1998 Pontiac Sunfire Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sunfire years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 120 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire. That ranks 3rd out of 11 Sunfire model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (32 complaints, 27%), typically at around 52,000 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 120owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Pontiac Sunfire problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 32 | 27% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 21 | 18% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 14 | 12% | 66,241 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 11% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 11 | 9% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 6% | 133,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 6% | 107,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 4% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 4% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 4% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 3% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 3% | 31,250 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 3% | 78,150 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 3% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Pontiac Sunfire recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Risk: If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed. The fire could spread to the interior of the car, which could injure occupants or cause damage to adjoining structures.
Fix: Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch, and check that your car will start with a properly charged battery and, if necessary, replace the ignition switch. Owner notification will begin on march 1, 2004. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, buick at 1-866-608-8080, or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537. Customers can also check their vehicle online by going to www.mygmlink.com and entering the vehicle's identification number.
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Risk: If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began january 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The wheel lug nuts were not tightened securely resulting in a fracture of the wheel studs.
Risk: The wheel could separate from the vehicle. If the vehicle were in motion, a vehicle crash could result.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the torque of all wheel nuts and, if necessary, tighten any that may be below required torque.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
While driving the vehicle will shut down and the theft system light with start flashing will start again and but shut down again i was driving on a city street and had it at a dealer they replaced the ecu the gauges and the ignition they replaced the ecu 3 times with no avail this has happened to…
Cars battery constantly ran down. Battery was checked and was ok as it was three months old. Repair station said the horn was shorted and the air bag is part of the horn switch and must be replaced.
Brake lights, turn signals, hazard lights, and rear defroster all stopped functioning. Problem initially happened about 5 minutes after starting vehicle, but now is persistent and none of these items function posing a major safety hazard.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac sunfire equipped with douglass x-trac a-w tires, size 205/55r16 (na). The contact purchased one tire in november of 2013 and another in january of 2014. The vehicle was taken to wal-mart in february of 2014, where the tires were purchased, and it was diagnosed…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac sunfire. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the shift cable was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired…
Other Pontiac Sunfire years
← 1997 Sunfire · 1999 Sunfire →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Sunfire | 68 | 0 |
| 2004 Sunfire | 32 | 1 |
| 2003 Sunfire | 72 | 1 |
| 2002 Sunfire | 82 | 0 |
| 2001 Sunfire | 66 | 1 |
| 2000 Sunfire | 96 | 1 |
| 1999 Sunfire | 93 | 2 |
| 1998 | 120 | 3 |
| 1997 Sunfire | 190 | 6 |
| 1996 Sunfire | 201 | 7 |
| 1995 Sunfire | 119 | 5 |
See all Pontiac Sunfire problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Pontiac models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, steering problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 32 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sunfire model years, the 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.