19th Dec 2010, 12:30
I have a 2000 Pontiac Sunfire. I have had a lot of the same problems other people have had. I have managed to find a solution to most of them, so that may help some other people who have the same problems. I got my car used with about 90,000 miles on it back in 2004. It now has about 225,000 miles on it. With the high mileage, it is bound to have problems with it, but most are the same as other people.
- A couple years ago, my passenger side window started going up really slowly, and then progressed to not going up at all. It would go down fine, just not up. That turned out to be the motor. It wasn't easy to fix, but I fixed it.
- When I first got the car, I had to replace the coils. I can't remember exactly what happened for them needing to be replaced. But recently I had to replace them again. My car would accelerate very slowly, and I was lucky if I was able to get up to about 40 mph. At one point, when I stepped on the gas, my car would actually slow down like I was stepping on the brakes. I replaced the coils, and it's fine now.
- Shortly after I got the car, I had a problem with the car not starting. It was not the battery. It turned out to be the starter. I replaced that, and it's fine.
- I have had to replace the horn several times. This is due to the fact that where the horn is located, when I drive in the rain or snow, the horn fills up with water, does not drain and causes it not to work. I recently relocated the horn. Just take some speaker wire and run it from where the horn should be to a place where you can mount it elsewhere. I placed mine under the hood in the middle of the car.
- At one point, my windshield washer fluid was barely dribbling out when I tried to use it. This was caused by a hole in the hose. The hose runs around the corner where the battery is and from the battery rubbing up against it, it caused a giant hole in the hose. I only needed to replace the hose, which was pretty easy. You can also wrap some duct tape around that portion of the hose so it doesn't wear through as easily.
- I have not had a problem with the lights that many people seem to have. However, mine have always been very dim and there is almost no difference in the brightness of the regular lights and the high beams. I have tried several different kinds of bulbs, but none have made a difference. I'm thinking it has to do with the fact that the lens is stained/yellow and needs to be replaced. Unfortunately I cannot afford to do that right now.
- My AC has never worked, but that's not a big deal to me. I'd rather have my windows open. However, about a year ago, settings 1 and 2 on the blower have stopped working. After reading through some stuff on here, I now know what's wrong with that. I don't like my car real warm anyway, so I just turn it on to the 3rd setting until I'm warm enough, and then turn it all the way down.
- I did read on someone's comment that they were having a problem with the car vibrating as they sped up. I had that problem, but it turned out that it just needed an alignment, which is a real easy fix. I can't say that's what's wrong with theirs, but it's a possibility.
- I also had to replace the locking mechanism (which is also the door latch) on the drivers side, because the latch was so worn out my door wouldn't shut.
I have had to replace several other wires, sensors, parts etc. These things are what I can remember at the moment. Some of it's regular maintenance, and some is just due to the fact that the car is so old and has so many miles on it that the parts are just worn out. Others have to do with the fact that the check engine light has been on for years and will not go off. So in order to try to get it to go off to get it inspected, we put the computer on the car to read the code and replace whatever part we need to. Unfortunately it doesn't always work. What I end up having to do is clear the light, drive it whatever number of miles it's required to be driven with the check engine light staying off, and praying that it passes. I hope some of this helps people.
28th Feb 2011, 12:21
I have a 2001 Pontiac Sunfire, and have had problems with the running lights as well. I have also had the stalling on the highway, and there's nothing wrong with it. All of a sudden, it's running again a few days later.
The wiring harness should be a recall. If everyone pitches in together, we can make a change! Go to GM's site https://www.pontiac.com/toolbar/contact_us.html
And email them your problem with the Pontiac Sunfire. It only takes a minute, and it'll do more good than posting on here what's wrong with your car. Let's get them to recall this 10 years later!
28th Feb 2011, 15:16
Report your problems to safercar.gov.
28th Feb 2011, 19:49
To the previous comment, that will never happen!
GM and every car manufacturing company will not recall any part that isn't safety related. In my opinion, what you want people to do is a waste of time! There has to be more than half of a certain production model with this problem, and just because there's a couple of hundred complaints, it's not enough, there would have to be hundreds of thousands of complaints. Just because a few hundred have the same problem, doesn't mean much!
Not all of the Sunfires have this problem during their life. There are more without the problem than there are with the problem! So why would GM, right after coming back from about being bankrupt, waste thousands on a recall that isn't safety related, and on a vehicle that is over 10 years old! That will never happen!! GM won't recall this, and I don't blame them.
I'm an owner of two 98's, and 01 and 04 models, and NONE of mine have had this problem, and for that matter, really not any problems at all!
Treat your Sunfire good, and it will last a long long time without any problems.
In my opinion, people are asking way too much out of all different brands of vehicle manufacturing companies. And I think people are expecting way too much out of all brands of cars, where the average price is under $13,000. It's ridiculous, it's almost like people think parts aren't going to break at 10 years old. And sorry to break it to everybody, the average life span of all new cars, no matter who it's made by, is 7-13 years or 150,000 miles, that's when it starts to go down hill
20th Aug 2010, 23:57
I would have to consider myself lucky. I've had my Sunfire for around seven years. I had the recall on the relay, I've had the gas gauge problem. And I'm just now starting to get the problem with the headlights..
I have however had the problem where my car likes to blow headlights way before their time, but they never completely stopped working.. The left daytime head light doesn't come on now, but to avoid getting pulled over, I just turn my lights on. Haven't gotten pulled over yet.
As for the gas gauge problem, it's been like that for close to five of the years I've owned it. I just count my miles.
My biggest problem with the car is that the window motors went out, and for some reason, no one around her carries them. I've been on a waiting list for them at the junk yard for well over two years now, because that's just how many people are on it, plus the fact that they probably don't work anymore anyways.
I love Pontiacs, they are beautiful cars, but I'll probably never buy one again in my life.