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Research · Subcompact Cars

1998 Pontiac SunfireRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 127 owner complaints for the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire. Most complaints involve engine and engine cooling (34) and electrical system (22). The EPA rates it 23–25 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
23–25mpg
EPA · 5 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
7campaigns
Latest Oct 2008
Owner complaints
127
Top: engine and engine cooling
Fuel cost / yr
$2,550est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

7 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Steering

Free remedy

DORMAN PRODUCTS IS RECALLING 3,900 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS DORMAN PART NOS. 425-151, 425-152, AND 425-153, (SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS" BRAND NAME), BALKAMP #'S 7-3057, 7-3058, 7-3059 (SOLD UNDER THE "NAPA" BRAND NAME), AND PLATINUM PARTS #'S 2425151, 2425152, AND 2425153 MANUFACTURED DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2007. THESE REPLACEMENT STEERING SHAFTS CAN BE USED ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE WELD CONNECTING THE INNER TUBE TO THE OUTER TUBE MAY BE DEFECTIVE.

SteeringReported Oct 17, 2008NHTSA 08E063000

Fuel system

Free remedy

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

Fuel system, otherReported Mar 12, 2007NHTSA 07E021000

Fuel system

Free remedy

CERTAIN DELPHI AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMP MODULES / MODULE RESERVOIR ASSEMBLIES (MRA) THAT WERE SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE MRAS VENT AND FUEL RETURN TUBES WERE REVERSED. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE VEHICLE NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY (IDLE ROUGH AND/OR STALL) DUE TO AN OVERLY RICH FUEL BLEND OR THE VEHICLE'S EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CARBON CANISTER MAY LEAK FUEL.

Fuel system, gasolineReported Feb 26, 2007NHTSA 07E015000
See all 7 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 27, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

127 complaints filed with NHTSA · May 1998 – May 2018
  1. Engine and engine cooling34
  2. Electrical system22
  3. Steering15
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic13
  5. Air bags12
  6. Power train7
  7. Vehicle speed control7
  8. Equipment7
  9. Exterior lighting6

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Sunfire model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1996201
1997201
1998127
1999102
2000112
200177
200291
200385
200432
200568
Crashes reported
13
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
9
Deaths reported
4
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine and engine cooling

34 reports1 fire
“COOLANT HAD BEEN LEAKING FOR OVER 3 MONTHS OFF AND ON. PUT IN STOP LEAK FOR A TEMP FIX. HOWEVER DEXCOOL CONTINUED TO EAT AWAY AT MY COOLANT SYSTEM. CAR HAS OVERHEATED ON MANY OCCASIONS. FINALLY ABLE TO USE JB WELD TO FIX LEAK . *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 23, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10197189

Electrical system

22 reports2 fires
“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN AND THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WITH START FLASHING WILL START AGAIN AND BUT SHUT DOWN AGAIN I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND HAD IT AT A DEALER THEY REPLACED THE ECU THE GAUGES AND THE IGNITION THEY REPLACED THE ECU 3 TIMES WITH NO AVAIL THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ALL 4 OF MY PONTIACS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2018Steering, Power train, Electrical systemODI 11098157

Steering

15 reports2 crashes
“APPARENTLY, THEIR IS A KNOWN ISSUE W/THE 98 PONTIAC SUNFIRE STEERING RACK AND PINION GEAR MAKING IT FEEL LIKE THEIR IS A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING, EVEN THOUGH THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS WORKING PROPERLY. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN JANUARY OF 2011 OFF A LITTLE OLD LADY, WHO KEPT IT IN A GARAGE AND BARELY DROVE IT, THE CAR ONLY HAD 51,000 MILES ON IT. SHE ADVISED THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW OF ANY RECALLS, SO SHE DIDN'T TAKE IT IN FOR ANY OF THE RECALL REPAIRS. I HAVE CHECK THE NHTSA WEBSITE AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER REPUTABLE SITES AND HAVE FOUND THEIR HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. HOWEVER, UPON CALLING PONTIACS RECALL HOTLINE, THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THESE RECALLS ON YOUR WEBSITE NEVER EXISTED FOR MY 98 PONTIAC SUNFIRE AND WENT ON TO SAY THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE EVERY THING YOU READ ON THE INTERNET (HOW FUNNY, YOUR AVERAGE MORON COULD HAVE FIGURED THAT OUT). BUT REGARDLESS, IT APPEARS THAT PONTIAC IS SAYING THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX THESE RECALLS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND LET ME KNOW IF MY CONCERNS ARE LEGITIMATE. I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR A REPAIR, WHEN THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED UNDER THEIR RECALL. THANKS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 3, 2011SteeringODI 10428381
All 1998 Sunfire problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

5 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Subcompact Cars
Engines
2.2L 4-cyl · 2.4L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Manual 5-spd · Automatic 3-spd · Automatic 4-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 27, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Sunfire
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
213125$2,550355
Sunfire
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L · Front-Wheel Drive
203024$2,700370
Sunfire
Auto 3-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202723$2,800386
Sunfire
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202823$2,800386
Sunfire
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L · Front-Wheel Drive
193023$2,800386
  • Sunfire
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    21 city · 31 hwy · $2,550/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
  • Sunfire
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L
    20 city · 30 hwy · $2,700/yr
    24
    mpg comb.
  • Sunfire
    Auto 3-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    20 city · 27 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Sunfire
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    20 city · 28 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
  • Sunfire
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L
    19 city · 30 hwy · $2,800/yr
    23
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 27, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire as of Oct 27, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 27, 2026Vehicle 3912Vehicle 3855
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

1998 Sunfire questions

How many recalls does the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire have?

7 safety recalls as of Oct 27, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 1998 Pontiac Sunfire problems?

Owners filed 127 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine and engine cooling (34), electrical system (22), steering (15). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire get?

The EPA rates the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire at 23–25 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (5 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 27, 2026