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2002 Pontiac Sunfire

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 77.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

59 reports with mileage · 23 unknown

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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports3 fire reports7 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

24 reports
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24,000 miles · Apr 30, 2004
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2002 PONTAC SUNFIRE I BOUGHT ON 10/22/2003. EVERY SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT, I HAVE HAD TO KEEP TAKING IT BACK FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. AS A MATTER OF FACT ,IT IS AT THE DEALER RIGHT NOW , FOR A PROBLEM IN THE FUSE BOX. THE CAR HAD ONLY 23,000 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10068104

Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

VEHICLE HAS CUT-OFF OR COULDN'T BE STARTED 7 TIMES. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED 4 TIMES DUE TO ITS STALLING PROBLEMS. *LA PONTIAC HAD BEEN GIVEN 4-5 CHANCES TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE MAY 2003. THE MECHANICS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE POWER TRAIN MODULE FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE PCM ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE…

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VEHICLE HAS CUT-OFF OR COULDN'T BE STARTED 7 TIMES. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED 4 TIMES DUE TO ITS STALLING PROBLEMS. *LA PONTIAC HAD BEEN GIVEN 4-5 CHANCES TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE MAY 2003. THE MECHANICS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE POWER TRAIN MODULE FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE PCM ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE CD PLAYER DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, AND THE ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT NOT START. THE MECHANIC(S) FOUND THE FUEL PUMP SHORTED. *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10057889

5,000 miles · Oct 2, 2003
Electrical SystemService Brakes, HydraulicVisibility

WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BRAKES MADE A LOUD NOISE, AND EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE ROTORS CONTINUOUSLY CRACKING. DEALERSHIP RESURFACED AND REPLACED THE ROTORS. ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR AT A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. DEALERSHIP REPROGRAMMED THE COMP…

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WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BRAKES MADE A LOUD NOISE, AND EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO STOP VEHICLE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE ROTORS CONTINUOUSLY CRACKING. DEALERSHIP RESURFACED AND REPLACED THE ROTORS. ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR AT A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. DEALERSHIP REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER CHIP. IN ADDITION, POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED. THEY WOULD ENGAGE BY THEMSELVES AND SLIDE UP/DOWN, AND STICK IN EITHER POSITION. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MOTOR, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10042152

1,950 miles · Jan 5, 2003
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior LightingInjury

I FILED A COMPLAINT ON A 2002 GRAND AM GT VIN [XXX] CONCERNING STEERING PROBLEMS. I CANNOT FIND IT IN YOUR CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA BASE, NOR ANY OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS VEHICLE OR RECALLS, SAFETY ISSUES, ETC ON 2002 GRAND AM GT IN GENERAL. AM I LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE? PLEASE HELP. ALSO, I NOW OWN A 2002 PONTIAC…

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I FILED A COMPLAINT ON A 2002 GRAND AM GT VIN [XXX] CONCERNING STEERING PROBLEMS. I CANNOT FIND IT IN YOUR CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA BASE, NOR ANY OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS VEHICLE OR RECALLS, SAFETY ISSUES, ETC ON 2002 GRAND AM GT IN GENERAL. AM I LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE? PLEASE HELP. ALSO, I NOW OWN A 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE VIN [XXX]. I TOOK DELIVERY ON 10.31.02 AS PART OF LEMON LAW BYBACK BY GM ON ABOVE DISCUSSED GRAND AM. I AM HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS NEW CAR I CONSIDER SAFETY HAZARDS. GM SO FAR HAS HAD THE CAR MORE THAN I HAVE. HOW CAN I FILE A COMPLAINT AND FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ON THE AREAS OF CONCERN WITH THIS VEHICLE. SO FAR, IT WENT OF PARK INTO REVERSE AND HIT ME IN THE HEAD CAUSING INJURY MY DOC IS LOOKING INTO, THE CAR ON THE SAME TRIP COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, LOSING ALL POWER EXCEPT RADIO, AND THE ABS OFF LIGHT WENT ON. YET TWO DEALERS, MIDWAY IN PHOENIX ON 12.16.02 AND COURTESY IN LAS VEGAS SAY NO PROBLEMS EXIST. COURTESY SILL HAS CAR BECAUSE IT WAS NOT FULLY REPAIRED PER WORK ORDER. I FEEL LIKE I AM IN THE SAME BLACK HOLE I WAS IN WITH THE GRAND AM GT EXCEPT NO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS TO THE VEHICLE LIKE THE ONE I HAD WITH THE GT HAS OCCURRED. PLEASE GUIDE ME ON WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN. MY WIFE AND I ARE DISABLED AND THIS IS VERY TRYING ON US. ALSO, I AM WAITING PER MY DOCTOR FOR THE FIRST WEEK IN FEBRUARY TO RVIEW X-RAYS AND CAT SCAN F MY NECK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10000534

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.