Pontiac Sunfire Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 304 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Pontiac Sunfire across 11 model years. The 2005 model year has the most (60). The words owners use most often: “ignition switch” (13% of reports).
- 304electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $930typical repair cost reported by owners
- 43%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.
- Ignition switch: mentioned in 39 of 304 complaints (13%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Pontiac Sunfire at $930, and half of them between $750 and $1,400.
Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2002–2015), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 156 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 304 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 40 a fire, 3 an injury.
Pontiac Sunfire electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Sunfire | 60 | 88% | 61,000 |
| 2004 Sunfire | 16 | 50% | 55,500 |
| 2003 Sunfire | 23 | 32% | 46,000 |
| 2002 Sunfire | 24 | 29% | 83,000 |
| 2001 Sunfire | 21 | 32% | 64,000 |
| 2000 Sunfire | 23 | 24% | 80,000 |
| 1999 Sunfire | 21 | 23% | 92,700 |
| 1998 Sunfire | 21 | 18% | 65,000 |
| 1997 Sunfire | 30 | 16% | 99,000 |
| 1996 Sunfire | 38 | 19% | 112,725 |
| 1995 Sunfire | 27 | 23% | 100,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Model years: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
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.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Model years: 1995, 1996, 1997
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.
Fix: Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. 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, buick at 1-800-521-7300, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
None of the gauges work properly Gm has not issued a recall despite the numerous complaints and it is a 500 to 800 dollar repair bill to replace the instrument cluster. 2005 Sunfire and the instrument cluster is malfunctioning. The gas gauge has stopped working altogether and the temp and rpm gauge…
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…
"takata recall" while driving at night on a county road and switching from low beams to high beams, the headlights went completely dark and did not come back on until switching back to low beams. After inspection, noticed the day runners also were not working. All fuses were plugged in and good…
Going down hill, turned my car to the right and the car keep going straight. It did not turn at all. I almost got hit by on coming traffic, but my car hit the curve first stopping an accident from occurring i have replace window motor twice and they have went out again now. And i have also replaced…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 pontiac sunfire. The contact stated that the anti-theft warning indicator kept randomly illuminating. The vehicle was able to start and, at times, upon entering the vehicle, the key would not turn over to start the vehicle from the ignition. The dealer replaced the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Pontiac Sunfires have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 304 owner complaints about electrical system 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 electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Pontiac Sunfire?
Owners report a typical cost of $930 (half paid between $750 and $1,400), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Pontiac Sunfire?
The most frequent phrase is “ignition switch”, in 39 of 304 complaints.
Other Pontiac Sunfire problems
See all Pontiac Sunfire problems.