2004 Pontiac Sunfire problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel (6) · Electrical System (4) · Structure:body (2)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Pontiac Sunfire model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
27 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year (campaigns announced since 2010).
Service bulletins (461)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-03-28 · 23-NA-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on onstar module 2g sunset information.
Unknown Or Other 2025-02-20 · PIP5358D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. technician will need to
Electrical System 2024-10-25 · PIP4723J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the tire pressure monitor, active fuel injector tester, multi media tester, pico scope, gr8 starting/charging tester and vehicle data recorder tools, giving website address and ste
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-12 · PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the heater-vent-air conditioning blows warm air. before calling general motors technical assistance center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-12 · PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the heater-vent-air conditioning blows warm air. before calling general motors technical assistance center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven
Showing the 6 most recent of 461 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2020-08-13 · Structure:body“while driving my 2004 pontiac sunfire, i had to hold the steering wheel to the left in order for it to go straight. i thought i might need a front end alignment and dropped the car off at my neighborhood firestone dealer that normally works on my cars. after checking the car, they called me and said the frame of the car was rusted out and it was un…”
2017-08-15 · Unknown Or Other · 176,557 mi“the inner ignition lock needs to be changed about every 60,000 miles. you can't turn the key over at all so obviously you can't start your car. this should be a recall, alot of other people have the same problem.…”
2015-05-12 · Structure:body · 92,000 mi“my daughter left home and the vehicle frame, of the 2004 pontiac sunfire,broke in two parts while she was driving the vehicle. the tow truck driver said it broke due to it rusted into two parts. she was not injured but the car of course was inoperable. there was no wreck or accident for the frame of this vehicle to disintegrate. she could hav…”
2014-09-18 · Vehicle Speed Control · 112,000 mi“bought car used in 2013. everything seemed to be okay until 9/12/14 when the theft system service light came on and i noticed the speedometer, rpms, and gas indicators were not reading - car began stalling like it was going to shut down. i was traveling about 50 to 55 mph on a busy street. after car is shut off for a time it starts up okay and ru…”
2014-06-05 · Steering · 102,000 mi“vehicle does not always start right away. the vehicle has shut off multiple times while driving in town and on the highway. *tr…”
2014-04-24 · Engine · 55,000 mi“vehicle was driven and parked for the evening. in the morning went to start the vehicle and vehicle would not start. multiple attempts were tried to start. new starter installed and still no success to start. vehicle was towed to repair shop. after evaluation it was found the timing chains had broken and infringed on the cylinder heads. vehic…”
2013-10-17 · Engine · 74,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2004 pontiac sunfire. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician diagnosed that the timing chain became fractured and as result, the engine would need to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired however, the failure recu…”
2013-04-16 · Unknown Or Other · 18,000 mi“in january of 2006 the tachometer gauge started jumping around not reading correct, by clicking the ignition on and off with the car not running it would re-set. in the fall of 2012 the temperature gauge started and continues to read wrong. april 1st 2013, now the fuel gauge has stared turning counter clockwise and no longer works.…”
2012-07-10 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel · 71,000 mi“the rpm needle went totally on the right side into the needle of the speedometer. can't tell how fast i am going. expensive to replace. paint starting to chip in different places. this is the second vehicle that i had that the paint peeled and general motors states that it is too old of a vehicle to pay to have painted. that is totally sad. *tr…”
2011-12-12 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 107,000 mi · 💥 crash“while braking the brake pedal was working normally then suddenly went soft. pumped brakes but pedal went to floor. caused car to crash into vehicle in front of it. failure was consistent with either mater cylinder failure or hydraulic brake line failure causing loss of fluid and pressure. both vehicles were a total loss. both front airbags went of…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.