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2004 Pontiac Sunfire

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire are lower than the model-year median of 77.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

27 reports with mileage · 5 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 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

16 reports
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112,000 miles · Sep 18, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

BOUGHT CAR USED IN 2013. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OKAY UNTIL 9/12/14 WHEN THE THEFT SYSTEM SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER, RPMS, AND GAS INDICATORS WERE NOT READING - CAR BEGAN STALLING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO SHUT DOWN. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50 TO 55 MPH ON A BUSY STREET. AFTER CAR IS SHUT OFF FOR A TIME IT S…

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BOUGHT CAR USED IN 2013. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OKAY UNTIL 9/12/14 WHEN THE THEFT SYSTEM SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER, RPMS, AND GAS INDICATORS WERE NOT READING - CAR BEGAN STALLING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO SHUT DOWN. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50 TO 55 MPH ON A BUSY STREET. AFTER CAR IS SHUT OFF FOR A TIME IT STARTS UP OKAY AND RUNS UNTIL THE SAME THING REOCCURS AFTER GOING ABOUT 20 MILES OR SO - IF CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE MOVING IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME THING ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. APPARENTLY, THE APPROXIMATE COST TO FIX IS $400.00 - I AM ON A LIMITED INCOME AND CANNOT AFFORD. PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637233

102,000 miles · Jun 5, 2014
Electrical SystemService BrakesSteering

VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS START RIGHT AWAY. THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10596516

55,000 miles · Apr 24, 2014
Electrical SystemEngine

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED FOR THE EVENING. IN THE MORNING WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS WERE TRIED TO START. NEW STARTER INSTALLED AND STILL NO SUCCESS TO START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP. AFTER EVALUATION IT WAS FOUND THE TIMING CHAINS HAD BROKEN AND INFRINGED ON THE CY…

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VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED FOR THE EVENING. IN THE MORNING WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS WERE TRIED TO START. NEW STARTER INSTALLED AND STILL NO SUCCESS TO START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP. AFTER EVALUATION IT WAS FOUND THE TIMING CHAINS HAD BROKEN AND INFRINGED ON THE CYLINDER HEADS. VEHICLE REQUIRES REPLACEMENT ENGINE AS PER MECHANIC. INVESTIGATED OTHER CLAIMS OF THE SAME INCIDENT HAPPENING AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE 2.2L ECOTEC ENGINE HAS HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OVER THE LAST 5-7 YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10584763

71,000 miles · Jul 10, 2012
Electrical System

THE RPM NEEDLE WENT TOTALLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE INTO THE NEEDLE OF THE SPEEDOMETER. CAN'T TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING. EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. PAINT STARTING TO CHIP IN DIFFERENT PLACES. THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE THAT I HAD THAT THE PAINT PEELED AND GENERAL MOTORS STATES THAT IT IS TOO OLD OF A VEHICLE TO PAY TO HAVE PAINTED. THAT …

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THE RPM NEEDLE WENT TOTALLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE INTO THE NEEDLE OF THE SPEEDOMETER. CAN'T TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING. EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. PAINT STARTING TO CHIP IN DIFFERENT PLACES. THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE THAT I HAD THAT THE PAINT PEELED AND GENERAL MOTORS STATES THAT IT IS TOO OLD OF A VEHICLE TO PAY TO HAVE PAINTED. THAT IS TOTALLY SAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10464834

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2011
Electrical System

WHEN IT IS VERY HOT OR COLD OUTSIDE THE SPEEDOMETER AND ALL OF THE NEEDLES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL STICK AT CERTAIN POINTS OR STOP WORKING COMPLETELY, THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY AND I CAN NOT SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS WAS PART OF A GM CLASS SETTLEMENT BUT MY VEHICLE MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED FOR A FREE REPAIR OR A RECALL OF THI…

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WHEN IT IS VERY HOT OR COLD OUTSIDE THE SPEEDOMETER AND ALL OF THE NEEDLES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL STICK AT CERTAIN POINTS OR STOP WORKING COMPLETELY, THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY AND I CAN NOT SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING. THIS WAS PART OF A GM CLASS SETTLEMENT BUT MY VEHICLE MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED FOR A FREE REPAIR OR A RECALL OF THIS PART. I DO NOT PLAN TO GET IT FIXED AT A DEALER BECAUSE OF THE COST BUT I PLAN TO SHIP THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OFF AND GET THE STEPPER MOTORS IN IT REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10375350

56,000 miles · Mar 16, 2010
Electrical System

CAN'T RECALL EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. THE SPEEDOMETER IS ALWAYS REGISTERING 100 MPH EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT MOVING. SOMETIMES IT WILL REGISTER TO 70 MPH, BY RUNNING BACKWARDS FROM 100, WHILE IT IS MOVING. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND OUT THE HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND WHERE GM SETTLED IN A CLASS ACTION FOR THIS DEFECT …

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CAN'T RECALL EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. THE SPEEDOMETER IS ALWAYS REGISTERING 100 MPH EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT MOVING. SOMETIMES IT WILL REGISTER TO 70 MPH, BY RUNNING BACKWARDS FROM 100, WHILE IT IS MOVING. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND OUT THE HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND WHERE GM SETTLED IN A CLASS ACTION FOR THIS DEFECT WHICH LISTED MY CAR AS A CAR THAT HAD THIS FAULTY COMPONENT, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SETTLEMENT. I SEARCHED THIS WEBSITE'S COMPLAINT DATA BASE AND SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY SAME ISSUE, THE SPEEDOMETER. MY QUESTION IS, HOW MAY COMPLAINTS WILL IT TAKE FOR ODI TO INITIATE AND INVESTIGATION, SO THAT A PROPER RECALL CAN TAKE PLACE? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10320296

35,000 miles · Dec 3, 2009
Electrical System

ELECTRICAL GAUGES ON DASH DO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. TACH IS PEGGED OUT, FUEL GAGE NOT CORRECT AND SPEED IS INACCURATE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10294382

100,000 miles · Apr 14, 2009
Electrical System

MY GAUGES (ALL BUT THE SPEEDOMETER) HAVE GONE CRAZY! THE FUEL GAUGE AND TEMP GAUGE ARE THE WORST. SOMETIMES THE TACHOMETER , THOUGH NOT OFTEN. MY FUEL GAUGE NEVER READS CORRECT AND SOMETIMES POINTS DIRECTLY DOWN OR IS INTO THE SPEEDOMETER. MY TEMP GAUGE EITHER NEVER MOVES OR ONCE IT MOVES, IT STAYS STUCK IN THE NEW LEVEL. I…

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MY GAUGES (ALL BUT THE SPEEDOMETER) HAVE GONE CRAZY! THE FUEL GAUGE AND TEMP GAUGE ARE THE WORST. SOMETIMES THE TACHOMETER , THOUGH NOT OFTEN. MY FUEL GAUGE NEVER READS CORRECT AND SOMETIMES POINTS DIRECTLY DOWN OR IS INTO THE SPEEDOMETER. MY TEMP GAUGE EITHER NEVER MOVES OR ONCE IT MOVES, IT STAYS STUCK IN THE NEW LEVEL. IT SOMETIMES GETS INTO THE TACHOMETER CAUSING THAT ONE TO STOP WORKING. IT SOMETIMES GOES BACK TO NORMAL IF THE CAR IS TURNED ON AND OFF MANY, MANY TIMES. OTHER TIMES THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK. IT OCCURS ALL THE TIME AND FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS THEY HAVE BEEN STUCK. I WOULD GET IT REPAIRED, BUT CAN'T AFFORD THE COSTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10265375

85,000 miles · Mar 30, 2009
Electrical System

THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE STICKS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DOES NOT RETURN TO 0MPH WHEN I STOP. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT WILL BE PEGGED ALL THE WAY TO MAX. THIS CONDITION SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS COLD. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE TACHOMETER WILL DO THE SAME THING BUT IS NOT AS BAD AS THE SPEEDOMETER. W…

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THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE STICKS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DOES NOT RETURN TO 0MPH WHEN I STOP. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT WILL BE PEGGED ALL THE WAY TO MAX. THIS CONDITION SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS COLD. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE TACHOMETER WILL DO THE SAME THING BUT IS NOT AS BAD AS THE SPEEDOMETER. WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED THE TACH WILL RESET BACK TO 0. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10263636

60,000 miles · Dec 3, 2008
Electrical System

I OWN A 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITHOUT USING THE "BRIGHTS". AFTER REPLACING HEADLIGHT BULBS, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THAT TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SUNFIRE AND IT INVOLVED CORROSION TO THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNES…

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I OWN A 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITHOUT USING THE "BRIGHTS". AFTER REPLACING HEADLIGHT BULBS, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THAT TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE SUNFIRE AND IT INVOLVED CORROSION TO THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS. I LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER RECALL, WHICH I DID NOT FIND. WHILE RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND THERE IS MUCH WRITTEN ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN SEVERAL AUTO FORUMS, BUT GM HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL. MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS VEHICLE AND HAD COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM WHICH I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE UNTIL SHE WAS FOLLOWING ME AT NIGHT AND I SAW THAT HER HEADLIGHTS WERE EXTREMELY DIM. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS, WHY HASN'T THIS PROBLEM BEEN ADDRESSED. I SEE THE DEALERS ARE CHARGING APPROX. $600 TO REPAIR THE WIRING HARNESS, WHICH SEEMS RIDICULOUS, CONSIDERING IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. DOES THERE NEED TO BE DEATHS INVOLVED IN ORDER FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED?HEADLIGHTS *TR

NHTSA ODI #10250572

Official recalls

1

04V300000 · Seat Belts:rear/other

Jun 23, 2004

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, 'SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES.' THE PASSENGER-SIDE REAR SAFETY BELT MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED WITH AN INCORRECT NUT AND BOLT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN A SEVERE CRASH, THE UPPER SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE MAY SEPARATE. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SEAT BELT COULD THEN BE REDUCED AND THE OCCUPANT COULD RECEIVE GREATER INJURIES.

Remedy: DEALERS ARE TO INSPECT THE SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGE AND INSTALL A NEW NUT AND BOLT, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 23, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.