1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
26 complaints about Service Brakes, Hydraulic
High Severity Issue
This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.
This Problem Across All Years
All Service Brakes, Hydraulic Complaints (26)
THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB *TS
Mileage: 93,216
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. ALSO, VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER.*AK
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNDER NOMAL STOPPING CONDITIONS PEDAL BECAME HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DRIVER STOPPED VEHICLE WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK REPAIR SHOP STATED THE BRAKES WERE WORN, CONSUMER STATES THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STUCK. *SLC
I WAS IN ACCIDENT AT 45 MPH. A VEHICLE TURNED IN LANE AND STOPPED, I HIT MY BRAKES, AND MY VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW. I HIT HIS CAR AND PUSHED IT APPX. 15 FEET. I DROPPED IT IN NEUTRAL AND THAT HELPED. THE ACCIDENT TOTALED MY VEHICLE. I FELT THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.*AK
I WAS IN ACCIDENT AT 45 MPH. A VEHICLE TURNED IN LANE AND STOPPED, I HIT MY BRAKES, AND MY VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW. I HIT HIS CAR AND PUSHED IT APPX. 15 FEET. I DROPPED IT IN NEUTRAL AND THAT HELPED. THE ACCIDENT TOTALED MY VEHICLE. I FELT THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK, AND THE BRAKES COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL TO CONTROL VEHICLE. *AK
FRONT AND REAR STRUTS & MOUNTS FAILED &RATTLED PROBLEM STARTED IMMEIATELY, NOT PROPERLY IDENTIFIED UNTIL 60000, HAD TO PAY $700 TO FIX. FRONT BRAKES WORE OUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. SEAT BELT SLIPS OUT OF ANCHOR AND IS PAINFUL TO REACH (SHORT DRIVER, SEAT MOVED UP). WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED STOPPING IN THE UP INSTEAD OF DOWN POSITION, BLOCK VISION.
THIS CAR HAS BEEN MORE TROUBLE THAN IT IS WORTH. I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES AND ROTORS TWICE ALREADY AND NEED TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN ALREADY. I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT I HAVE ANOTHER CRAKED HEAD GASKET, I REPLACED ONE TWO YEARS AGO JUST AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT STAYS ON MOST OF THE TIME EVEN WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. I'M VERY FRUSTRATED! *AK
THIS CAR HAS BEEN MORE TROUBLE THAN IT IS WORTH. I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES AND ROTORS TWICE ALREADY AND NEED TO REPLACE THEM AGAIN ALREADY. I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT I HAVE ANOTHER CRAKED HEAD GASKET, I REPLACED ONE TWO YEARS AGO JUST AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT STAYS ON MOST OF THE TIME EVEN WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. I'M VERY FRUSTRATED! *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND MAKING ANY TYPE OF TURN, THERE IS A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHELL, AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE'S, THERE IS VIBRATION WITHIN THE BRAKES. ALSO, PANELS IN THE REAR ON BOTH SIDES KEEP COMING OFF. *AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM NOT WORKING PROPERLY CAUSING THEM TO ENGAGE ALMOST EVERYTIME VEHICLE STOPS OR SLOWS DOWN. ON OTHER OCCASIONS THE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND KICKED IN BUT DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO SLIDE INTO AN INTERSECTION. NLM
TIRES COMPLETEY EXPLODED AND EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE RIMS, AND SINCE THE THIRD TIME I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES. I HAD TO HAVE A COMPLETE SET OF BRAKES PUT ON, WHICH I HAD TO PAY FOR. I AM NOW HAVING TO FACE PAYING OVER $1000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION, THE HEADLIGHTS HAD PROBLEMS NOT EVEN A MONTH AFTER I GOT THE CAR. THE RADIATOR HAD A WHOLE IN IT FROM A SCREW THAT CAME LOOSE FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND IT WAS SHOT BACK UP INTO THE RADIATOR, THEY GOODWILLED THIS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
WHILE DRIVING ON ICE ABOUT 40-45 MPH, BRAKES APPLIED, HITTING A PATCH OF ICE. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, HIT A METAL MEDIUM HEAD-ON. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN ACCIDENT. DEALER CONTACTED AND CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER HAS ABS BRAKES. WHILE SLOWING DOWN, BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE. ALSO CAUSING STIFFNESS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
COMING TO A STOP ,APPLYING BRAKES LIGHTLY,THE BRAKES WILL SQUEAL AND LOCK UP. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING DEFECT. *AK
ABS BRAKE FAILURE.
WHEN MAKING A PANIC STOP THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR , RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COLLIDE INTO A BARRIER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS FAILED THREE TIMES IN TEN MONTHS.
ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING A VEHICLE COLLISION.
OWNER APPLIED BRAKES SUDENLY AND THE BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND CAR DID NOT STOP. *AK CAUSE ACCIDENT. *ET
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE OR PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE THE BRAKES WILL GRAB AND SQUEAK. THEN WHEN PUTTING FOOT ON THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WILL SLIDE AND THE BRAKES WILL LOCK UP. *AK
TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE; ALSO NOISY ABS BRAKES. *AK
ROTORS NEED TO BE RESURFACED.
THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED REPEATEDLY.
ANTILOCK BRAKE COMPUTER CAME ON AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES.
BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS.