Pontiac Sunfire Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 122 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Pontiac Sunfire across 10 model years. The 1996 model year has the most (33). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (39% of reports).
- 122air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 67mention a crash
- 47mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 21%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 48 of 122 complaints (39%)
- Bags deployed: mentioned in 17 of 122 complaints (14%)
- Airbags deploy: mentioned in 13 of 122 complaints (11%)
- Frontal collision: mentioned in 11 of 122 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 24 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 122 complaints, 67 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 47 an injury.
Pontiac Sunfire air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Sunfire | 1 | 3% | 2,000 |
| 2003 Sunfire | 6 | 8% | 59,000 |
| 2002 Sunfire | 5 | 6% | 26,625 |
| 2001 Sunfire | 7 | 11% | 43,160 |
| 2000 Sunfire | 9 | 9% | 61,000 |
| 1999 Sunfire | 10 | 11% | 79,100 |
| 1998 Sunfire | 11 | 9% | 65,000 |
| 1997 Sunfire | 27 | 14% | 60,000 |
| 1996 Sunfire | 33 | 16% | 194,800 |
| 1995 Sunfire | 13 | 11% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Air bags
Model years: 1996, 1997
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Because of certain calibrations in the air bag's sensing and diagnostic module, an inadvertent air bag deployment could occur in a low speed crash or when an object strikes the floor pan.
Risk: Air bags deploy with great force and can seriously injure unrestrained occupants who are too close to them.
Fix: Dealers will recalibrate the air bag sensing and diagnostic module.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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.
My wreck happened in 2006. The air bag deployed and crushed my face i had to have titanium plates put in my face crashed my legs broke many bones.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 pontiac sunfire. While driving 25 mph, the ignition switched off independently and caused the steering wheel to lock without warning. The failure caused a four vehicle crash. The air bags failed to deploy and the vehicle was destroyed. It was unknown if any injuries were…
Every time i let my car sit for 2 hours or more, i start it up and the belt on the tensioner squeak for 15 seconds. Also the battery light comes on and the rim fluctuate between 1,000 and 2,000. When i drive it the battery light will continue to stay on but every time the air bag light turns on and…
Daughter hydroplaned, went into ditch on right side of road, traveled across road into left ditch and hit tree, opening the convertible top during crash and totaled vehicle airbags didn't deploy during crash.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Pontiac Sunfires have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 122 owner complaints about air bags for the Pontiac Sunfire. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Pontiac Sunfire air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Pontiac Sunfire?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 48 of 122 complaints, followed by “bags deployed” (17).
Other Pontiac Sunfire problems
See all Pontiac Sunfire problems.