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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.

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 →
82Owner complaints

Model-year median: 77

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

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

Inspection summary

2002 Pontiac Sunfire

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 82 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 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)

  • Electrical System: 24 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 15 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 11 reports
  • Steering: 11 reports
  • Visibility: 10 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    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
    93
    1999    96
    2000    66
    2001    82
    2002    72
    2003    32
    2004    68
    2005
    Compare all Sunfire years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Electrical System
    24    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    15    Engine And Engine Cooling
    11    Steering
    11    Visibility
    10
    All reported categories
    Power Train
    7    Exterior Lighting
    6    Air Bags
    5    Equipment
    5    Fuel System, Gasoline
    5    Structure
    5    Interior Lighting
    3    Seat Belts
    3    Tires
    3    Suspension
    2    Vehicle Speed Control
    2    Engine
    1    Fuel System, Other
    1    Latches/locks/linkages
    1    Service Brakes, Air
    1    Unknown 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

    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.

    8 crash reports3 fire reports7 injury reports

    Latches/locks/linkages complaints

    1 reports
    Clear category filter
    67,600 miles · Sep 11, 2006
    Latches/locks/linkages

    DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE DOOR LATCH WAS INOPERATIVE. AFTER THE INITIAL DOOR LATCH REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE DOO…

    Read full complaint

    DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE DOOR LATCH WAS INOPERATIVE. AFTER THE INITIAL DOOR LATCH REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE DOOR LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 01/17/07. *JB

    NHTSA ODI #10167830

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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