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1984 Pontiac SunbirdProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 5 owner complaints about the 1984 Pontiac Sunbird, most often about the steering. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints54 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem2Steering

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 3, 2010. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1984 Pontiac Sunbird has problems

5 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Steering20
Power train10
Seat belts11
Seats11
Structure11
Vehicle speed control11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1984 Pontiac Sunbird recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Seats

Recall 87V-079 · May 7, 1987 · 1,136,407 vehicles

Risk. DRIVERS SEAT COULD TIP REARWARD UNEXPECTEDLY; THIS COULDRESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Pontiac.

Best & worst years

1984 vs. every other Sunbird year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sunbird median. How we score

'76'77'78'79'80'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1984 Pontiac Sunbird, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SUDDEN ACCELERATIONDP86019 · closed Dec 22, 1986
    No recall
  2. SEAT TRACK LOCKEA86023 · closed Jun 1, 1987
    Led to recall 87V-079
  3. SUDDEN ACCELEA87007 · closed Aug 7, 1987
    No recall
In owners' words

What Sunbird owners report

Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TTHE STEETING GEAR RACK AND PINION UNIT LEAKS POWER STEERING FLUID EXTERNALLY AND INTERNALLY. PROBABLE DIAGNOSIS SEAL FAILURE. *AK
Complaint 508488 · Sep 10, 1996

Own a 1984 Sunbird?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.