AIR CONDITIONER LOUD NOISE WHILE ON, ABS RATTLING WHEN STOPPING IN NON WET WEATHER. POPPING WHILE TURNING RIGHT. HEADLAMPS DON'T ALWAYS TURN ON WHEN SWITCH IS ENGAGED. ENGINE NOISE AS IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH LIFTERS.*JB
2002 Pontiac Sunfire
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
59 reports with mileage · 23 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 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Equipment complaints
5 reportsUNSURE OF THE DAY IN APRIL OF 2002 THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE THE PROBLEMS BEGAN. THE PROBLEMS ARE WITH THE HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, BRAKES, ALL SEAT BELTS, WINDOWS, ROOF LEAKS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND RADIO. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED OUT, HAD TO BE REPAIRED. PROBLEMS CONTINUED WITH THE HEATIN…
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UNSURE OF THE DAY IN APRIL OF 2002 THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE THE PROBLEMS BEGAN. THE PROBLEMS ARE WITH THE HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, BRAKES, ALL SEAT BELTS, WINDOWS, ROOF LEAKS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND RADIO. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED OUT, HAD TO BE REPAIRED. PROBLEMS CONTINUED WITH THE HEATING/AIR SYSTEM SO I TOOK IT IN AGAIN. IT STILL WASN'T REPAIRED PROPERLY. ONE VENT OVER THE RADIO DOES NOT BLOW THE AIR OUT EFFECTIVELY LIKE THE VENT NEXT TO IT. WHEN THE HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS TURNED OFF THE AIR CONTINUES TO BLOW AIR OUT THE FLOOR VENTS THAT INCREASES WITH ACCELERATION.THE CAR DOESN'T COOL PROPERLY UNLESS THE RECIRCULATING AIR IS ON. THE WINDOW OF THE CD PLAYER/RADIO BECAME TOO HOT TO TOUCH.I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL AND NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE RADIO. SINCE THIS TIME,1/2 OF THE WINDOW DISPLAY IS FADED.THE ELECTRICAL WINDOWS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE PASSENGER HAS PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO THE DRIVER WINDOW BUT IT DOESN'T OCCUR CONTINUOUSLY AS IN THE DRIVER'S WINDOW.IN ORDER TO ROLL THE WINDOW UP, THE OPERATOR HAS TO WAIT FOR AT LEAST 5 MINUTES, DEPRESS THE BUTTON,THE WINDOW WILL ROLL UP LESS THAN 1/2 AN INCH. THIS PROCESS CONTINUES UNTIL THE WINDOW IS UP. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE MOTOR IS OVERHEATING , HAS TO COOL DOWN IN ORDER TO OPERATE PROPERLY AGAIN. THE SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN FIXED ONCE BUT NOW THE SHOULDER HARNESS ON ALL SEAT BELTS DO NOT LOCK INTO PLACE. THE BRAKES GRIND AND SQUEEK AT TIMES. THE ROOF LEAKS WHERE THE REAR WINDOW MEETS THE ROOF. WHEN GOING UP A HILL THE CAR HAS DIFFICULTY AT 20 - 30 MILES AN HOUR. THE DEALERSHIP STATED I SHOULD HAVE SPENT MORE MONEY FOR A CAR, AND NOT BOUGHT A CHEAP ONE. I HAVE BEEN TO TWO DEALERSHIPS WITHOUT ANY LUCK. I ALSO HAVE CONTACTED THE PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE SERVICE CENTER AND THEY REFUSE TO ASSIST ME IN LOCATING A DEALERSHIP WITH THE PROPER STAFFING, ALL THEY WILL PROVIDE IS A LIST OF DEALERSHIPS. I FEEL AS THOUGH THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM FOR INVESTIGATION.*AK
VEHICLE HAS CUT-OFF OR COULDN'T BE STARTED 7 TIMES. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED 4 TIMES DUE TO ITS STALLING PROBLEMS. *LA PONTIAC HAD BEEN GIVEN 4-5 CHANCES TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE MAY 2003. THE MECHANICS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE POWER TRAIN MODULE FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE PCM ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE…
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VEHICLE HAS CUT-OFF OR COULDN'T BE STARTED 7 TIMES. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED 4 TIMES DUE TO ITS STALLING PROBLEMS. *LA PONTIAC HAD BEEN GIVEN 4-5 CHANCES TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE MAY 2003. THE MECHANICS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE POWER TRAIN MODULE FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE PCM ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE CD PLAYER DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, AND THE ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT NOT START. THE MECHANIC(S) FOUND THE FUEL PUMP SHORTED. *SC *JB
SERVICE BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY, AND DESTROYED THE ROTORS AND OTHER BRAKE COMPONENTS. *AK THE BRAKES SQUEALED AND MADE A GRIND NOISE, THE LEFT (DRIVER FRONT) HUB CAP RATTLED/SHAKED, WATER LEAKED IN THE BACK SEAT. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THE METAL BRAKES DIDN'T HAVE PADS. THE FRONT END STEERING SHAKED, THE ROTOR(S) …
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SERVICE BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY, AND DESTROYED THE ROTORS AND OTHER BRAKE COMPONENTS. *AK THE BRAKES SQUEALED AND MADE A GRIND NOISE, THE LEFT (DRIVER FRONT) HUB CAP RATTLED/SHAKED, WATER LEAKED IN THE BACK SEAT. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THE METAL BRAKES DIDN'T HAVE PADS. THE FRONT END STEERING SHAKED, THE ROTOR(S) HAD WORN OUT, THE RIGHT INSIDE DOOR PANEL WAS LOOSE, THE SPEAKER HAD GONE OUT, THE POWER STEERING SQUEAKED PER INVOICE, THE AC CHIRPED, AND A WIND NOISE HAD COME FROM THE FRONT DOORS. *SCC *JB
INFORMATION IN OWNERS MANUAL IS WRONG. MANUAL STATES THAT THERE SHOULD BE 5.8 QUARTS OF OIL IN VEHICLE, BUT CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 4 QUARTS OF OIL. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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