Pontiac Sunfire wipers problems

Filed Apr 10, 2013 · Electrical · 98,628 miles · OH

This is not the first issue we have had with this vehicle and electrical issues. It spent 6 weeks in the shop the first time back in late 2011 because the wipers, lights, power anything in car went on the fritz and locks failed. Now the drl lights quit and the service engine light comes on when they fail when you put the car into gear, high beams quit, rear light connectors are rotted and shorted out and the ignition switch is screwed up and that is only the beginning. It has gone into week 7 now with no results. I feel general motors owes us some solution to these problems especially since I am finding out I am not the only owner of this type of vehicle that has had the exact same electrical issues. These are safety issues not to mention very costly repairs and being without our vehicle to go back and forth to work. Out of the 70 complaints I read there are 20 plus issues with the same electrical issues I am having. Why has general motors not done anything to address these issues or at least help with the repair costs?? In the last year and a half my car has been in the shop 13 weeks and counting for these electrical issues.

Filed Sep 4, 2008 · Engine, Lights · 136,050 miles · PA

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 pontiac sunfire. Within a week of purchasing the vehicle, it began overheating. In addition, the headlights would remain illuminated when the vehicle was turned off, wiper fluid was leaking, and the muffler made a loud noise. The contact has not been able to reach the dealer since the vehicle was purchased. The failure mileage was 136,050. Updated 10/03/08 *bf updated 10/06/08.

Filed Sep 28, 2007 · Airbags, Electrical · 80,000 miles · NJ

I purchased the car in october 2003 and the car was great. In march 2006 I started having problems where the car when attempted to start would take a few seconds extra and then start, then 6 months later I was driving down the street and the car just cut off in the middle of an intersection. The car restarted about 10 minutes later. Then in november this started happening more an more frequently. One night in december the car cut off and would not restart at all. I was able to pull of the road. I waited an hour and still the car would not start. I came back the next day and the car would not start. I got the car towed to a mechanic who said that he thought it was the fuel pump so I replaced that and the car worked for 2 days and then the same problem again. He then tested the car and saw there was no power going to the fuel pump. I had him do a temporary fix and run a line from the battery to the fuel pump so the car would still start. Then everything else slowly started to fail. The air bag light would come on intermittently and now stays on. One low beam headlight went out and then the other followed by my high beam totally. My front left turn signal went then the rear right followed by the front right. My horn no longer works. I don't know if my airbags would deploy if I was in an accident. The windshield wiper recently stopped working as well.

Filed Feb 22, 2007 · Electrical · SD

My turn signals have been acting up lately. After doing some research online, I decided to file the claim-seems I am not the only one having the same problem. When I use my left turn signal, more often then not it doesn't work, my dash lights flash and my windshield wipers will not shut off. When I use my right signal, the dash lights flash but my windshield wipers only stay on for about a minute. If I have my headlights on (for night driving) the wipers are on constantly. Also, my windshield fluid does not spray. I had the wiring replaced some time around when I purchased it 4 years ago (old part not available). It corrected the problem for about a year, however since then it has been a come and go issue.

Filed May 24, 2005 · Lights, Visibility · 100,000 miles · TX

Consumer states: blinkers malfunctioned, when turning on blinkers at times they will not work at all. Then, other times, they will work and blink 2 or 3 times, then quit. Also, windshield wipers will come on without touching them. Happened no matter what the speed. Dealer didn't attempt to look at vehicle, and not under warranty.

Filed Dec 5, 2004 · Visibility · 110,000 miles · PA

Windshield wipers do not park in the down position. The park in the middle of the windshield. The will only park correctly if the wipers have been running at full speed for an extended period of time. I have seen at least two other vehicles on the road and in a parking lot with the same problem with the windshield wipers parked in the middle of the windshield. I have replaced the windshield wiper/washer switch on the steering column and it did not solve the problem. I have also replaced the headlight/turn signal/hazard swith twice because the daytime running lights would come on (day or night) instead of the night time driving lights and high beam lights. I have not corrected the problem with the windshield wipers not parking correctly.

Filed Oct 11, 2003 · Visibility · TX

Windshield wipers will not park properly. Impair vision when in middle of windshield.

Filed Aug 31, 2003 · Visibility · 187 miles · MA · fire · 1 injury

Blower for heater/airconditioner blew after hitting small bump on 5/26/03; fuse replaced;same problem after hitting pothole on 6/21/03 with a burning plastic smell noted on 6/22/03; brought to dealer on 6/23/03 and was told it was not the fuse it was the blower with part on order; returned to dealer and was told that a purple and white wire "melted' and "was cut back" and that a wire on the radio was not "positioned incorrectly" which may have caused the "short"; since then the floor vent blows warm to hot air without the blower on with enough intensity to burn my right foot. Also,when the air conditioner is on with the indicator on the fatherest cold section warm-hot air still blows through the front floor vent; went back to the dealer again and they said it was a twisted/disconnected hose/tube; problem still exist. Also, on 5/26/03 a small growling noise was noted; this noise continues intermittently when coming to a quick stop and has progressively become louder and longer; the windshield wiper has since been replaced with out further visibility problems. Dealer visits: 5/27/03, 5/28/03, 5/31/03 6/23/03,6/24/03, 6/25/03, 7/7/03, 7/16/03, 7/22/03, 7/25/03; 8/1/03, 8/6/03, 8/15/03, 8/25/03/and 8/28/03.

Filed Jul 28, 2003 · Electrical, Lights · 156,000 miles · LA

The ignition switch had a short circuit which caused the vehicle not to start. After the ignition was repaired it still didn't work properly. The head light (high and low beams) failed. The horn failed. The wiper failed. *jb *cb

Filed May 29, 2003 · Acceleration, Brakes · AL

-the horn on 1996 pontiac sunfire has quit working and been repaired three times. The people at the shop said that it was getting wet apparently everytime I went through water because of it being pointed downward. -the muffler has been fixed three times -there are more that I can not remeber right off hand -their is an electrical problem with the whole car. The light on the radio time and staion display has not worked since I bought it, the driver's rear door light has not come on, the passenger rear window lets down but will not let up when needed since right after I got the car, the lights in the dashboard go on and off without even being touched, while riding down the road, the widshield wipers will just come on without being turned on and then stop halfway down impairing vision, the passenger rear tail light blows all of the time, it has never stayed with a bulb that works, etc. -the valve cover gasket leaks and has leaked since I got it -the gas light will not tell you when you are running low on fuel -the radio will eat your tapes since I got the carthe transmission has been replace on the car with less than 80,000 miles on it -the rack and pinion had to be replaced a few years ago along with the complete brake system the power steering has leaked fluid and will stop turning in the middle of a turn. I have almost wrecked on it sveral times because of it and the brakes. -the air conditioning compressor works when it gets ready to if even then and has always done that.