15 of the 149 complaints about the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire are about the braking system — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 56,000 miles.
15
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, HAZARD LIGHTS, AND REAR DEFROSTER ALL STOPPED FUNCTIONING. PROBLEM INITIALLY HAPPENED ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER STARTING VEHICLE, BUT NOW IS PERSISTENT AND NONE OF THESE ITEMS FUNCTION POSING A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #10919968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
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.
NHTSA complaint #10290562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO COAST, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.
NHTSA complaint #10065510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKES FAILED 50% OF THE TIME WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED, VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, BUT THEN THE FRONT BRAKES RELEASED, AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD. REAR BRAKES WERE THE ONLY BRAKES STOPPING THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT ONLY PERFORMED A BRAKE ADJUSTMENT. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
NHTSA complaint #10065399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON. DEALER NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10031271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY 1998 PONTIAC SUNFIRE AND HAD A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR. SHE REPORTED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED AND WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR AT ALL. WE HAVE ALSO REPORTED TO THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THAT THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK. THIS MAY HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE COLLISION. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10020534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
MY ABS BRAKE MODULE WENT OUT, ALONG WITH MY REGULAR BRAKES AS WELL. IF MY CAR GOES OVER 30 MILES PER HOUR, THE CAR SKIDS TO A STOP AND MY TIRES LOCK UP. MY CAR IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY AND I KNOW GM HAS A "CODE A" THAT COVERS REPAIR IF THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT THE CAR DOESN'T YET HAVE 60,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY A GM DEALERSHIP CAN FIX IT, BUT THEY WON'T COVER IT UNDER CODE A. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SOMETHING IN MY CAR'S SYSTEM CAUSED THE ABS BRAKE MODULE GO OUT, SO THERE TECHINICALLY IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY CAR, IT ISN'T JUST THAT THE PART WENT OUT. I HAVE TALKED TO PONTIAC REPEATEDLY FOR OVER THE PAST MONTH, AND ALTHOUGH THEY ADMIT THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO MY CAR WITH ONLY 48,00 MILES ON IT, THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR IT FOR ME UNDER CODE A. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DEFECT IN MY CAR, HOWEVER, THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANY MORE MONEY TO GM BECAUSE THEY OBVIOUSLY ARE OF NO HELP, BUT I CAN'T EVEN GET MY CAR REPAIRED BY A REGULAR MECHANIC BECAUSE ONLY THE DEALERSHIP CAN FIX THE ABS BRAKE MODULE. I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT GM FOR NOT REPAIRING A DEFECT IN MY CAR, BECAUSE I LITERALLY HAVE NO BRAKES LEFT IN MY CAR, AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MY CAR IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WON'T OWN UP TO THE FACT THAT MY CAR IS DEFECTIVE IF IT IS MY CAR'S SYSTEM CAUSING THE HIGHLY PRICED ABS BRAKE MODULE TO GO OUT, IT'S NOT JUST "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR." I THINK MY CAR, AS WELL AS OHTER PONTIACS ARE DEFECTIVE, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #760319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE GOING 15MPH APPLIED BRAKES & VEHICLE WOULD JERK, AND WOULD FAIL TO STOP. WHENEVER TURNING, VEHICLE WOULD BE THROWN 10 FEET TO WHITE MARKING WHEN USING BRAKES. TAKEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES FOR PROBLEM WHICH WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
NHTSA complaint #878255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH ON A SIDE STREET ENGINE CHECK LIGHTCAME ON, BRAKES BECAME STIFF, AND PANEL BOARD LIGHT WAS VERY DIM.
NHTSA complaint #873094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION, VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 50 MPH BEFORE DRIVER APPLIED BRAKE AND HIT REAR BUMPER OF OTHER VEHICLE. BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #872973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHENEVER IT RAINS, AND A COUPLE OF DAYS, REAR BRAKES/ABS LOCKUP. CONSUMER WILL NOT DRIVE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION, DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, AND WON'T REPAIR IT.
NHTSA complaint #869145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
REAR BRAKES LOCK UP AFTER GETTING WET. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST TWO TIMES THEY SAID IT WAS BRAKE DUST, CLEANED AND ADJUSTED BRAKES. THE THIRD INCIDENT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED IT DOES NOT EXIST.
NHTSA complaint #726925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT NO PROBLEM HAS BEEN FOUND. *AK
NHTSA complaint #856710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
SEAT BELTS HAVE NEVER FIT PROPERLY.ENGAGE NECK AREA RATHER THAN SHOULDER AREA OF ANY SIZE ADULT(WE ARE AVERAGE 5"8")-PARKING BRAKE REPAIRED IN FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP AS MAKING STRANGE TWANGING NOISES.PROBLEM RETURNED RECENTLY (DEFECTIVE DESIGN?) AND WHEN CHANGING TIRES RECENTLY WE REALISED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WOULD SPIN WITH BRAKE "ON"----THE STEREO DISPLAY FAILS CONSISTANTLY IN HOT WEATHER.GM REMAN WAIT LIST IS EXCESSIVE(AT LEAST 6 MONTHS) FOR ADMITTED DEFECT BY DEALER PERSONNEL.
NHTSA complaint #714796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS VIBRATION WHICH MAY CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #832518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.