IllustrationWHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. NOTIFIED MANUFACTURER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A WARRANTY, AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK *ML
1994 Pontiac Sunbird
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sunbird years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 3 of 42 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
42 reportsDRUVER'S SIDE DOOR OUTSIDE PANEL DEATACHES FROM FRAME AND JAMS DRIVER'S DOOR ,WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW DRIVER TO OPEN DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. DEALER HAS REGLUED IT TWICE, BUT DEFECT KEEPS OCCURRING. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOCKED UP IN HEAD-ON COLLISON, THEN IT UNLOCKED & THE DRIVER WENT AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. PASSENGER SEAT FAILED TO STAY LOCKED IN PLACE UPON IMPACT. PASSENGER WENT FORWARD INTO DASHBOARD. DRIVER & PASSENGER WERE INJURED/HOSPITALIZED. *AK
SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, RECALL ON SYSTEM HOWEVER VEHICLE DENIED DUE TO VIN #.
ALTERNATOR BELT CONTINUALLY BECOMES LOOSE.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF ENGINE ALUMINUM HEAD CRACKED ,CAUSING THE PRESSURE TO BACK UP INTO RADIATOR AND BLOW UP. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST WENT TO CONSUMER.*AK
ABS FAILED TWICE.
REAR WHEEL HAD A BAD LEAN DUE TO REAR AXLE RUSTING THROUGH, COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
BRAKING FAILURE.
ABS MALFUNCTION, CAR GOES INTO ANTILOCK MODE TO OFTEN, REPLACE BOTH FRT. WHEEL SPEED SENSOR, BRAKE PULSATES AND SEEMS TO LOCKUP, TURNED 2 FRT ROTORS, CLEANED AND ADJUSTED REAR BRAKES, TURN 2 REAR DRUMS,.
Official recalls
194V115000 · Steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm
Jun 24, 1994
THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH OVERTORQUED DRIVE AXLE SPINDLE NUTS. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE EXCESSIVE LOADS ON THE SPINDLE NUT AND DRIVE AXLE RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE DRIVE AXLE OR THE SPINDLE NUT. FAILURE OF EITHER OF THESE COMPONENTS CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING KNUCKLE TIRE-WHEEL ASSEMBLY FROM THE DRIVE AXLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND DRIVE AXLES, BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLIES, SPINDLE NUTS, AND WASHERS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES. CORRECTIVE ACTION: DEALERS WILL REPLACE LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND DRIVE AXLES, BEARING-HUB ASSEMBLIES, SPINDLE NUTS, AND WASHERS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE94042 · Horn Button Falling Off
Opened May 23, 1994 · Closed Sep 29, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
There is no summary currently available