IllustrationPONTIAC SUNFIRE 2002, STALLED, REPLACED FUEL PUMP STRAINER. *BF THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS ALSO REPLACED. *JB
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sunfire 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
220–25K
1225–50K
750–75K
775–100K
9100–150K
2150K+
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
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
5 reportsTHE CONSUMER 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE STALLED AND WOULD START UP AFTER BEING OFF FOR A LITTLE WHILE. *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE CONSUMER READ ABOUT AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION IN REFERENCE TO AN IN TANK FUEL STRAINER WHICH COULD COLLAPSE CAUSING STALLING. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS MAY BE THE CAUSE OF HER VEHICLE S…
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THE CONSUMER 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE STALLED AND WOULD START UP AFTER BEING OFF FOR A LITTLE WHILE. *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE CONSUMER READ ABOUT AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION IN REFERENCE TO AN IN TANK FUEL STRAINER WHICH COULD COLLAPSE CAUSING STALLING. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS MAY BE THE CAUSE OF HER VEHICLE STALLING AND REQUEST THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECALL AND REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *NM
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
OCT. 2003 2003 PONITAC SUNFIRE REFUSED TO START. HAD TOWED TO MECHANIC CAUSE 400 MILES OVER WARRANTY, REPLACED FUEL FILTER BUT MECHANIC SAID NEEDED FUEL PUMP REPLACED. JAN. 2004, SAME PROBLEM, EXCEPT HAD FAMILY MEMBER REPLACE FUEL FILTER AS CHEAP FIX, BUT DIDN'T WORK. TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENED WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY…
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OCT. 2003 2003 PONITAC SUNFIRE REFUSED TO START. HAD TOWED TO MECHANIC CAUSE 400 MILES OVER WARRANTY, REPLACED FUEL FILTER BUT MECHANIC SAID NEEDED FUEL PUMP REPLACED. JAN. 2004, SAME PROBLEM, EXCEPT HAD FAMILY MEMBER REPLACE FUEL FILTER AS CHEAP FIX, BUT DIDN'T WORK. TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENED WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY FUEL PUMP FROM GM AT COST, TOO MUCH MONEY. ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH GM VEHICLES AND NOTHING BEING DONE ABOUT IT, YET ALL ARE THE SAME. PLEASE HELP FIX PROBLEM. *JB
THE GAS GAGE ON THE PONTIAC SUNFIRE IS NOT STABLE. IT WILL MOVE UP AND DOWN WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK AND STILL RUNNING. I HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN THE GAS GAGE WAS SET AT 1/4 OF A TANK LEFT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS THING TO BE HAPPENING, IT COULD HAVE RAN OUT O…
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THE GAS GAGE ON THE PONTIAC SUNFIRE IS NOT STABLE. IT WILL MOVE UP AND DOWN WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK AND STILL RUNNING. I HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN THE GAS GAGE WAS SET AT 1/4 OF A TANK LEFT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS THING TO BE HAPPENING, IT COULD HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE NIGHT. SANDRA
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.