FaultScore report
Owners have filed 15 complaints about the 1990 Pontiac Sunbird with NHTSA between 1995 and 2003. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.
15
Complaints
3
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
2 crashes, 0 fires
0 crashes, 1 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
The agency crash-tested this model year itself. These are its own photographs and star ratings.
These stars come from the pre-2011 crash test programme. NHTSA rebuilt the programme for the 2011 model year and states that ratings either side of that change are not comparable — so do not read these against a 2011-or-newer car's stars.
| Configuration | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Pontiac Sunbird 4-DR. | — | — | — | — |
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
STICKING THROTTLE
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Lights And Instruments
THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT (DRL) MODULE, WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR THE BATTERY, COULD OVERHEAT AND POSSIBLY RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. CORRECTION: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRL MODULE, INSTALL A WIRING HARNESS WITH FUSES AND INSTALL A MODULE COVER.
Lights And Instruments
ON VEHICLES WITH "DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS" (D.R.L.), THE D.R.L. MODULE, WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR THE BATTERY, CAN OVERHEAT, RESULTING IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CORRECTION: A NON-FUNCTIONAL MODULE, WHICH WILL RENDER THE D.R.L.'S INOPERATIVE BUT ALLOW NORMAL USE OF THE VEHICLE'S LIGHTING SYSTEM, WILL BE INSTALLED UNTIL FUNCTIONAL MODULES BECOME AVAILABLE, AT WHICH TIME THIS RECALL WILL BE REISSUED TO HAVE THE D.R.L. SYSTEM UPGRADED.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTAIN DRIVER IN THE SEAT. DRIVER SUFFERED SOME DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE BELT NOT RETRACTING AROUND HER.
NHTSA complaint #814956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
EA94-013 ACTIVE, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND PARKED SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #969017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THERE WAS A CAR SEAT STRAP IN THE REAR SEAT CAR SEAT WAS THROWN FORWARD THERE WAS NO CHILD IN CAR SEAT. TT
NHTSA complaint #966530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
SEAT BACK BROKE UPON REAR IMPACT, RESULTING IN COLLAPSING. TT
NHTSA complaint #966309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT 55MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.
NHTSA complaint #10003632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #784585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #784585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
FAN BELT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #784585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS
BRAKE CYLINDERS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #784585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #784585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. THREE TIRES HAVE SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION. BLACKWALL OF THE TIRES IS NO LONGER BLACK. TIRE SIZE 195/70R14, DOT # VDRWJRA138. REPLACEMENT TIRES ON A 1990, SUNBIRD. TIRE MILEAGE LESS THAN 20,000. TIRES HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH ANOTHER BRAND AT OWNER'S EXPENSE.
NHTSA complaint #871171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTAIN DRIVER IN THE SEAT. DRIVER SUFFERED SOME DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE BELT NOT RETRACTING AROUND HER.
NHTSA complaint #814956 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DRIVER BELIEVES SAFETY BELT THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE DOOR ARE UNSAFE.
NHTSA complaint #521531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
EA94-013 ACTIVE, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND PARKED SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #969017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THERE WAS A CAR SEAT STRAP IN THE REAR SEAT CAR SEAT WAS THROWN FORWARD THERE WAS NO CHILD IN CAR SEAT. TT
NHTSA complaint #966530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
SEAT BACK BROKE UPON REAR IMPACT, RESULTING IN COLLAPSING. TT
NHTSA complaint #966309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS FAILED TWICE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #481638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME OUT, ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WARPED AND SPLIT. TT
NHTSA complaint #959755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING ARM BRACKET ATTACHED TO THE FIRE WALL CAME LOOSE, RESULTING IN STIFF STEERING. TT
NHTSA complaint #958627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.