMISSION JUMPS INTO FORWARD WHEN IDLING WITH SHIFTER IN PARK POSITION.*AK
Official recalls
204V036000 · 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.
99V218000 · Interior Lighting
Aug 11, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROL LOCATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND ILLUMINATION." THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BACKLIGHTING MAY NOT FUNCTION AFTER ADJUSTING THE INTERIOR LIGHT INTENSITY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS NOT LIT AT NIGHT, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST THE BODY CONTROL MODULE, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT.
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.