Tl* the contact owns a 1997 pontiac sunfire. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, smoke started to emit from the vents and a fire erupted under the dashboard. The contact and the front passenger were able to safely exit the vehicle without any injuries. The fire department extinguished the flames. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to the contacts residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
The worst 1997 Pontiac Sunfire problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Steering42
- Engine32
- Electrical30
- Brakes28
- Airbags27
- Visibility12
- Lights11
- Suspension11
- Fuel system8
- Acceleration6
- Body4
- Seat belts4
- Tires4
- Transmission3
- Seats2
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
Headlights 10Stalling 10Wipers 10Fire or smoke 6No deployment 5Power steering loss 5
Recalls 6
Steering: rack and pinion
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
- Risk
- If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began january 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537.
Recall number 02V286000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
- Risk
- If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, buick at 1‑800‑521‑7300, or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537.
Recall number 02V070000 · Recall details
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. One of the rear suspension trailing arm bolts can fatigue and break.
- Risk
- If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a loss of vehicle control can occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear suspension trailing arm fasteners.
Recall number 98V319000 · Recall details
Air bags
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Because of certain calibrations in the air bag's sensing and diagnostic module, an inadvertent air bag deployment could occur in a low speed crash or when an object strikes the floor pan.
- Risk
- Air bags deploy with great force and can seriously injure unrestrained occupants who are too close to them.
- Remedy
- Dealers will recalibrate the air bag sensing and diagnostic module.
Recall number 98V146000 · Recall details
Structure: body
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with mis-located welds at the joint between the left rocker panel inner reinforcement and the body side ring. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 214, "side door strength."
- Risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the sheet metal structure would not perform as desired increasing the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the welds and, if necessary, place five welds between the involved panels and apply primer and topcoat finish materials.
Recall number 98V032000 · Recall details
Wheels: space saver wheel
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The compact spare tire assemblies were assembled with incorrect rims. If the spare tire is underinflated, the bead can separate from the rim causing a rapid loss of air. This does not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
- Risk
- A rapid loss of air can increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rim on the compact spare tire assembly. Owners are requested not to use the spare tire until the rim has been replaced.
Recall number 97V106000 · Recall details
See all 6 recalls for the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
Defect investigations
Unintended vehicle acceleration
On september 23, 2003, the federal safety agency received a letter dated september 8, 2003 from mr. Donald friedman, petitioning the agency to open a defect investigation into unintended acceleration involving [model year] 1996 and 1997 general motors j-cars.in support of his petition, mr. Friedman cited a report he received for gm showing it had received far more reports of alleged unintended acceleration for these models than for others.after assessing the data claimed by the petitioner to justify his request, odi found no indication that defect trend related to the petitioner's allegations exists at this time.therefore, there is no reasonable posibility that an order concerning the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect would be issued as a result of granting mr. Friedman's petition.consequently, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize the federal safety agency's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is denied.for additional information concerning this analysis, please refer to the attached federal register notice.
DP03007
Fire in steering column area
PE02001
Oversensitive air bag deployments
There is no summary currently available
EA98001
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire 92
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating...
- This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco...
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios...
- This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy...
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios...
- This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy...
- This technical bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the media disc player with the latest...
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios...
- Vehicle Recalls
- This informational bulletin provides the technician with information on what E85 fuel may due to a non E85...
1997 Pontiac Sunfire fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4‑cyl | FWD | 20-22 | 29-33 | 24-26 |
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-20 | 29-30 | 23 |
What 1997 Pontiac Sunfire owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl * the contact owns a 1997 pontiac sunfire. The contact stated that smoke was emitting from the steering column. The contact mentioned that after inspecting the vehicle he noticed that there was an electrical short causing the wires to melt together. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the ignition switch malfunctioned. As a result, the steering column and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 200,000.
Fuel tank rusted and caused gas to leak out.
Heard and felt a loud thud sound from steering area driving home. Power steering feels like it is gone when turning left, but turns easier when turning right at low speeds. Steering wheel becomes off centered at times. Almost feels as if I might loose control of front tires during turns or at higher speeds.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac sunfire gt. The contact stated that he lost two engines due to his engine oil warning light not illuminating and warning him that the oil level was low. The vehicle had not been inspected by a dealer nor had it been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000. The VIN was unavailable.
I had 4 delta fortune tires on my 1997 sunfire. 2 of which I replaced in april, 2009 for tire separation. I replaced the third tire in early sept. 2009 again for separation and today the forth tire separated while driving causing extensive damage to right-rear quarter panel and tail-light.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac sunfire coupe. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle would not turn left at all. There was no difficulty making right turns. The vehicle was serviced by an independent mechanic and it was discovered that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The manufacturer stated that her VIN was not included in the recall for the rack and pinion. The federal safety agency campaign id number was unknown. The failure mileage was 130,000 and current mileage was 138,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac sunfire. After it rained for approximately 3-4 days, the contact noticed standing water in the front and rear passenger side of the vehicle. She started the vehicle and noticed that all of the instrument panel lights were illuminated. After several days of allowing the vehicle to dry out, every instrument panel light, with the exception of the air bag light, dimmed. The dealer stated that they would not inspect the vehicle for less than $350. The contact no longer drives the vehicle because she fears for her life due to the defect. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 60,000 and current mileage was 70,000. Updated 09/13/08. *lj updated 09/16/08
Having trouble with fuel system on a 1997 pontiac sunfire.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 pontiac sunfire. The contact stated that his vehicle was included in the federal safety agency campaign id number 02v286000 (steering:rack and pinion) and repaired at 135,000 miles. While driving 10 MPH, he could no longer make a left hand turn and the vehicle would turn right automatically. The dealer stated that the lower bearing was destroyed and the cover for the bearing was missing. The contact stated that it was the exact same failure as stated in the recall. He also stated that he experienced no steering failure until the recall repair was performed. Gm stated that nothing could be done. The purchase date was unknown. The current mileage was 176,193 and failure mileage was 165,000.
Compare the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
Other model years
Questions about the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
Is the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire reliable?
Owners have filed 189 complaints about the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire, 2.8 times a typical Sunfire model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire?
Steering, with 42 complaints, typically around 99,000 miles. Next is engine (32).
How many recalls does the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire have?
6 recalls, covering steering, electrical system and suspension.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire steering?
Yes, 1 recall: 02V286000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Pontiac Sunfire have bad steering?
The Pontiac Sunfire model years with the most steering complaints are 1997 (42 complaints), 1996 (19 complaints) and 1998 (14 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire get?
Official estimates for the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire range from 23 to 26 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.2L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 20-22 city and 29-33 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1997 Pontiac Sunfire?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history