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2000 Pontiac SunfireProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 96 owner complaints about the 2000 Pontiac Sunfire, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2000 Pontiac Sunfire
45
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.2× the Sunfire median · #5 of 11 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints9629 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage47kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 16, 2020. Updated daily. Photo: BlueCrabRedCrab, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2000 Pontiac Sunfire has problems

96 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
Engine and engine cooling250
Electrical system234
Service brakes, hydraulic151
Fuel system, gasoline140
Exterior lighting100
Power train101
Air bags99
Equipment90
Visibility50
12 other systems256

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

1 recall

2000 Pontiac Sunfire 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

Ignition: switch

Recall 04V-036 · Jan 27, 2004 · 1,415,231 vehicles

Risk. IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED.

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

2000 vs. every other Sunfire 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 Sunfire median. How we score

'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2000 Pontiac Sunfire safety ratings

2000 Pontiac Sunfire 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2000 Pontiac Sunfire, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ERRATIC FUEL GAUGEEA02028 · closed Dec 30, 2003
    No recall
  2. ENGINE STALL DUE TO FUEL STARVATIONPE02066 · closed Nov 3, 2003
    No recall
  3. ERRATIC FUEL GAUGESQ01002 · closed Sep 30, 2002
    No recall
In owners' words

What Sunfire owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE SHUT DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. AFTER GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SHUT DOWN. HOWEVER, IT RESTARTED. AFTER ARRIVING HOME THE VEHICLE WAS STILL DEFECTIVE.*AK
Complaint 10119143 · Apr 26, 2005 · 44,850 miles
PONTIAC SUNFIRE 2000 WILL BE DRIVING THE CARS, IT STALLS OUT, THEN RESTARTS WITHOUT TURNING THE KEY. HAVE TALKED TO THE PONTIAC DEALER. BRINGING IT IN ON 12/20/2004 FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM RELATED TO A COLLAPSED FUEL STRAINER THATWILL CAOST IN THE AREA…
Complaint 10103077 · Dec 16, 2004 · 72,000 miles
THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN ON ITS ON. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATE. THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE…
Complaint 10091503 · Sep 28, 2004 · 35,000 miles

Own a 2000 Sunfire?

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