Comments: 1-15, 16-21
Fuel pump died at 4,000 km.
Rear strut mounts have been replaced 6 (six) times.
Rear struts replaced once.
Front strut mounts and bearings replaced at 85,000 km.
Starter replaced at 72,000 km.
Both rear doors seized completely even with consistent use.
Catalytic converter blew at 118,000 km.
Paint is terribly thin.
Odometer and radio light died at 126,000 km.
Ignition control module died at 105,000 km.
Coil packs died twice, once at 98,000 km and again at 139,000 km.
Evaporator valve died at 58,000 km, GM would not replace even though it was "under warranty"
Still experiencing electrical problems.
GM mechanics have no idea what they are doing... do not buy a Sunfire!! GM have extremely poor customer service, the 1999 Sunfire is a bottomless money eating pit!! I am still experiencing electrical problems that no one can seem to isolate, not even GM!! I have spent over $3000 since November 2002, that was 9 months ago!! All this on several different problems!! Be warned... Sunfires are garbage people!!
I think you are too hard on GM as a whole, if what you are saying is true we wouldn't be number one car manufacturer in north america. I work for a dealership and see my service department bend over backwards to make customers happy. Unfortunately a lemon rolls off the line once in a while. Just be happy that lemon was not an import because you would have paid triple for the repairs you put into that sunfire.
I'm a owner of a 2000 Sun-fire GT convertible I paid an additional $1,600 for extended warranty luckily part of that paid off sense the head had a crack that was replaced.
They claimed to fix the rear window defrost this still doesn't work and now I'm limited to short distance travel sense the car will stall after 30 or more minutes of driving.
My warranty expired just when this problem started.
On the last servive they stated they installed a low voltage switch (I'm not in any way accusing gm, but after this was installed was when my warranty expired and my car started to stall.
There are no trouble codes on the onboard computer & GM wants to replace the $300.00 fuel pump even though they won't guarentee in writing this is the problem sense the whole service will set me back around $500.00 with no warrantees or guarantees this will fix the stalling problem.
GM claims to be one of the best in the market.
I really want to keep this car and all I want is for this problem fixed with a written promise so GM won't collect $1000.00 guessing what to do next.
What should I Do?
My Jade is a 1999 SUNFIRE SE, she is one of the best cars I have owned. At 104,000 + miles with regular scheduled maintenance, she is fabulous. I have driven many miles and have always found her to be reliable, consistent and powerful for a 4 cylinder, 2.2 liter engine. She is in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and has proven herself well. The interior has held up wonderfully. My 14 year son wants her for his first car. I look forward too many more years.
Some cars no matter the make or model are "lemons." That is unfortunate.
I agree with the author. I purchased my nightmare in 2002 used. I loved the way it looked. Well besides things falling apart on the inside, the check engine light kept coming on and the thermostat running hot right after I purchased it. I had it to the dealer 4 times. They said nothing was wrong and would reset the check engine light. Well low and behold - the computer went - took out the entire cooling system. $$$ and a week later, had it back - the new computer was bad. Still running hot. They say that is normal. I have dumped an additional 2k since original purchase and now the transmission crapped out. This isn't my primary car... it is not driven hard. I figured I could have leased a fully loaded bmw for less in the last two years. It is a toss up if your buying one. Some are great and the others like mine are money pits.
I love my pontiac sunfire; after 6 years and 115,000 miles it is still going. it needs some minor repairs, but not much. ie good car over all.
I have a 2003 Sunfire and I agree with the lemon comments. It's the only new car I've ever owned and the absolute worst car I've ever had. The roller rockers blew at 35,000 Km. I decided to just change the whole engine and that worked for a while (another 75,000 Km) before it started packing it in. The brake rotors are in constant need of replacement. I've replaced the fuel pump twice (a real pain since you have to drop the tank out). I'll be replacing the engine again just so I can get rid of it. Right now it idles like crap even after fuel diagnostics checks, ignition coil replacement, and charcoal cannister replacement for the EVAP system.
Me and the wife are buying two new cars when the checks come in in July and you can bet that neither will be a GM product. I've talked several friends out of buying new cars from GM too. They see all the problems I've had with the car and they want nothing to do with it.
I can't even get the last week I need the car out of it before I take off for two months. And I'm not spending another dime on mechanics or parts. For $23,000.00 (financed) and over five thousand in repairs, I got to drive the car for four years. That's the last money GM will ever see from me or anyone I can talk out of buying from them.
I have a 2003 sun-fire. It has run great with no real problems other than when I first got the car, I was told everything worked great, then winter hit and I found out I had no defrost, I took the car back, this was all in a one month span and I was told sorry we don't warranty electrical parts, so now that's a $ 500.00 touch to replace a computer module. Now my car is over heating, and the check engine light stays on. My question is where the heck is the thermostat located on this car? And does it take a specialty tool other than a screwdriver to open the drain on the radiator. I've owned and driven GM's for years and I have to admit sun-fires suck, and I wont be buying a GMC again.
I have a 2002 Sunfire, it is my first car and buying it is by far the biggest mistake I have ever made. It seemed like a good little car when I bought it, but now, just a few months later, I am realizing what a piece of crap it is.
The overall ride is the car is very poor, if I hit even the tiniest pothole, it feels like the car is about to fall apart.
I have to floor it just to be able to do 30mph up a steady slope, and I recently found out that it has a very poor crash test rating, which makes me feel so safe driving it... NOT.
I have also encountered other little annoying problems with the car, such as the way the lock on my glovebox will never open, no matter what, and sometimes I can never get it to lock.
I would never buy another Sunfire again, and I would never advise anyone to buy a Sunfire.
It all comes down to you get what you pay for. I got a 1999 sunfire as a winter beater, and at best it kept a little spot clear of snow for my 1997 Golf GTI. The sunfire is a money pit. I keep it well maintained, it has low kms, but the problems are endless. when I get one thing fixed another goes wrong. The ABS makes for a terrifying driving experience. GM doesn't even make the engine for the sunfire or cavalier, it's subcontracted out. If you want quality pay for it. These cars were never expensive in the first place. I'd take my 1997 Golf over any year of sunfire or cavalier any day.
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, so don't complain. There's a reason why they have no resale value, and there's a reason why they're so cheap in the first place. THEY'RE SELF PROPELLED LEMONS!
I am also the proud owner of a 2002 Sunfire.
From the beginning I have had strange problems with it.
One of the problems is that when I turn the engine off, the heater fan keeps blowing and I must turn it off manually. Even then, sometimes the battery goes dead. Sometimes the heater fan will come on if the parking lights are on. I have had it checked by mechanics. The alternator, battery, etc. have all been checked and I was told it wasn't a mechanical problem.
Yesterday, I took it to a car wiring expert and after looking at everything, he could not find the problem. He contacted a few dealers and they couldn't believe the things it was doing.
He suggested I take it to the GM dealership and have them test the computers.
I have been dealing with this problem for quite some time and do not drive out of town because I never know when I might be stranded. There is no warning and the problems are not consistent.
I have looked on the net at the information others have provided and find I am in good company. These problems are so common! Has anyone figured out how to fix them?
I called GM and told them about the problems and was told they had no record of any of these listed. I suggested they check out the net because these cars are getting a bad name. No help from them. One owner who wrote a review said to check the VIN#. He said that if it starts with a one it was made in the States, but if it starts with a three, it was made in Mexico where the standards are lower. I don't know if this is true, but mine starts with a three.
Does anyone know what to do because I am at my wit's end and spending a fortune on this unreliable vehicle.
If I find out anything I will let you know as well.
Thank you
Frustrated Sunfire Owner.
Sunfires are great cars.I drove 400,000 KM (320,00 miles) in a 1996 Sunfire and only replaced the brakes and a fuel pump.I now have a 2003 Sunfire with 190,000 KM (150,00 miles) and have also only replaced the brakes and fuel pump.
I think the author is perhaps experiencing all those problems probably because he/she is rodding the crap out of it. If you don't do regular maintenance and drive it like its stolen then of course you are going to have problems. Most people have an excellent experience with the Sunfire, and it wouldn't be a top selling car if it was crap. Maybe the driver is the problem.
In regard to Sunfire and Cavalier fuel pump problems.
In my daughter's 99 Sunfire we changed out a like new looking fuel pump just after purchasing this car used. The car quit again shortly after with a used pump. My brother, a mechanic, said it's got to be something else. He traced the wiring from the pump to the dash where a plug-like connection had a melted contact that would occasionally lose continuity, and the pump would quit until the connection cooled. He installed a jumper wire around it and no more problems.
How many pumps have been changed out needlessly and bad connections repaired without revealing the real problem?
Mike Moir mmoir@health.nb.ca
I have a 2002 Sunfire I just bought, and it keeps feeling like it is going to stall when I put the A/C on. Also when I put the defrosters on, it does that because the A/C comes on with it when it shouldn't. My engine also overheats. Anybody have these similar problems?
I bought my 1999 Sunfire GT used in 2001 with 67,000Km on it. The only real work done to it has been regular maintenance and wear items such as tires, a clutch, brakes. I now have 260,000Km on it and it's in need of rear struts, but overall, doing quite well.
To everyone complaining about fuel pumps, talk to a mechanic about who they fail for.. you will find that on ANY fuel injected car, they are in the tank and they fail for younger drivers... why? They have so much money tied up into a car payment and big stereo that they cannot afford fuel and run the tanks low all the time. The fuel actually cools the pump and when you are below 1/4 tank, they are not sufficiently cooled.
Lastly, I think it comes down to how you own it.. I agree with the person that says if you drive it like you stole it, it will cost you. Now I don't totally baby my car, but I don't beat it to death either. At 260,000Km, it's not showing any sign of dropping anytime soon. I intend to buy a new car in 2011, yes, just over two years from now, and my daughter can drive the Sunfire. I'm confident it will still be running.