1996 Pontiac Sunfire problems

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN OVERHEATING. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, WIPER FLUID WAS LEAKING, AND THE MUFFLER MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH THE DEALER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,050. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF UPDATED 10/06/08.*JB”

“WHILE ON THE STREET VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND THE KEY WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. THEN, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. BLACK SMOKE. AND LARGE FLAMES APPEARED. FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOW UP TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,600. *TR”

“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 ON EACH EACH DOOR OF MY 4 DOOR CAR 3...HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED 3 TIMES CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATION AT NIGHT 4...SEVERE WATER LEAK IN TRUNK AREA , WATER GETTING IN THROUGH FENDER WELL OR TRUNK UNDERBODY, CAUSED SO MUCH TO PUDDLE UP A MUSHROOM STARTED GROWING FROM BACK SEAT,... WATER PUDDLED UNDERNEATH CARPET IN SPARE TIRE AREA SO IT WAS NOT VISIBLE TO NAKED EYE, BUT WAS SLOSHING BACK AND FORTH WITH EVERY STOP AND GO OF VEHICLE STILL TO THIS DAY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PINPOINT EXACT LOCATION WATER IS GETTING IN ALTHOUGH IT FOR SURE IS FROM UNDERBODY 5... OTHER DEFECTS INCLUDE RADIO DISPLAY LIGHTS FAIL ON 2 RADIOS, SEATBELTS AND STEERING WHEEL BECOME TOO HOT IN SUMMER BRAKE PADS WEAR UNEVENLY,,,, FUEL PUMPS GO OUT OFTEN. *TR”

“WHEN TURNING OFF A ROAD ONTO A HIGHWAY, I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS STUCK IN 2ND GEAR. I CAREFULLY DROVE TO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. NOW THE CAR WON'T ENGAGE ON REVERSE, DRIVE, 2ND & 1ST. *TR”

“FEBRUARY 25, 2009 - NOTICED WHEN USING THE TILT STEERING LEVER, THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK AT CERTAIN LEVELS (LOWER POSITION). WITHIN A WEEK OF NOTICING THIS PROBLEM, I NOTICE THE STEERING COLUMN SEEMED LOOSE AND WHEN IT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT. IN ONE INCIDENT, NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO MY LANE ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. I HAD TO OVER COMPENSATE THE IMMEDIATE TURN TO AVOID LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHING. MARCH 13, 2009 - NOISE HEARD WHEN TURNING OR STEERING THE VEHICLE. CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID - SLIGHTLY LOW, ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID - NOISE WENT AWAY. MARCH 14, 2009 - NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK NEAR BOTH FRONT WHEELS. NOISE AGAIN HEARD - IT APPEARS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING IS THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL BY GM (NHTSA NO 02V286000) AND MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2003 BASED ON THE RECALL. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CONSUMERS AFTER THE REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE BY A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC AT A DEALERSHIP. THE GM DEALERSHIP DOES NOT WANT TO REPAIR THEIR PREVIOUS WORK AT NO CHARGE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO…”