Pontiac Sunfire Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 131 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Pontiac Sunfire across 11 model years. The 1996 model year has the most (24). The words owners use most often: “applying brakes” (9% of reports).
- 131service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 20mention a crash
- 12mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 19%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.
- Applying brakes: mentioned in 12 of 131 complaints (9%)
- Anti lock: mentioned in 10 of 131 complaints (8%)
- Pedal went floor: mentioned in 9 of 131 complaints (7%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 9 of 131 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 34 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 131 complaints, 20 mention a crash, 12 an injury.
Pontiac Sunfire service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Sunfire | 1 | 1% | 27,450 |
| 2004 Sunfire | 2 | 6% | 76,000 |
| 2003 Sunfire | 6 | 8% | 11,681 |
| 2002 Sunfire | 15 | 18% | 18,000 |
| 2001 Sunfire | 8 | 12% | 49,000 |
| 2000 Sunfire | 15 | 16% | 36,000 |
| 1999 Sunfire | 10 | 11% | 30,000 |
| 1998 Sunfire | 13 | 11% | 64,000 |
| 1997 Sunfire | 23 | 12% | 93,216 |
| 1996 Sunfire | 24 | 12% | 160,000 |
| 1995 Sunfire | 14 | 12% | 96,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists service brakes, hydraulic for the Pontiac Sunfire. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While braking the brake pedal was working normally then suddenly went soft. Pumped brakes but pedal went to floor. Caused car to crash into vehicle in front of it. Failure was consistent with either mater cylinder failure or hydraulic brake line failure causing loss of fluid and pressure. Both…
Numerous failures with my car i am only listing the ones which have happened more than once 1..transmission failure, transmission failed 3 times first time while traveling 35mph car came to a dead stop tires locked up, car would not even roll, causing near accident. 2...window motors failed twice…
1996 pontiac sunfire 2.2l. Rear right brake locks. Causes the car to shudder and difficult to stop. This also causes the abs and brake light to illuminate on the dash. Brakes have been replaced. Possible failure to stop is the greatest concern. This may lead to accident. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac sunfire. While driving at an unknown speed down a hill during rainy weather, the brakes locked when engaged. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the contact was informed that there was brake dust which caused the failure. The dust was removed but…
Lost brakes in my 1998 pontiac sunfire when braking on an expressway exit ramp. This was a very unsafe condition, but was able to avert a collision. The left rear brake line (hydraulic) corroded through and caused a large leak, leaving marginal brakes.*tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all Pontiac Sunfires have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 131 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic 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 service brakes, hydraulic?
No recall currently lists service brakes, hydraulic for this vehicle.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Pontiac Sunfire?
The most frequent phrase is “applying brakes”, in 12 of 131 complaints, followed by “anti lock” (10).
Other Pontiac Sunfire problems
- Electrical System problems (304)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (219)
- Air Bags problems (122)
- Steering problems (109)
See all Pontiac Sunfire problems.