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KLUNK
KLUNK

2000 Pontiac Sunfire

The Verdict

70 Solid Pick

The 2000 Pontiac Sunfire has 117 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (43 complaints) and electrical (34 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 70/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Pontiac Sunfire, consider the 2004 model year which has 72% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2004 has 72% fewer complaints

View the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire dashboard →

70

Klunk Score: Solid Pick

Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Get notified if a recall hits this car.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000191334438
200117928221
2002261329185
2003111039232
2004731570
2005415580

By Category

Engine
43
Electrical
34
Body
19
Brakes
13
Transmission
8

By Severity

1
37
2
58
3
1
4
20
5
1

Worst Problems

Complaints

Engine 2

MY CAR WAS DRIVING PERFECT UNTIL 3 WEEKS AGO, IT HAS SINCE THEN WONT START BACK UP. THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SPARK, THEN TRIED SPARK PLUG WIRES, NEW BATTERY, CHECKED ALTERNATOR AND FUSES, COILS ALL GOOD. THEN I WAS LEAD TO MAYBE THE GAS THAT WAS IN IT. DROPPED GAS TANK, PUT NEW FUEL FILTER, CHECKED FUEL PUMP, GAS LINES, IT DID STAY RUNNING ONE TIME SINCE BUT WAS SHAKING ROUGHLY WITH A FLASHING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. WILL NOT RUN ANYMORE SINCE THEN. HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS NOW AND IT IS MY ONLY CAR.. ALSO BEFORE THE CAR STARTED HAVING THE ABOVE PROBLEMS MY BRAKES KEPT GETTING TONS OF AIR ALSO LOSING A TON OF BRAKE FLUID, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON AND ALL BRAKE LINES ARE GOOD. IT'S DANGEROUS. ALSO HAVE BLED THE BRAKES. NOT MUCH HELP OTHER THAN TEMPORARILY. *TR

74mo ago
Electrical 2

"TAKATA RECALL" WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A COUNTY ROAD AND SWITCHING FROM LOW BEAMS TO HIGH BEAMS, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY DARK AND DID NOT COME BACK ON UNTIL SWITCHING BACK TO LOW BEAMS. AFTER INSPECTION, NOTICED THE DAY RUNNERS ALSO WERE NOT WORKING. ALL FUSES WERE PLUGGED IN AND GOOD. REPLACING THE RELAY DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED HEREIN.

110mo ago
Electrical 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S TURN SIGNALS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL THAT INVOLVED A SIMILAR FAILURE (GMC RECALL NUMBER: 03043); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,283.

114mo ago
Electrical 4

DAUGHTER HYDROPLANED, WENT INTO DITCH ON RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD, TRAVELED ACROSS ROAD INTO LEFT DITCH AND HIT TREE, OPENING THE CONVERTIBLE TOP DURING CRASH AND TOTALED VEHICLE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY DURING CRASH.

156mo ago
Transmission 1

MY DAUGHTERS CAR WAS HAVING STARTING PROBLEMS (NOT ENOUGH GAS GETTING TO THE ENGINE TO START, HAD TO PUMP THE GAS). I TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE IN A EMPTY PARKING LOT ONCE IT STARTED. I WAS GOING APPROX 10MPH THE FIRST TIME I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. WHEN I RELEASED THE PEDAL IT STAYED IN PLACE AT FULL THROTTLE. I PUSHED THE BREAKS TO STOP THE CAR AND HAD TO THROW IT INTO NEUTRAL BEFORE THE THROTTLE RELEASED. SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME!! THANK GOD MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER NEVER PUSHED THE THROTTLE ALL THE WAY DOWN!! I TRIED IT SEVERAL MORE TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULTS. SOMEHOW THE THROTTLE STICKING IS TIED TO THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE, EVERYTIME, THE THROTTLE WOULD RELEASED AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. I DONOT HAVE THE VIN BECAUSE WE TOOK IT TO A SHOP TONIGHT. JUST THOUGHT I SHOULD WARN ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAD MY DAUGHTER MEET ME IN THE PARKING LOT AND TOLD HER TO FLOOR IT WITH THE SAME RESULTS, AND AS I THOUGHT WOULD HAPPENED SHE PANIC AND ONLY PUSHED THE BREAKS YELLING "OW GOD, OW GOD. I HAD MY HAND ON THE SHIFTER AND MOVED IT TO NEUTRAL. AGAINST HER WILL MADE HER DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN SO SHE COULD LEARN NOT TO PANIC AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL IN CASE THIS HAPPENS TO HER EVER IN THE FUTURE. SHOULD BE A TRAINING IN DRIVERS ED. *TR

163mo ago
Electrical 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED, A SMALL FIRE OCCURRED IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN 2005, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL RELATED TO THE MOST RECENT FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V036000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION: SWITCH). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 08/07/12*LJ UPDATED 08/15/2012 *JS

172mo ago
Electrical 1

REAR PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNAL SOCKET IT IS GETTING VERY HOT AND IS MELTING BULBS AND SOCKET. HAVE REPLACED BULBS VARIOUS TIMES WITH AND WITHOUT PROPER GREASE AND NO CHANGE. *TR

193mo ago
Electrical 1

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. UPON STARTING THE ENGINE AT NIGHT, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

198mo ago
Electrical 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS MELTED,WHICH DISABLED VEHICLE OPERATION. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. HE WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS THAT ADDRESSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

201mo ago
Body 2

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS CATALYST V TIRES, MODEL 20555R16 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES FAILED ON HER VEHICLE. SHE STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ALL SEASON TIRES; HOWEVER, THEY DO NOT PERFORM PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN THE SNOW BECAUSE THE TIRES SKID AND DO NOT ALLOW PROPER TURNING. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REACH THE MANUFACTURER TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE DOT NUMBER IS SLIGHTLY SHORTER THAN THE OTHER TIRES AND THE DEFECT OCCURS ON ALL FOUR TIRES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 97,000.

212mo ago
Electrical 2

PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT OR BRAKE LIGHT HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. FUSES REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. ONCE REPLACED BULBS DEFECT WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO. DOME LIGHT OR OVER HEAD LIGHT REPEATS SAME PROCESS. VEHICLE'S BATTERY AND TERMINALS REPLACED WITH NO CHANGE. $$$ *TR

227mo ago
Engine 4

THE SUPERCHARGER IN MY 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP CAUGHT FIRE CAUSED AN ENGINE FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN SLOW, HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR

227mo ago
Electrical 2

SEALS ON VAN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ARE BAD. MOISTURE GETS INTO LENSES AND BLOWS BULBS. AND ARE TOO COSTLY TO REPLACE!! *TR

228mo ago
Body 2

WIPER BLADES BECAME MINGLED AND NOW WHEN THE WIPERS ARE ON. THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER GOES OFF WINDSHIELD A LITTLE BIT. BROUGHT TO DEALER FOR RECALL ON SLIDING DOOR HANDLES AND THEY SAID I NEED A NEW WINDSHIELD MOTOR ARM WHICH IS OVER $300. AND CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX. SOUNDS LIKE A DEFECT TO ME. *TR

228mo ago
Electrical 2

2000 PONTIAC GRAND AM. TURN SIGNALS & HAZARD FLASHER WILL QUIT WORKING, HAVE TO HIT DASHBOARD ABOVE HAZARD SWITCH WITH FIST TO ACTIVATE TURN SIGNALS AGAIN. RECALL ISSUED #03V327000 BUT MY VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, DEALER TOLD ME $160.00 TO FIX EVEN THOUGH THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. *TR

229mo ago
Engine 4

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. HE MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS PRESENT AND NO PREVIOUS FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR THIRTY MINUTES BEFORE THE FIRE BEGAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77,284.

231mo ago
Body 5

NO MEMORY OF THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT I SUSTAINED LIFE THREATENING INJURIES AND MY BOYFRIEND DIED. MY SPECIALISTS OUT OF STATE BELIEVES IT WAS SOMETHING KNOWN AS SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHY DOES NHTSA KEEP IGNORING THAT THERE IS A MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE INSTEAD OF BLAMING THE DRIVERS. I'M STILL FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES DUE TO THIS ACCIDENT THOUGH THE FAMILY HAS NOT PRESSED CHARGES AND HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME EVER SINCE. SOMETHING IS REALLY WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE THAT I'M BEING PROSECUTED FOR SOMETHING THAT WASN'T MY FAULT AND WAS CAR DEFECT. *JB

231mo ago
Electrical 4

I PURCHASED A PONTIAC MONTANA IN 2004 IT WAS BUILT IN 2000 .ON MARCH 12,2007 IT BUSTED INTO FLAMES BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND FUSE BOX . WHILE MY WIFE AND CHILD WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. *AK

234mo ago
Electrical 2

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. *NM

236mo ago
Body 1

I HAVE A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, AND I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP AT LEAST TWICE (MAYBE THREE) TIMES TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. NOW, THE PROBLEM HAS ARISEN AGAIN, AND I MUST TAKE MY TIME AND MONEY TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE JUST SEEN ON LINE TWELVE (12) "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS" REPORTING THIS PROBLEM DATING 1999 THROUGH 2006. I BELIEVE THAT THIS STEERING SHAFT PROBLEM IS LIFE THREATENING. WHAT CAN I DO TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS TAKEN CARE OF AND NOT JUST "GREASED" OVER AS IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST? *JB

237mo ago

117 total

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