NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
32 reports33,000 miles · Oct 6, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AS ODI ID NUMBER : 1016866, WHERE AT ANYTIME, ANY SPEED, STOPPED OR MOVING, MY CAR'S ENGINE WILL DROP BELOW THE NORMAL IDLING SPEED AND STALL OUT. IT WILL JUST STOP! THE CAR IS MOVING, BUT THE ENGINE HAS STOPPED! THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES! I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM A COUPLE OF TIMES I…
Read full complaint
I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AS ODI ID NUMBER : 1016866, WHERE AT ANYTIME, ANY SPEED, STOPPED OR MOVING, MY CAR'S ENGINE WILL DROP BELOW THE NORMAL IDLING SPEED AND STALL OUT. IT WILL JUST STOP! THE CAR IS MOVING, BUT THE ENGINE HAS STOPPED! THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES! I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM A COUPLE OF TIMES IN A HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC AREA. THIS ISSUE COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR WRECK, BECAUSE WHEN THE ENGINE IS STOPPED, YOU LOOSE POWER STEERING! THIS CAR IS NOT AN EASY CAR TO MANEUVER WITHOUT POWER STEERING. I CRANKED THE KEY, THE CAR WOULD START RIGHT UP, BUT AS SOON AS THE CLUTCH HITS THE FLOOR AND GIVES THE ENGINE TIME TO WIND DOWN, IT STALLS AGAIN. THIS ISSUE IS VERY SPORADIC, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PUT A FINGER ON WHAT WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL THAT WAY. I DID EMAIL PONTIAC'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND HAVE RECEIVED NO REGARD TO MY EMAIL. NO QUESTIONS, NO CONFIRMATION OTHER THAN THE AUTOMATIC REPLY, NO CALLS, NOTHING. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE GETTING SHAFTED ON THIS ISSUE AND I DON'T THINK PONTIAC IS TAKING THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY! I DON'T THINK THEY REALIZE THE POTENTIAL DANGER THIS ISSUE PROPOSES! *NM
NHTSA ODI #10170068
34,000 miles · Sep 19, 2006
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR WHILE STOPPED AT AN IDLE, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE WAS EASILY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE BATTERY, AIR FLOW SENSOR, ALTITUDE SENSOR, AND THE FUEL FILTER FITTING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH THE …
Read full complaint
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR WHILE STOPPED AT AN IDLE, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE WAS EASILY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE BATTERY, AIR FLOW SENSOR, ALTITUDE SENSOR, AND THE FUEL FILTER FITTING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH THE REPLACEMENTS WERE MADE, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
NHTSA ODI #10168661
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
32,000 miles · Jun 21, 2005
Electronic Stability ControlCrashInjury
DT: THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE FELL APART, LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE .TRIED TO GET IT TO STRAIGTEN OUT., IT WAS LIKE THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T DO WHAT CONSUMER, WANTED IT TO DO AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE,. BUT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE WINDSHIELD BUSTED, HIT A MAILBOX ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER …
Read full complaint
DT: THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE FELL APART, LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE .TRIED TO GET IT TO STRAIGTEN OUT., IT WAS LIKE THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T DO WHAT CONSUMER, WANTED IT TO DO AND THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE,. BUT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE WINDSHIELD BUSTED, HIT A MAILBOX ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER DOOR. COULD SEE BLACK MARK LIKE IT WAS CLIPPED, AND NOT DENTED. FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC, IT JUST BUCKLED. SMELLED SOMETHING THAT SEEMED LIKE SMOKE, BUT DIDN'T SEE IT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10126029
Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2005
Electrical System
WHEN DRIVING MY 2004 SUNFIRE THE DASH SEEMS TO GET REALLY HOT AND SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING. I AM AFRAID THAT IT IS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10114420
13,000 miles · Feb 20, 2005
Electrical SystemFire
I WAS DRIVING MY NEW 2004 SUNFIRE THAT WAS JUST PURCHASED AT THE END OF AUGUST, WHEN I SAW A FLAME COME OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH NEAR MY FOOT. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, THROUGH IT IN PARK AND JUMPED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED!*JB
NHTSA ODI #10111861
441 miles · Aug 16, 2004
Equipment
MP3 RADIO DISPLAY WAS INCORRECT AND PROGRAM STATIONS WERE NOT KEEPING ITS PROGRAM AFTER CAR WAS SHUT OFF. RADIO WAS REPLACED, AND NOW THE DISPLAY WAS INCORRECT ON ONE OF PROGRAM STATIONS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10086939
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
Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2004
Structure
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE TRUNK POPPED OPEN. THE FIRST DAY THAT CONSUMER GOT THE VEHICLE HE COULD NOT OPEN THE TRUNK . THEN ,WHILE DRIVING TRUNK WOULD OPEN ON ITS OWN. THIS WAS DANGEROUS BECAUSE CONSUMER COULD NOT SEE FROM THE REAR. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10071687
2,000 miles · Apr 20, 2004
Air Bags
DURING A SUDDEN STOP AT 35 MPH FRONT AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM . *AK
NHTSA ODI #10067438
Illustration