Most common 1997 Pontiac Sunfire problems
Share of the 190 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Pontiac Sunfire complaints by model year
Best Sunfire years: 2004, 2001, 2005. Years to avoid: 1996, 1997, 1995, 1998. Compare all years →
1997 Pontiac Sunfire recalls (6)
Steering › Rack and pinion
Certain passenger vehicles and Mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between January 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began January 24, 2003.
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began March 27, 2002.
Suspension › Rear
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. One of the rear suspension trailing arm bolts can fatigue and break.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear suspension trailing arm fasteners.
Air bags
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Because of certain calibrations in the air bag's sensing and diagnostic module, an inadvertent air bag deployment could occur in a low speed crash or when an object strikes the floor pan.
Remedy: Dealers will recalibrate the air bag sensing and diagnostic module.
Structure › Body
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with mis-located welds at the joint between the left rocker panel inner reinforcement and the body side ring. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 214, "side door strength."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the welds and, if necessary, place five welds between the involved panels and apply primer and topcoat finish materials.
Wheels › Space saver wheel
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The compact spare tire assemblies were assembled with incorrect rims. If the spare tire is underinflated, the bead can separate from the rim causing a rapid loss of air. This does not comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rim on the compact spare tire assembly. Owners are requested not to use the spare tire until the rim has been replaced.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire:
Fire in steering column area
Oversensitive air bag deployments
There is no summary currently available
Unintended vehicle acceleration
On September 23, 2003, the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated September 8, 2003 from mr. Donald friedman, petitioning the agency to open a defect investigation into unintended acceleration involving [model year] 1996 and 1997 general motors j-cars.in support of his petition, mr.
What 1997 Pontiac Sunfire owners say
Steering all 42 →
Tl * the contact owns a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire. The contact stated that smoke was emitting from the steering column. The contact mentioned that after inspecting the vehicle he noticed that there was an electrical short causing the wires to melt together. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the ignition switch malfunctioned. As a result, the steering column and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 200,000.
1997 Pontiac Sunfire all of a sudden, would not turn left and I hit a pole, come to find out the rack and pinion suddenly went out. I had to have rack and pinion replaced, this is very scary and dangerous, dealer said they have heard of no problems with rack and pinion, and were of no help at all.
Engine & cooling all 32 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, smoke started to emit from the vents and a fire erupted under the dashboard. The contact and the front passenger were able to safely exit the vehicle without any injuries. The fire department extinguished the flames. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to the contacts residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
My brother owns a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire with only 47,000 miles on it and the engine seized (needing engine replaced estimated cost $3,500). I understand the car is about 6 years old but the vehicle is driven minimal miles. GM dealership did a diagnosis costing us $289 and concluded per the invoice: perform tear down on engine - remove valve cover and found valve spring on #2 cylinder broken - remove cylinder head and found head of valve had gone through top of piston and scored cylinder wall. The dealership quoted us cost of the following: $3,250 for a brand new one with a 3 year/75,000 mile warranty or $1,400 for a used engine with 88,000 miles on it (no warranty) or $1,600 for a used engine with 62,000 miles on it (no warranty). …
Electrical system all 30 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, smoke started to emit from the vents and a fire erupted under the dashboard. The contact and the front passenger were able to safely exit the vehicle without any injuries. The fire department extinguished the flames. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to the contacts residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl * the contact owns a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire. The contact stated that smoke was emitting from the steering column. The contact mentioned that after inspecting the vehicle he noticed that there was an electrical short causing the wires to melt together. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the ignition switch malfunctioned. As a result, the steering column and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 200,000.
1997 Pontiac Sunfire engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 33 / 26 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 29 / 23 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 30 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire a good car?
Based on 190 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Sunfire rates avoid: 2.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sunfire at the same age. It is one of the Sunfire years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire?
The steering — 42 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rack and pinion. Next are the engine & cooling (32) and electrical system (30).
How many recalls does the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire have?
There are 6 recalls for the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire, the most recent from November 4, 2002 (rack and pinion). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Pontiac Sunfire?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 2001 and 2005. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1996, 1997, 1995 and 1998. See the full Pontiac Sunfire years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Pontiac Sunfire problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 95,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.