Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Pontiac Sunfire problems
Owners filed 102 complaints about the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire with NHTSA between Apr 1999 and Sep 2014. The most-cited component is electrical system (24).
Complaints
102
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system24
- Engine and engine cooling20
- Service brakes, hydraulic12
- Air bags11
- Visibility8
- Power train8
- Steering7
- Exterior lighting7
- Structure5
- Suspension5
- Seats4
- Seat belts3
- Interior lighting2
- Equipment2
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
11
16
11
16
11
9
10
3
4
2
1
4
0
2
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 11 |
| 2000 | 16 |
| 2001 | 11 |
| 2002 | 16 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
24 reports3 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V036000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 86,000.”
Engine and engine cooling
20 reports2 fires
“I WAS DRIVING THE CAR JUST AFTER I PURCHASED IT AND BECAME COLD SO I TURNED ON THE HEATER AND WITHIN 30 SECONDS SMOKE FILLED THE CAR. I THOUGHT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. IT SMELLED LIKE BURNING OIL OR GAS. I CALLED DELPHI ABOUT RECALLS AND BEFORE I COULD FINISH A SENTENCE THE MAN CUT ME OFF SAYING THAT THE ONLY RECALL ON MY CAR WAS FOR THE O RING ON THE FUEL. HE SAID IF I HAVE A 1999 AND THAT WAS DEFECTIVE I WOULD BE SPEWING FUEL EVERYWHERE. I DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED AND HE JUST CUT ME OFF. MY BROTHER PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A DEALER FOR OVER 3,000 DOLLARS AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ODOMETER IS SUPPOSE TO BE BECAUSE HE SAID THE DEALER TOLD HIM TO BRING IT BACK AND HE WOULD FIX IT. AFTER HE PAID THE DEALER HE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT HE WILL CONTACT MY BROTHER WHEN HE CAN FIX IT. ACCORDING TO THE ODOMETER IT HAS A LITTLE OVER 23,000 MILES. I ALSO NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT AND THERE IS YELLOW HOT WIRE HANGING OUT OF THE FUSE BOX. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
12 reports1 crash
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED DOWN A HILL DURING RAINY WEATHER, THE BRAKES LOCKED WHEN ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS BRAKE DUST WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DUST WAS REMOVED BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN TWO WEEKS LATER DURING RAINY CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Air bags
11 reports6 crashes
“THE 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM - POSSIBLY THE WORST CAR EVER MADE. AT 30,000 MILES, THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. AT 40,000 MILES, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED. RECALLS REPLACED THE STEERING WHEEL & CENTER CONSOLE, AND OTHER RECALLS HAVE BEEN MADE. AT 50,000 MILES THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AGAIN. SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN, MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS CAUSED A $2,500 COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. UNDER 90,000 MILES, THE GAS GAUGE STOPPED WORKING AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS NEEDED REWIRING. NOW, UNDER 92,000 MILES A NEW PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL: THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, THE TRUNK POPS OPEN ON ITS OWN, THE AIRBAG COMES ON AND OFF, THE CAR ONLY STARTS RANDOMLY, AND WORST OF ALL IT SHUTS OFF ALL ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, SO YET AGAIN WE ARE FORCED TO HAVE DIAGNOSTICS RUN TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NEW AND COSTLY REPAIRS WILL NEED TO BE MADE. PONTIAC/GM SHOULD ADMIT THEY MADE A MISTAKE WITH THE GRAND AM/OLDSMOBILE ALERO AND PAY ALL THE CURRENT OWNERS SOME $$ AND TAKE ALL THE CARS TO A JUNK YARD. THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA COMPLETELY RECALLED THESE CARS FOR THE CITIZENS OF CANADA, YET IN THE U.S. IT'S THE UNFORTUNATE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES WHO…”
Visibility
8 reports
“BEFORE THE FAILURE OF MY BRAKES FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS I HAD THIS NOISE EVER SO OFTEN AND SLIPPING FEELING WHEN BRAKING. I ALSO STARTED TO HAVE BAD TRACTION ACCORDING TO MY TRACTION LIGHT AND MY ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AFTER EITHER GOING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS OR TURNING A RIGHT HAND TURN OR HITTING A POT HOLE. I WOULD THEN HAVE TO RESTART MY CAR TO GET RID OF THE MESSAGES ON THE DASH TELLING ME WHAT WAS WRONG. I HAD THEM CHECK AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WHERE PUT ON ALL THE WAY AROUND ALONG WITH NEW TIRES. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I HAVE ALSO LOST MY EMERGENCY BRAKE IN THE PAST 2 WEEKS BUT I HAVEN'T HAD IT LOOKED AT YET AND HEARD THAT IT MIGHT NEED TIGHTENED. I ONLY BOUGHT HIS VEHICLE RECENTLY AND IT DOES HAVE OTHER MINOR PROBLEMS THAT I HEAR SO MANY GRAND AM OWNERS HAVE. LIKE THE LOOSE RIGHT SIDE VIEW MIRROR AND THE VOLUME DIAL ON THE RADIO AND THE INABILITY TO TURN OFF THE RADIO ITSELF ALSO ALONG WITH THE # 1 AND 2 ON THE A/C...AND HEATER DO NOT WORK. I FOUND THIS TO BE TRUE IN MORE THAN A DOZEN GRAND AMS I LOOKED AT OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME I WAS LOOKING FOR A NEW VEHICLE AND I THINK…”
Power train
8 reports1 crash
“WE HAVE A 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE WITH 32445 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION, 3RD & 4TH GEARS, HAVE GONE BAD. I WOULD EXPECT TO RECIEVE MORE MILEAGE THAN THIS OUT OF A PROPERLY SERVICED TRANSMISSION. THIS OCCURRED WITHIN 220 MILES OF HAVING THE FLUID REPLACED IN HTE TRANSMISSION.*AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.