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2002 Pontiac Sunfire Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire, most often about the electrical (29% of complaints, typically around 83,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about Sunfire model year since 2000.
Most common 2002 Pontiac Sunfire problems
Electrical
24 complaints · 29%Half of these problems showed up before 83,000 miles. Parts named most often: wiring, ignition.
I have had the car since august of 2002, and have only had a problem with the rear defroster. It would work when it wanted to. I was told that it was a fuse, that wasn't the problem. I figured that it was a short in the wiring, but it wasn't covered by the warranty, and I don't have the money to let a mechanic go…
Steering column began to smoke and car engine stopped. Dealership determined the cause to be a short in the ignition switch wiring harness due to rubbing on the steering column.
Brakes
16 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 12,500 miles. Parts named most often: foundation components, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, antilock.
Service brakes wore out prematurely, and destroyed the rotors and other brake components. The brakes squealed and made a grind noise, the left (driver front) hub cap rattled/shaked, water leaked in the back seat. The service technician said the metal brakes didn't have pads. The front end steering shaked, the rotor(s)…
The brakes on my Pontiac Sunfire 2002 grinds, and when you hit a bump it sounds like the front end is coming apart, I believe its the brake system that's causing the awful noise, its embarrassing that a new car sounds like a 1969 Pontiac firebird coming down the road.
Engine
12 complaints · 15%Half of these problems showed up before 20,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.
I purchased a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire brand new in 2001 thinking I could save money on gas..at around 20,000 miles the timing chain broke and messed up the whole engine. The engine is a no tolerance engine and when one thing breaks it messes up everything. Service fixed the timing chain because it was still under…
: the contact stated while the vehicle is driven at any speed, there is a fluttering noise from the front end. The noise ceases when the vehicle is stopped. The dealership has rotated the tires, aligned the front end, changed the oil, flushed the engine, and repaired the rear rotors in an attempt to stop the noise.…
Steering
11 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 17,000 miles. Parts named most often: column locking, column, rack and pinion.
Steering column locked on me while I was making a left turn. I literally had to pull hard to the left to avoid hitting another car or going right up into park cars. I called to Pontiac roadside service so they can tow because the car is still under warranty. Dealership they took it to said they found nothing wrong, I…
When a turn was made, the steering made a noise, and became loose, the mechanic stated the problem was the boot and the seal, however the problem recurred two weeks later and the mechanic refused to fix the vehicle.
Visibility and wipers
10 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 29,000 miles. Parts named most often: power window devices and controls, defroster/defogger/hvac system, glass, side/rear, windshield wiper/washer.
When brake pedal was depressed brakes made a loud noise, and excessive force had to be applied to stop vehicle. This was caused by the rotors continuously cracking. Dealership resurfaced and replaced the rotors. Also when slowing down or at a complete stop, vehicle would stall without warning. Dealership reprogrammed…
Passenger side window motor stopped working. Driver side window motor working slowly. Upon replacing the bad motor I noticed there was no assist spring on the window lifting assembly on either door. Although there is a spot for one on both assemblies. Assemblies that I had worked on in the past included these springs.…
Lights
8 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 42,500 miles. Parts named most often: headlights, turn signal.
Was not notified by Pontiac that my sunroof should be serviced yearly to prevent leaks. I contacted the dealer where I purchased the car and was told gm has no recommended service yet everywhere I have asked has told me it needs serviced or you will have leaks. Dealer said there is nothing they can do for me. Now I…
: the contact stated while driving various speeds at night, the head light high beam was inoperable. The vehicle was driven to the dealer, who determined the wiring harness needed to be replaced.
Transmission
7 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 68,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, axle assembly, clutch assembly.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire. Occasionally, the accelerator pedal will not release once it is depressed. The failure occurs while driving at any speed. The failure initially occurred every three weeks, but now occurs once a week or once every two weeks. General motors stated that there was nothing wrong with…
The contact owns a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire. The contact stated that when the gear lever was shifted, the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission shift cable had fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer…
Fuel system
6 complaints · 7%Parts named most often: delivery, storage.
Oct. 2003 2003 ponitac Sunfire refused to start. Had towed to mechanic cause 400 miles over warranty, replaced fuel filter but mechanic said needed fuel pump replaced. Jan. 2004, same problem, except had family member replace fuel filter as cheap fix, but didn't work. Trying to find out why this is happened without…
The gas gage on the Pontiac Sunfire is not stable. It will move up and down when the car is in park and still running. I have ran out of gas when the gas gage was set at 1/4 of a tank left. This needs to be fixed and I don't think I should have to pay for it. This is a dangerous thing to be happening, it could have…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2002 Pontiac Sunfire recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for this model year.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
- What are the most common problems with the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (24 complaints, typically around 83,000 miles); brakes (16 complaints, typically around 12,500 miles); engine (12 complaints, typically around 20,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire have?
- NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls in case one is issued later.
- Is the 2002 a bad year for the Pontiac Sunfire?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about Sunfire model year since 2000, with 82 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.