Worst years for a Pontiac Sunfire
Owners have filed 1,641 complaints about the Pontiac Sunfire with NHTSA across model years 1985 to 2005. More of them are about the electrical system than anything else.
Avoid
1996 Pontiac Sunfire320 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly engine & cooling.
Every Pontiac Sunfire year, graded
The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.
| Year | Grade | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Median miles | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | A | 94 | 0 | 0 | 61,000 | Electrical System |
| 2004 | C | 41 | 4 | 1 | 48,275 | Electrical System |
| 2003 | C | 113 | 7 | 1 | 40,000 | Lights |
| 2002 | D | 128 | 9 | 5 | 29,000 | Electrical System |
| 2001 | C | 83 | 9 | 2 | 64,586 | Electrical System |
| 2000 | D | 169 | 15 | 6 | 56,500 | Electrical System |
| 1999 | C | 128 | 9 | 5 | 92,700 | Electrical System |
| 1998 | C | 149 | 13 | 1 | 77,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 1997 | D | 257 | 35 | 10 | 96,000 | Steering |
| 1996 | F | 320 | 36 | 13 | 136,050 | Engine & Cooling |
| 1995 | C | 154 | 15 | 16 | 90,000 | Engine & Cooling |
| 1994 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | Transmission & Drivetrain |
| 1991 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 1985 | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | Airbags |
What breaks on a Pontiac Sunfire
Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.
Exactly what failed on a Pontiac Sunfire
The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.
Complaints filed over time
Every complaint about every Pontiac Sunfire, by the month it reached NHTSA.
Pontiac Sunfire problems by state
Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.
Compare the Pontiac Sunfire
Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.