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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.

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 →
32Owner complaints

Model-year median: 77

1Recall 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

2004 Pontiac Sunfire

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 32 owner complaints · 1 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: 16 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 4 reports
  • Engine: 3 reports
  • Exterior Lighting: 3 reports
  • Structure: 3 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

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
66
200182
200272
200332
200468
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
16Engine And Engine Cooling
4Engine
3Exterior Lighting
3Structure
3
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Unknown Or Other
2Air Bags
1Electronic Stability Control
1Equipment
1Service Brakes
1Steering
1Vehicle Speed Control
1Wheels
1

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

Exterior Lighting complaints

3 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2009
Exterior Lighting

LEFT SIDE REAR BLINKER LIGHT GOES OUT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON OTHER PONTIAC SUNFIRES BUT FOR YEARS OTHER THAN THE ONE I HAVE. APPARENTLY THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WIRING. I CAN WIGGLE THE BULB AND IT WILL WORK UNTIL I HIT A BUMP AND THEN IT IS OUT AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE…

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LEFT SIDE REAR BLINKER LIGHT GOES OUT SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON OTHER PONTIAC SUNFIRES BUT FOR YEARS OTHER THAN THE ONE I HAVE. APPARENTLY THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WIRING. I CAN WIGGLE THE BULB AND IT WILL WORK UNTIL I HIT A BUMP AND THEN IT IS OUT AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRES AS WELL AS THE OTHER YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10265560

10 miles · Aug 17, 2005
Exterior Lighting

DT: THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE. THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT FOR THE HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM, ONLY A DIM BULB. HAS BEEN TO A DEALER AND TRIED OTHER HEADLAMPS, BUT THESE WERE NOT ANY BETTER WITH THE VISIBILITY. CONTACTED GM, AND GM STATED THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED, AND THEY WOULD NOT REDESI…

Read full complaint

DT: THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE. THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT FOR THE HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM, ONLY A DIM BULB. HAS BEEN TO A DEALER AND TRIED OTHER HEADLAMPS, BUT THESE WERE NOT ANY BETTER WITH THE VISIBILITY. CONTACTED GM, AND GM STATED THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED, AND THEY WOULD NOT REDESIGN THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS STILL A PROBLEM, NO CORRECTIONS DONE. GM SUGGESTED TO PUT IN A BRIGHTER BULB, BUT GM SAID THIS WOULD VOID THE WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10133204

350 miles · Jul 15, 2004
Exterior Lighting

THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS ARE SO LOW THAT DURING THE NIGHT THE VISION IS VERY POOR. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO INDICATES THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE BRIGHTNESS FOR THE LOW BEAM BULBS ARE SO BAD THAT IT IS ALMOST AS IF DRIVING WITHOUT. *JB HEADLIGHTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10079578

Recall campaigns

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 ↗

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.