Problems · by component
2002 Pontiac Sunfire electrical system problems
26 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire cite electrical system, 29% of all 91 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
26
29% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, GOT MY FUSES AND RELAY'S ALL CHECKED AND TURNED THE CAR ON THE NEXT MORNING, NOTHING ON MY DASH PANEL IS WORKING. NO MILEAGE, NONE OF THE GAUGES WORK, FUSES AND RELAYS ARE ALL GOOD.”
“I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER OF MY 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE; WELL BACK IN 2011 IT JUST WOULD NOT START; TOOK IT TO A TRUSTY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME I HAD TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP CAUSE MOST LIKELY I NEEDED AN IGNITION SWITCH; SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN TOWN; BEING THEY ARE A GM DEALER; I MENTIONED WHAT IT NEEDED; THEY LOOKED AT IT FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM; AND IT WAS 703.00 FOR LABOR AND EVERYTHING; OKAY SO WE DECIDE TO FIX IT; GET IT BACK AND GUESS WHAT SEVERAL WEEKS LATER IT DIES ON THE INTERSTATE WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS GOING 70MPH; HE HAD TO THROW IT INTO NEUTRAL AND PULL OVER; CAUSE IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT!!! TAKE IT BACK TO SAME DEALERSHIP; THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT; THEY HAVE ME COME PICK IT UP AND IT WONT EVEN START!!! SO I LEAVE IT THERE; THEN THEY CALL ME THAT MONDAY; YOU NEED AN IGNITION SWITCH AND WE WILL REPLACE THIS FOR FREE; DID I EVEN NEED A NEW COMPUTER??? GM THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE ON THAT RECALL LIST; CAUSE ITS NEXT; ALSO; I HAVE HAD A BROKEN TRUNK; A BROKEN MOON ROOF; AND IN THE WINTER WHEN ITS REALLY COLD OUT; GOOD LUCK GETTING INSIDE THE CAR; THESE DOORS FREEZE LIKE NO OTHER; ITS NOT…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY TOOK THIRTY MINUTES TO EJECT FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO TURN IN ANY POSITION OR RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE PLACED IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND PROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
“WHEN TRYING TO PUT CAR INTO PARK, SHIFT CABLE BROKE AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INTO PARK. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO KEEP CAR FROM ROLLING. THEN, BECAUSE CAR WASN'T FULLY IN PARK, IGNITION WOULDN'T RESTART. HAD TO REPLACE CABLE. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SEIZED IN THE "ON" POSITION AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO TURN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 151,000.”
Showing 6 of 26 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.