I was purchasing this used car from a dealer. They replaced the ignition assembly 3 times. The car would mysteriously shut off, the ignition assembly would not allow the key to be removed and multiple times this happened. I lost allot of money I put on the car as it became obvious they could not fix it and I had to let them take it back with no refund to me.........they said at the dealer that I was lucky that I didn't have a fire.
The worst 1999 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.
- Electrical21
- Engine18
- Brakes13
- Airbags10
- Lights8
- Transmission8
- Steering6
- Visibility6
- Suspension5
- Body4
- Seats4
- Acceleration2
- Seat belts2
- Tires2
- Locks1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
Recalls 2
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
Interior lighting
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 101, "control location, identification, and illumination." the instrument panel backlighting may not function after adjusting the interior light intensity.
- Risk
- If the instrument panel is not lit at night, the driver may not be able to see the controls and displays.
- Remedy
- Dealers will test the body control module, and if necessary, replace it.
Recall number 99V218000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire 107
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy...
- Fuel system, gasoline
- This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Equipment
- 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...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Power train
- Vehicle Recalls
1999 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 | 26-31 | 22-25 |
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-20 | 28-30 | 23-24 |
What 1999 Pontiac Sunfire owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I was driving the car just after I purchased it and became cold so I turned on the heater and within 30 seconds smoke filled the car. I thought the engine was on fire. It smelled like burning oil or gas. I called delphi about recalls and before I could finish a sentence the man cut me off saying that the only recall on my car was for the o ring on the fuel. He said if I have a 1999 and that was defective I would be spewing fuel everywhere. I described what happened and he just cut me off. My brother purchased the car from a dealer for over 3,000 dollars and I have no idea what the odometer is suppose to be because he said the dealer told him to bring it back and he would fix it. After he paid the dealer he contacted the dealer and the dealer told him that he will contact my brother when he can fix it. According to the odometer it has a little over 23,000 miles. I also noticed the headlights keep going out and there is yellow hot wire hanging out of the fuse box.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 pontiac sunfire. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated. The contact was able to safely maneuver to the shoulder and shut the vehicle off. The vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer for diagnosis. The dealer stated that they had to replace the ignition switch. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number 04v036000 (electrical system). The failure and the current mileages were 86,000.
The instrumental panel on my 1999 pontiac sunfire recently started functioning erratically I.e. Gauges (gas gauge, temperature gauge, speedometer) would start fluctuating wildly. Local pontiac dealership has diagnosed the vehicle as having a defective (or burned out) instrumental panel cluster. I was told that this component was not covered under any type of lifetime warranty and that the repairs would cost $472.31. In researching this problem on the internet, it appears to be systemic among late 1990 to early 2000 pontiac vehicles. From a safety standpoint, it is a dangerous circumstance to be driving 70-75 MPH on the highway and to have your instrument panel start malfunctioning. Pontiac should be forced to recall these defective instrument panel clusters and repair them at no charge.
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 pontiac sunfire. While driving at an unknown speed down a hill during rainy weather, the brakes locked when engaged. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the contact was informed that there was brake dust which caused the failure. The dust was removed but the failure occurred again two weeks later during rainy conditions. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. The current and failure mileages were unknown. The VIN was unavailable.
During normal operation of a 1999 pontiac sunfire, 4dr, 2.2 liter engine, automatic transmission. The wiring harness at the drivers door frame, at the connection of the underdash harness and the rear of vehicle harness shorted, causing the insulation to catch fire. This situation shorted other circuits in the harness causing braking problems with the anti-lock system. Vehicle was able to be stopped safely, and the driver, with good samaritan assistance was able to extinguish the fire. Fire rendered the hood latch inoperative. This prevented the driver from disconnecting the battery ground cable, to prevent further damage and/or fire.
1999 pontiac sunfire, vehicle caught fire. *bf while driving, the consumer felt a thump and began to loose power. Once the consumer stopped, he noticed fire was coming from under the front end of the vehicle. Ohio traffic crash report # 10-0699-90.*jb updated 04/14/10
I have 1999 pontiac sunfire and I have had nothing but problems with the headlights. One is that I have no highbeams and the headlights go out after driving it for awhile,the driverside light flashes on and off from time to time I have talked to a mechanic about this problem and they said it was the headlight harness. I went to the local junk yard got a harness and it solved the problem but just recently it happened again.
I had a 1999 pontiac sunfire. It was parked outside of residence when it caught on fire. This was a few years ago approximately around july of 2006. Pontiac did not accept fault. They said the fire destroyed any evidence of a defect.
My low beam headlights will not work. I have replaced the combination switch on the steering column twice. Each time the lights will work for about 6 months then they quit. The dealer said there could be a problem with the front wiring harness but a new harness is $600. I believe gm has a problem with their design and should replace the defective harness.
Compare the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
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Questions about the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
Is the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire reliable?
Owners have filed 93 complaints about the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire, 1.4 times a typical Sunfire model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire?
Electrical system, with 21 complaints, typically around 92,700 miles. Next is engine (18).
How many recalls does the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire have?
2 recalls, covering electrical system and interior lighting.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 04V036000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Pontiac Sunfire have the most electrical problems?
The Pontiac Sunfire model years with the most electrical complaints are 2005 (60 complaints), 1996 (39 complaints) and 1997 (30 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire get?
Official estimates for the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire range from 22 to 25 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.2L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 20-21 city and 26-31 highway.
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