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2003 Pontiac Sunfire

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Pontiac Sunfire do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

52 reports with mileage · 20 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.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Visibility complaints

4 reports
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52,800 miles · Apr 5, 2008
Visibility

IN DEC. 2005 MY DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED TO OPERATE - IT WILL STICK AND NOT ROLL DOWN. AFTER WHILE IT WILL ROLL UP AND DOWN AS NORMAL. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER MCELVEEN PONTIAC, SUMMERVILLE, SC (I HAD BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM THIS DEALER) AS IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND NO WORK WAS PERFORMED…

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IN DEC. 2005 MY DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED TO OPERATE - IT WILL STICK AND NOT ROLL DOWN. AFTER WHILE IT WILL ROLL UP AND DOWN AS NORMAL. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER MCELVEEN PONTIAC, SUMMERVILLE, SC (I HAD BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM THIS DEALER) AS IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND NO WORK WAS PERFORMED. ABOVE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW INTERMITTENTLY NORMALLY HAPPENED WHEN IT WAS DRIZZLING RAINING. IN DEC. 2007 MY PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED AND IT WILL NOT ROLL UP. IT WAS DRIZZLING WHEN IT FAILED. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER LOU SOBH PONTIAC, DULUTH, GA ON 12/13/2007 AND GOT REPAIRED ON 12/17/2007. ACCORDING TO DEALER PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED. DEALER REPLACED THE REGULATOR ASSEMBLY. SINCE THAN BOTH WINDOWS ARE WORKING OK SO FAR. THIS CAN CAUSE ACCIDENT IF IT IS RAINING AND WINDOW FAILS TO ROLL UP OR IN THE EVENT OF POOR VISIBILITY (MORNING WITH HEAVY FOG OR FROST ON THE WINDOW) WHEN YOU WANT TO ROLL DOWN WINDOW TO SEE UPCOMING TRAFFIC BEFORE TAKING LEFT TURN. THIS FAILURE OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME WHEN MY REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED. IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE WAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND SOCKET HAD MELTED. THEREFORE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THESE TWO INCIDENTS ARE RELATED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10223432

80,000 miles · Sep 28, 2007
Air BagsElectrical SystemExterior Lighting

I PURCHASED THE CAR IN OCTOBER 2003 AND THE CAR WAS GREAT. IN MARCH 2006 I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WHERE THE CAR WHEN ATTEMPTED TO START WOULD TAKE A FEW SECONDS EXTRA AND THEN START, THEN 6 MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND THE CAR JUST CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE CAR RESTARTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES LA…

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I PURCHASED THE CAR IN OCTOBER 2003 AND THE CAR WAS GREAT. IN MARCH 2006 I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WHERE THE CAR WHEN ATTEMPTED TO START WOULD TAKE A FEW SECONDS EXTRA AND THEN START, THEN 6 MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND THE CAR JUST CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE CAR RESTARTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER. THEN IN NOVEMBER THIS STARTED HAPPENING MORE AN MORE FREQUENTLY. ONE NIGHT IN DECEMBER THE CAR CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART AT ALL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OF THE ROAD. I WAITED AN HOUR AND STILL THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I GOT THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP SO I REPLACED THAT AND THE CAR WORKED FOR 2 DAYS AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. HE THEN TESTED THE CAR AND SAW THERE WAS NO POWER GOING TO THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD HIM DO A TEMPORARY FIX AND RUN A LINE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE FUEL PUMP SO THE CAR WOULD STILL START. THEN EVERYTHING ELSE SLOWLY STARTED TO FAIL. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY AND NOW STAYS ON. ONE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AND THEN THE OTHER FOLLOWED BY MY HIGH BEAM TOTALLY. MY FRONT LEFT TURN SIGNAL WENT THEN THE REAR RIGHT FOLLOWED BY THE FRONT RIGHT. MY HORN NO LONGER WORKS. I DON'T KNOW IF MY AIRBAGS WOULD DEPLOY IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10204414

40,000 miles · Jul 12, 2007
Visibility

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW BEGAN LOSING ABILITY TO LIFT/LOWER AFTER BEING LOWERED ONE DAY WHILE WINDOW HAD MOISTURE ON IT. TOOK IT TO GM DEALER AFTER WINDOW BECAME TOTALLY STUCK DOWN AND WAS TOLD IT WAS MOTOR. A MONTH LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WAS TOLD IT WAS REGULATOR. THREE MONTHS LATER HAPPENED AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME TO PASSENGER…

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DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW BEGAN LOSING ABILITY TO LIFT/LOWER AFTER BEING LOWERED ONE DAY WHILE WINDOW HAD MOISTURE ON IT. TOOK IT TO GM DEALER AFTER WINDOW BECAME TOTALLY STUCK DOWN AND WAS TOLD IT WAS MOTOR. A MONTH LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WAS TOLD IT WAS REGULATOR. THREE MONTHS LATER HAPPENED AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME TO PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. HAVE YET TO TAKE IT IN AGAIN BECAUSE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WINDOW MOTOR REGULATOR SHOULD LAST AROUND 5 YEARS. IT ALSO MAKES ME WONDER WHY THIS ONLY HAPPENED AFTER THE WINDOWS WERE OPENED/SHUT WITH MOISTURE ON THEM (DEW FROM AM. THIS DOES POSE A SAFETY HAZARD IN MY OPINION AS WE HAVE TROUBLE MAKERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO DELIGHT IN SHOOTING PAINT BALLS AT CARS AT NIGHT, AND I DON'T LIKE HAVING AN OPEN WINDOW IN WHICH IT CAN GO FLYING THROUGH AND HIT ME IN THE EYE/HEAD), AS WELL AS A GENERAL INCONVENIENCE. I WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION DONE ON WHETHER OR NOT THE MOISTURE HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THESE FAILING WINDOWS. PLEASE UPDATE ON WHAT IS FOUND OUT. THANK YOU. AND I CHECKED PROPERTY DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE MOISTURE DAMAGE THAT RESULTED TO MY VEHICLE (AND EVERYTHING IN IT) BECAUSE OF A STORM WE HAD WHILE THE WINDOW WAS STUCK DOWN. SO TO ME THAT IS PROPERTY DAMAGE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10196162

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2004
Visibility

OUTSIDE MIRROR VIBRATION AT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE VEHICLES ON THE SIDE AND REAR OF CAR. DEALER AND GENERAL MOTORS REFUSES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A "NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS MODEL." VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10082484

Official recalls

1

04V524000 · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

Nov 1, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR LAMPS THAT PROVIDE STOP AND TURN SIGNALS AND TAIL LAMP FUNCTIONS STOP WORKING BECAUSE OF INADEQUATE CONTACT BETWEEN THE BULB AND SOCKET. IN ADDITION, IF ONE BULBS WERE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING IN CRUISE CONTROL, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD DISENGAGE WHEN THE REMAINING BULB WAS ACTIVATED. IF BOTH LAMPS WERE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AN INOPERATIVE BRAKE LAMP WILL NOT CONVEY THE DRIVER'S INTENTION OF STOPPING TO DRIVERS IN FOLLOWING VEHICLES, AND AN INOPERATIVE REAR TURN SIGNAL LAMP WILL NOT CONVEY THE DRIVER'S INTENTION TO TURN TO DRIVERS IN FOLLOWING VEHICLES. BOTH OF THESE FAILURES CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR LAMP BULB SOCKET ASSEMBLIES AND APPLY GREASE OR REPLACE THEM IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 18, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

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

2

EA04028 · Turn Signal Malfunction

Opened Sep 14, 2004 · Closed Nov 22, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

ON MAY 14, 2004 THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE04-043) BASED ON CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT THE BRAKE/TAIL TURN SIGNAL LAMPS WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY WHEN EITHER THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, OR WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED.ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2004 ODI UPGRADED PE 04-043 TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA04-028).GM STATES THAT SOME BRAKE/TAIL/TURN SIGNAL LAMP BULBS CAN PREMATURELY BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP WITHIN THE BULB SOCKETS.THE CAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD UP WAS DETERMINED TO BE A LACK OF THERMAL GREASE PLACED IN BETWEEN THE BULB AND THE SOCKET. BY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 27, 2004 GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 04V524) COVERING ALL MY 2003 VEHICLES.GM DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR LAMP BULB SOCKET ASSEMBLIES AND APPLY THERMAL GREASE TO THEM OR REPLACE THEM WITH NEW ASSEMBLIES WITH THERMAL GREASE ALREADY ATTACHED.MODEL YEAR 2004 AND NEWER VEHICLES HAVE THE THERMAL GREASE INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY. THE ACTION TAKEN BY GM IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

PE04043 · Turn Signal Malfunction

Opened May 14, 2004 · Closed Sep 14, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

COMPLAINANTS ALLEGE THAT THE REAR TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO ILLUMINATE AND DO NOT PROVIDE A SIGNAL TO DRIVERS IN FOLLOWING VEHICLES.ODI HAS RECEIVED ONE REPORT OF A CRASH WHERE THE COMPLAINANT BRAKED AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE IMPACTED THE COMPLAINANT'S VEHICLE IN THE DRIVER-SIDE DOOR.IN MAY 2002, GM'S SUPPLIER MADE CHANGES TO THE BULB SOCKET THAT INCLUDED STOPPING THE USE OF THERMAL-MASTIC GREASE IN THE BULB SOCKET.GM REPORTS THAT THE GREASE REDUCES ARCING AT THE CONTACTS AND DISSIPATES HEAT THUS PREVENTING MELTING OF THE SOCKET MATERIAL OR BURNING OF THE CONTACTS.MOST OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE APPLIED TO THE BULB SOCKET.IN JUNE 2003, GM DIRECTED THE SUPPLIER TO RESUME THE USE OF GREASE IN THE SOCKET.GM ISSUED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) 04-08-42-004A ON JULY 15, 2004 ADVISING TECHNICIANS TO MAKE SURE THAT ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF GREASE WERE ADDED TO THE BULB SOCKETS ON ALL SERVICE PARTS.ODI WILL UPGRADE THIS INVESTIGATION TO EA 04-028 TO FURTHER EXAMINE THE ISSUE.