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2001 Pontiac SunfireProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 66 owner complaints about the 2001 Pontiac Sunfire, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2001 Pontiac Sunfire
56
CarFlaw IndexSolid year23% below the Sunfire median · #8 of 11 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints6616 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage64kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 20, 2017. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 Pontiac Sunfire has problems

66 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
Electrical system213
Engine and engine cooling120
Service brakes, hydraulic80
Air bags76
Visibility41
Tires40
Fuel system, gasoline30
Suspension30
Service brakes20
11 other systems181

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

1 recall

2001 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

2001 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

2001 Pontiac Sunfire safety ratings

2001 Pontiac Sunfire 2-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
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2001 Pontiac Sunfire, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ERRATIC FUEL GAUGEEA02028 · closed Dec 30, 2003
    No recall
  2. ERRATIC FUEL GAUGESQ01002 · closed Sep 30, 2002
    No recall
In owners' words

What Sunfire owners report

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING INDICATOR KEPT RANDOMLY ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START AND, AT TIMES, UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN OVER TO START THE VEHICLE FROM THE IGNITION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE…
Complaint 10979465 · Apr 20, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE IGNITION SWITCHED OFF INDEPENDENTLY AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE CAUSED A FOUR VEHICLE CRASH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF ANY INJURIES WERE…
Complaint 10661403 · Dec 1, 2014
CONTACTED A LOCAL AUTO DEALER, CUTTER PONTIAC (WAIPAHU, HAWAII - LEVY, SERVICE AGENT, PH# [PHONE]) AND INQUIRED ABOUT MY VEHICLES POSTED 3 RECALL ISSUES; IGNITION, FUEL SYSTEM, & STEERING WHEEL. I EVEN EMAILED AN OFFICIAL LIST OF MY VEHICLE'S RECALL ISSUES I WAS TOLD THE FOLLOWING, AFTER LEVY HAD…
Complaint 10627127 · Aug 21, 2014 · 65,964 miles

Own a 2001 Sunfire?

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