Pontiac Sunfire

cloakndagger · November 2005

i had a problem like this if you still have the trouble, i replaced the plugs and checked the injectors, after giving up and putting everything back together i "brushed up against" the problem. A 3" long 1/4" vacuum line comming off the air intake runner going to the throttle body to a sensor there just below the air intake cover. i would suject checking your vac lines (97 5spd 2.4)

jimmie2 · December 2005

I would like to know if anyone could tell me if I could install a 2002 Sunfire engine in a 1997 Sunfire? They both are 2.2L engines

iamhungry · December 2005

im looking fo a 1st car...so i found a car that my mom's mechanic said he was selling cuz like sum1 didnt pay for the fix so he kept it, well its $650 but he said it needs a head gasket replacement, so he said it was gunna be $500-700.. the thing is i dont kno whether to but the car, its a 2000 sunfire w/ 102,000miles...any opinions?? it also is like perfect interior and exterior :confuse:

may39 · December 2005

Dec 25,2005
I have a 2005 Sunfire. Mileage is about 12,000 miles.
On my recent trip to Heath,Ohio, I was coming down a Hill at the posted speed of 50 mph. At the foot of the slope speed became 35 mph, and a sign was posted " BUMP 200 yds". I reduced my speed to 35, but did not see the BUMP sign. At end of 200 yds was a Railway Track, and I went over the track, and my Sunfire jumped.
I heard ckunk sound, and thought that maybe I will have a flat tire. As it was cold, dark and a lonely road, I continued to go further about 1 1/2 miles to the Motel on the main road. Halfway, Red Engine Light came. But, as I could see my Motel, I thought it would be better to go slowly into Motel's parking lot and then check. I was inthe Center Lane, to make a left turn, and the Engine stalled. I restarted the car and parked in the Motel.

I parked the car overnight, as it was too dark. Next morning I started the car, and it started, but showed the Red Light on the Dash Board Panel. I drove it slowly across the road to fill up Oil. The light disappeared, but came back after 5 minutes.

I realized that I was loosing Engine Oil. I called GM Roadside Assistance. They towed my car to a Pontiac Dealer. The dealer checked and said the Oil Pan was damaged and needed replacement. This will cost $ 500.

I agreed to have it done. However, when I went to pick up the car, i was told that the Engine was making noise and they cautioned me against driving on the Highway to Detroit and then to Toronto. They suggested to change the Engine- cost $ 5,200. My Insurance Company agreed to pay for this , and the Engine was changed this week on Dec 21st. I took possession of the car on the 22nd.

I have some questions that baffle me:
1. Why are the Struts/Shocks not strong enough to withstand the shock at 35 mph.
2. Many cars go thru Pot Holes on Roads, worse then this Railway Track Bump.
I hear other parts of the car getting damage, but not the Engine.
3. I drove about one mile after the Bump, when the Engine Light came on. Then I drove another 1/2 a mile. Is this distance sufficient to ruin an Engine ?
4. Could my Engine damage be due to :
a. Defective Struts ?
b. Defective Engine ?

I trust that someone who has experience such an incidence would answer me ?

Thanks

May39

beliver · December 2005

may39: Well what happened to you is not all that uncommon. Happened to me many years ago as well.

Damage such as you had could happen at any speed and under the right conditions to most any vehicle. If the road clearance was such that your oil pan could contact an obstruction it would not really matter how fast you were going or how well the struts reacted to the "bump" It could be very possible to knock a hole in the pan even at 5mph!

No way I can see that the engine was defective. You should have stopped IMMEDIATELY whan that red warning light came on. The engine was "oil starved" and probably came close to seizure and most likely scored some bearings and cylinder walls.

consider youself lucky that your insurance paid for a engine replacement.

Those engine warning lights are there for a reason and should not be ignored. had it been a coolant loss you probably would have gotten away with driving a mile or so more but no oil is a no-no.

good luck in the future, Believer

may39 · December 2005

Thank You for your observation.
Now, my point is why is the suspension/or the struts not effective on such bumps ?
Are they too soft ?

may39

etak1 · December 2005

I must admit the ABS light has been on consistently for about 1 month now on my 2000 Sunfire ST. Up until yesterday no issues so I ignored the light. However, now I'm noticing noisy braking (grinding), and significant pulling to the right. Could my driver side caliper be sticking? If anyone has had this issue or knows any causes please let me know. Thanks :confuse:

moparbad · December 2005

Sunfire and it's twin the Cavalier are not known for oil pan failures due to oil pan design or any problem with suspension. Based on your post of what happened either your speed was excessive for the road conditions or the road conditions were very poor and this was the cause of the holed oil pan.
VW New Beetle, VW Golf and VW Jetta 1999-2005 are vehicles that have minimal ground clearance between oil pan and pavement and are known for frequent destroyed oil pans.

What I find most disturbing is the cost to replace the oil pan and the cost to replace the engine.
A new, complete 2.2L Ecotec crate engine may be purchased for less than $2000, a used less than 10K mile engine for $500, and oil pan is $100 or less and there is not $400 in labor to install it.

You are lucky that you had insurance.

hatemycar · January 2006

I have had my crappy Pontiac Sunfire for 41/2 years now, only prob I have had with it is also the check engine light, it was due to a bad gas cap, spark plugs, bad oxygen sensor, etc... it has now also come on for the hundreth time, what to do, warranty is well overdue! Please give me more info about this lemon law!!

missmanda25 · January 2006

I own a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire 4-door, automatic. This morning the rear passenger door had a run in with a very large truck (my fault...so stupid!) and is now cracked (about 2 1/2 inches long) and dented (most of the door). Does anyone know how I would go about replacing the door? (Only cosmetic damage, I know. I am very anal about how my car looks though...)
I feel so stupid. Gosh...
It's already a salvage title...before I bought it someone totaled it and this guy fixed it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Gosh...I am soo stupid..I was trying to park..in a too small spot. GAH!
Thanks!
Manda

chrisbe · January 2006

Hi,

I have a Sunfire coupe 1995 and my horn does not work anymore. The fuse and the relay are fine. I cannot locate the horn !
Can you tell me where it is located and how to access it if possible. (I cannot lift the car though).

Many thanks
Chrisbe

akbelton001 · February 2006

I had the same problem a few years ago. Go back to the dealer and have them look for the service bulletin regarding a wiring harness, and get it replaced. It should be free.

ctfils · March 2006

I have a very strange question. My car just failed inspection because the guy told me there were no bulbs illuminate the license plate. I bought new bulbs and went to put them in. That is when I noticed there is no sockets or electrical wiring for any sort of light above the license plate. There were two gaps in the body where it appeared light covers should go, but there was nothing. I have two questions: 1. Are there supposed to be lights above the license plate that illuminate the plate? 2. How do you replace these lights (where is the wiring)?

Thanks
Chris

fmoir · March 2006

can anyone tell me where the turn signal relay is located on a 99 sunfire i have siugnal lights on the left side that work fine byt the right side the indicator flshes fast the front light flashs fast the rear no flash i have changed the blub it did not help am i correct in thing it would be the relay thanks

bartknox · March 2006

I have a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire and I was told I needed a 120$ wiring harness to keep all my guages working. How do I go about wiring it myself and keep all the gauges working.

Thanks guys!

Btw, Cool Forum!!

firemanjohn · March 2006

My sunfire's engine keeps flooding, I replaced the fuel injectors but I don't know what is wrong. :sick:

johnnymurph · March 2006

The flasher is not the problem - if it is flashing fast,it is because one bulb is not working. Try moving the non-working rear bulb to the other rear socket, and see if it works. If it does, you could have a loose wire and/or excessive grease/dirt on the base of the non-working, defective socket. Make sure you have good contact. GOOD LUCK!!

dmeyer · March 2006

My son wrecked his 99 Sunfire, so we need the front bumper cover, hood, & left fender. Does anyond know where I can find some good used parts, black? His is not a GT, but I'm thinking of putting a GT front bumper on it in the process of fixing it.
What about after market replacement parts ... any good words.....or bad ? Advise appreciated.
:sick:

Don

serafino88 · March 2006

Hello everybody, I am new to the board, but not to the car scene. I must confess...I am a Ford guy through and through. But my problem is with my mothers sunfire! The bloody thing is leaking outta the fuel injectors. At first I though it was just the 'o' rings...replaced about 4 times....fixed problem for a little while...Then I though about checking the fuel system pressure. Which by the way, I would love to slap chevy for designing such a procedure! Anyways, the pressure checks out. So then I said, ok lets replaice the whole injector..they(yes there were 2 at the time.Now it is all 4!) the injectors all came from chevy. SO I replaiced the 2 of them....But they were 400$...thats 200$ a piece(canadian dollars) now the problem is that the other 2 have started leaking. Now I dont want my mother to spend another 400$ on these bloody things...My question is: Can the Intake manifolds be switched between the 2.2L and the 2200 models? and will there be computer problems?

Thank you to all who can help.

ggladstone · March 2006

I cannot find the flasher. Not in fuse box or under hood fuse box. Turn signals do not flash. They come on but flash once in a while in extreme cold.

piperarcher · March 2006

I do very much sympathize with you on this one. I am working with the same possible problem. I also got the estimate from the dealer for the Fuel Pump replacement is right at $500. Our Sunfire is a 2001 and has 63,000 miles. My wife ran the car out of gas, and that is when all of the fuel problems started. I would appreciate any good advise on what you think. She put in gas, couple gallons at a time and tried to restart with no luck. After about 1/2 tank on gauge and no start she gave up and I towed it home. I have since changed the fuel filter, tested the fuse and relay, and finally pulled the fuel line from the inlet side of the fuel inj. line. When I turn the ignition on, I do hear the hum from the rear for a couple seconds (Fuel Pump) but no fuel pressure whatso every now. I have searched JC Whitney for a fuel pump and find them from $45 up to $100 max. However, these don't appear to be in the tank type pumps. Has anyone out there done this repair themselves, and what would you recommend for a replacement pump?

bigblock1 · March 2006

the computer(p.c.m.)has had both wiring connesters pulled out of it,all the wires in one of the connectors are fine but the other plug has had 6 wires pulled out and i dont know wich wire goes in wich hole in the connector can any one help

sunfirechic20 · March 2006

I own a 2005 pontiac sunfire, i currently have my stock 15" hubcaps and tires on it. I have been thinking about buying 17" tires and rims for it. Is this a good idea? I am just worried about messing up the computer in my car or the speedodometer. Please help me! Is this a good idea or not? :confuse:

boggydan · April 2006

I have got a problem with Pontiac Sunfire 1999 SE 4D , I cannot turn the key back, it stuck in the middle of lock cylinder. I can pull it out but then I can start the car without a key and light on the panel are on. I had to disconnect wire from battery. Any idea what might happened and can it be fixed. Many thanks

johnnymurph · April 2006

Have you tried turning the steering wheel? It should not move very much, but there is enough play in it, allowing you to "snap" it to the right and/or left. Keep pressure on the key for removal as you snap the wheel. Not real hard jerks on the wheel, but enough to free the key release. If the steering wheel turns freely, then the wheel and key assembly needs to be pulled. Good Luck!!

coolbud · April 2006

i have a 02 sunfire with recently cut springs. i bought brand new KYB AGX adjustable schocks and some springs but the springs didnt even come close to fitting. the cut springs fit which tells me my problem is defintiely the springs. can anyone suggest what brand lowering springs would work best in this application. any help would be greatly appreciated.

solj1n · April 2006

I don't actually own a car myself but I am trying to help my parents figure out what is wrong with their cars brakes. It is a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire. The brakes are siezing, they are brand new and we just need ideas or a means to a solution. Could anybody be of any help?

loner1314 · April 2006

heres the whole story. I have a 1999 Pontiac Sunfire 2.2L. A few days ago the coolant low indicator came on and i had placed GM Prestone Dexcool 50/50 in it, i kinda topped it off too much and it overflowed out when i turned the engine on and alot of it leaked out. there was a weird sound that came on but i didnt pay attention. a day later the car started to overheat. and the indicator came back. the coolant has became empty. i placed more in and then 15-20 min later, it overheat again. and the coolant disappeared again. i checked the water pump, it seemed fine, i changed the thermostat which was faulty. yet every time i fill it up it disappears after 15-20 min. there are no visible leaks and i had checked the oil and trans and the exhaust and havent found white smoke. the radiator almost stays cool even at overheating temperature. any ideas?!?!? i am gonna check the spark plug today but if thats not it, i dont kno what else i can do.

gremchick · April 2006

I am having the same problem. I was told it was located behind the dashboard on the right side. Haven't looked into it yet. If you have any luck please let me know and I will the same.

ggladstone · April 2006

10-4

maclock · May 2006

I was told that the hinge on the driver's side door of my 2002 Pontiac Sunfire coupe must have been bent forward by a gust of wind before I took delivery of my car in a lease assumption. The car will have to be returned in a few months from now, and I hope to avoid having to reach into my pocket to pay for repainting because of a paint chip that has popped off the door where the sheet metal of the door and the sheet metal of the front quarter-panel meet. (This paint chip has exposed the metal underneath the paint, and my lease agreement seems to suggest that I will have to pay to have the door repainted.) It looks to me as if either:

(a) there was an alignment problem between the sheet metal on the door and the sheet metal on the front quarter-panel, and that caused chafing and led to the paint chip popping off; and/or

(b) the hinges are in some way, shape or form unfit for their intended use and have failed, causing the sheet metal on the door to chafe against the sheet metal on the front quarter-panel.

Has anyone reading this message experienced a similar problem with Pontiac Sunfire coupes? I searched the Internet earlier today, but didn't come across anyone who had a problem like this. It looks to me as if there is a tolerance problem caused by some defect in manufacture.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions that you have to offer.

tp22 · May 2006

The car is an auto and won't shift out of park
No blown fuses Can anyone help?
What could the problwm be? Please help

thx

reddeviljeff · May 2006

hey.. I have been having alot of problems trying to find cv joints for my 2000 Pontiac sunfire 2.2L. I had bought a set and put them in but they were two long, went back to the dealer and they didn't have any, i looked all over and all they had was the long ones. They said they don't no why this is. What could be wrong? I'm I missing something when i asking them. Thanks

reddeviljeff · May 2006

hey guys... last night I had got my rear window smashed. My uncle has a wrecked 2003 sunfire and i was wonderin if that would fit my 2000 sunfire. there both just normal sunfires not gt's. thanks

mzaytsev · May 2006

I have a 2002 pontiac sunfire and it has automatic transmission. When I drive i can only go a top speed of about 50 mph. My problem is that the transmission can go to first then second gear but it wont shift to third. Does anyone know how to fix this or where the problem might be?

k_gem619 · June 2006

I have a 2001 pontiac sunfire gt and the theft system light came on along with the service light just to the right of it. any suggestions on how to turn them off?

k_gem619 · June 2006

did you ever figure out what was wrong with your sunfire? and was your theft light on? I only ask this because my theft light came on but as you stated there is NOTHING in the manual about it...very helpful GM, very helpful.

crapmobile · July 2006

My girlfriend has a 2000 Sunfire GT. Her reverse lights went out all of a sudden. No clue why. Bulbs, wires, fuses all fine. Is there some flaw with the vehicle that anyone has heard of out there that would cause this? I heard rumors about some linkage in the tranny or something? But haven't been able to confirm this.
Any ideas...Any sugegstions would be greatly appreciated. This is the latest issue of many since she's had this turd. :lemon:

kymm · July 2006

I own a 99 Sunfire GT. It seems like when I get one thing fixed, something else is going wrong. It has almost 99k miles on it, so maybe I'm just at that point where some bigger stuff needs to be replaced. The whole front end vibrates, especially over a bumpy road, uneven pavement, etc. A month ago I had my mechanic look at the half shafts, and he swears he couldn't find anything wrong with them. I've replaced the left front wheel bearing. At speeds btwn 45 and 75 I hear/feel this other vibration, like a low, pulsing whirring noise.
Now it seems like the trans wants to hesitate more often going from park into drive. It will take a moment to grab the gear (it's an automatic). There is some noise that seems to be louder recently, and the trans also feels like it has some trouble accelerating through lower gears. I have already set up an appt with a local Cottman Trans to check it out. Has anybody had a similar problem? I love this car, and it just started giving me any kind of trouble a few months ago, and I've owned it since last March. I don't know if it's worth it for me to keep fixing it, or to seriously consider trading it in while it's still running. :confuse:

joeyaz3 · July 2006

After a recent inspection, which one of these services would you do 1st pls? I'm sure this is a no brainer for some, and obviously the repair place wants you to get it all done at once( but since I'm on a limited income). 1)flush brakes? 2)power steering(test was brown)? or 3) good ole tires replaced?(front is at 6mm, .788/.739 spec) Rear(10%).
Joanna

masterpaul1 · July 2006

Hello Everyone,

I just found out today that the blower fan only blows when the selector switch is on the third and forth speed. (We were running the AC). Not sure if it does the same thing when selecting for heat. Any ideas as to what the problem is. :confuse:

Thanks and have a blessed day.

otd · July 2006

Anyone have any suggestions for a aftermarket muffler for 2.2 '01 Sunfire? I'm looking for something that will up the volume marginally, while staying nice and low and smooth. Nothing Civic-esque. And obviously it needs to keep the emission levels nominal...

Right now the only thing I have found is Raptor Open flow From Schucks. It's cheap, so I have no qualms pitching it if it sucks.

Any Suggestions would be appreciated.

mark_bowe · August 2006

I have been having 2 different problems with my pontiac 99 sunfire. The first problem is if I'm driving in conjested traffic or stopping at several lights my car seems to overheat. It does fine on highways or driving at a comfortable speed. The second problem has just recently started. When I get low on fuel or fill my tank up it doesn't seem to be getting any gas at all and will hesitate or try to die if I stop at a light and then take off. Sometimes it jerks when driving at a higher speed. I have changed my thermostat and fixed all problems with the radiator and it's not loosing any water but is overheating. I'm not very smart with vehicles and any advice will help... thanks :confuse:

masterpaul1 · August 2006

We have a 98 Sunfire and had the same problem that you are describing about over heating in city driving. These are the things that I did to try and correct the problem. I drained and replaced the Dex Coolant. I let the car idle for about 20 min. and watched the temp. needle go all the way up to the "high normal" range and then the cooling fan kicked on. (Not being satisfied with this result.) I then replaced the "coolant temp. sensor." Result was pretty much the same. I then changed both "cooling fan fuses." This did help, but the temp. gauge on days like 85 degrees and above without using the AC, was between "middle to high normal temp." The one thing that I have noticed, is when using the AC, to which the cooling fan runs all the time, the temp. is mid range which is correct. I want to change the thermostat, but will hose off the "radiator cooling coils" first. I also, notice that the breathing holes, located under the bumper, are cover and doesn't allow direct air flow to the cooling coils. (It looks like it was designed this way.) I'm going to see if I can remove the covers. For your hesitation problem, try changing the fuel filter. Also, change the plugs and oxygen sensor if you haven't done so. I hope this helps. :shades:

Claires · August 2006

Hi, folks,

I noticed there were a number of posts about these problems so I've made new discussions for them, and moved some of the posts here out into those new topics. Be sure to track the whole Sunfire group to make sure you see new posts.

milo172 · August 2006

MasterPaul,
Did you figure out the problem with the blower fan?
I have a 2001 Sunfire with a similar problem... the fan only works in the fourth position with the A/C running.

masterpaul1 · August 2006

Nope. I'm still waiting for some insight to the problem. Although, I must admit that i have not really tried to look into it myself. I believe it might be the switch that controls the fan speed. :shades:

loopylulu · August 2006

Good afternoon,

I have a 1997 sunfire, my cd player is going nuts on me. when i first start the car in the morning or after work it takes a cd and plays it no problem but if I want to put a new one in after that no way, it physically does not accept a cd, you try to push it in, feels very forced, then if you leave the player empty for a few minutes you here a sound like it is either trying to eject or it thinks you are giving it a cd, I get E20 and E20 messages all the time, sometimes it works sometimes it does not. Please help me. I cannot afford a new player right now. If I have to clean the lens how can I take out the cd player, I do not want to unhook anything because of the anti theft which was a major problem when I had to get a new key, the new key got stuck in the ignition and they had to put a brand new ignition in for me,

Also I get no AM reception on the radio, if I need traffic updates I cannot get them, any idea how I could fix these things.

thanks so much.

k_gem619 · August 2006

for the fan did u ever get a reply because mine does the same thing. could the fan possibly have been a recall?

k_gem619 · August 2006

So, I go to start to change my brakes and rotors then I get stuck basically at the beginning. Does anybody know whether the bolt holding on the caliper uses a torx wrench or an allen key? and what size? It almost seems as tho its a torx and is caked with so much dirt and grime that it has the appearance of an allen key. Being i cant get my head back there, the best i could do is feel around and shove some clay in there to see what shape the impression was haha. If you have any ideas i'd appreciate it!

Pontiac Sunfire

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