While driving the vehicle will shut down and the theft system light with start flashing will start again and but shut down again I was driving on a city street and had it at a dealer they replaced the ecu the gauges and the ignition they replaced the ecu 3 times with no avail this has happened to all 4 of my pontiacs
The worst 1998 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.
- Engine32
- Electrical21
- Brakes15
- Steering14
- Airbags11
- Acceleration7
- Transmission7
- Fuel system6
- Lights6
- Body5
- Seat belts5
- Tires4
- Wheels3
- Seats2
- Suspension2
- Locks1
- Visibility1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire
Recalls 3
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. The fire could spread to the interior of the car, which could injure occupants or cause damage to adjoining structures.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch, and check that your car will start with a properly charged battery and, if necessary, replace the ignition switch. Owner notification will begin on march 1, 2004. 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 1‑800‑630‑2438, pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668, buick at 1‑866‑608‑8080, or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537. Customers can also check their vehicle online by going to www.mygmlink.com and entering the vehicle's identification number.
Recall number 04V036000 · Recall details
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
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The wheel lug nuts were not tightened securely resulting in a fracture of the wheel studs.
- Risk
- The wheel could separate from the vehicle. If the vehicle were in motion, a vehicle crash could result.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the torque of all wheel nuts and, if necessary, tighten any that may be below required torque.
Recall number 97V219000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire 101
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...
1998 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 | 20-21 | 27-31 | 23-25 |
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-20 | 30 | 23-24 |
What 1998 Pontiac Sunfire owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Cars battery constantly ran down. Battery was checked and was ok as it was three months old. Repair station said the horn was shorted and the air bag is part of the horn switch and must be replaced.
Brake lights, turn signals, hazard lights, and rear defroster all stopped functioning. Problem initially happened about 5 minutes after starting vehicle, but now is persistent and none of these items function posing a major safety hazard.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac sunfire equipped with douglass x-trac a-w tires, size 205/55r16 (na). The contact purchased one tire in november of 2013 and another in january of 2014. The vehicle was taken to wal-mart in february of 2014, where the tires were purchased, and it was diagnosed that the tires were leaking. The VIN and dot number were unavailable. The approximate vehicle and tire failure mileage was 88,000. Updated 7/1/15*cn updated 7/23/15*cn the consumer stated all three tires were purchased a different times and had leaks. Updated 07/28/15*bf...updated 10/15/15 *bf updated 10/16/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 pontiac sunfire. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the shift cable was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure and current mileage was 101,000. Updated 12/21/12 *cn updated 1/14/2013
The accelerator pedal stuck while driving. When trying to use the brake the car still will not stop.
Apparently, their is a known issue w/the 98 pontiac sunfire steering rack and pinion gear making it feel like their is a total loss of power steering, even though the power steering pump is working properly. I purchased this car in january of 2011 off a little old lady, who kept it in a garage and barely drove it, the car only had 51,000 miles on it. She advised that she didn't know of any recalls, so she didn't take it in for any of the recall repairs. I have check the federal safety agency website as well as several other reputable sites and have found their have been several recalls on this vehicle. However, upon calling pontiacs recall hotline, they are telling me that these recalls on your website never existed for my 98 pontiac sunfire and went on to say that you can believe every thing you read on the internet (how funny, your average moron could have figured that out). But regardless, it appears that pontiac is saying that they will not fix these recalls. Please investigate and let me know if my concerns are legitimate. I don't want to pay for a repair, when the car should have been fixed under their recall. Thanks.
1998 pontiac sunfire gt anti-theft system won't disengage, car is dead. (when the anti-theft system is triggered, the fuel pump is shut off) it may have been triggered by using a copy of the original key. Following manufacturer's instructions (turn on iignition for 10 min, turn off and turn on again) doesn't work. An internet search revealed that there are 1000s of people with the same problem with sunfire and other gm cars. I would like gm to acknowledge the problem and repair the faulty system.
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 pontiac sunfire. While driving less than 15 MPH, the contact was unable to turn left. The contact vehicle became difficult to steer. The contact had to reverse and reposition the vehicle to make the turn. The contact called the dealer who referred him to the manufacturer. The contact referenced recall 02v286000 (steering: rack and pinion) but the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included. The failure occurred several times in a day. The vehicle had not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 97,000.
Vehicle was blowing 30 amp fuse going to rear defogger grid. Found melted insulation on 12 volt line and ground resulting in short circuit. Defogger grid still drawing enough current to melt insulation of 12 volt line. Disconnected rear defogger grid to prevent possible fire in dash.
Compare the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire
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Questions about the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire
Is the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire reliable?
Owners have filed 120 complaints about the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire, 1.8 times a typical Sunfire model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire?
Engine and cooling, with 32 complaints, typically around 110,000 miles. Next is electrical (21).
How many recalls does the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire have?
3 recalls, covering electrical system, steering and wheels.
What year does the Pontiac Sunfire have bad engine?
The Pontiac Sunfire model years with the most engine complaints are 1996 (39 complaints), 1995 (38 complaints) and 1997 (32 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire get?
Official estimates for the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire range from 23 to 25 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.2L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 20-21 city and 27-31 highway.
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