2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Power Train Problems

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

Mileage: 150,000

MY 2000 SUNFIRE AUTOMATIC CAR STOPPED MOVING ON DECEMBER 19, 2004 WITH 64,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD IT IN THE DEALERSHIP IN VIROQUA, WI ON MON., DEC. 21. THEY TOLD ME ON DEC. 22 THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND THE PART WOULD BE IN AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY 2005. I CALLED THEM EVERY WEEK IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH. I WAS TOLD "I WAS ON THE TOP OF THE HUNDREDS LIST TO GET THE PART." THEN THE DATE WAS MOVED TO THE END OF JAN. 2005. I CALLED THEM BACK ON FEB. 1, 2005 AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THE PART WOULD BE MADE AND THEY HAVE MOVED THE PLACE WHERE THEY MAKE THE PARTS. I HAVE A LOANER CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP, BUT I WANT MY CAR BACK. IS THERE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS IN GM VECHILES OR IN THE SUNFIRE CAR DIRECTLY?*AK

WHILE ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE ARMY, I PURCHASED A USED 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE IN GEORGIA. THE CAR BEGAN GIVING ME PROBLEMS ONLY 6 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE. LUCKILY, I FORCED THE DEALERSHIP TO PAY FOR A WARRANTY BECAUSE I HAD TO HAVE 3 MAJOR REPAIRS WITHIN A 11/2 AFTER THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS UP, I DISCOVER NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMOBILE, INCLUDING THE RECALL. THIS CAR IS TRULY A LEMON! I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER WITH THIS DEFECTIVE CAR. I OWE OVER 3 TIMES THE VALUE OF THE CAR. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT MY GOOD CARE AND MAINTENANCE, NO ONE WILL TOUCH THIS CAR BECAUSE IT HAS SO MANY OTHER DEFECTS BESIDES THE RECALL (FRONT END SUSPENSION ISSUES, FUEL TANK). I AM A DISABLED VETERAN NOW WITH ONLY A SMALL PENSION TO SUPPORT MYSELF AND TWO CHILDREN. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND FIXING THE IGNITION SWITCH IS NOT GOING TO FIX THIS LEMON. I HAVE PUT OVER $3000 IN REPAIRS ON THIS CAR OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS ASIDE FROM THE MONTHLY FINANCED PAYMENTS OF $282 X 3YRS=$10,152 AND I STILL OWE $7800. THE CAR IS ONLY VALUED AT $2150. AND WHEN DEALERS LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF PROBLEMS BEHIND THIS CAR, THEY DON'T EVEN WANT TO GIVE ME $2000.*AK

Mileage: 50,168

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 62000 MILES. *NM THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER BUT WAS DENIED. *NM

Mileage: 62,088

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF GEAR, THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION.*JB

DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AT 15MPH, CAR MADE A GRIDING SOUND. CLUTCH FROZE, AND TRANSAXEL FLUID WAS DRIPPING FROM CAR. 1ST MECHANIC SAID DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME LOOSE AND BLEW OFF TRANSMISSION COVER, LODGING ITSELF IN THE TRANSIMISSION. 2ND MECHANIC CONFIRMED. BOTH SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE IN PONTIAC SUNFIRE'S. THERE IS NO RECALL AS OF THIS DATE. REPAIR WILL COST ME OVER $2000.*AK

EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT GETTING HOT MELTING THE CARPET AND PAINT INSIDE TRUNK, FUMES FILLED INTERIOR OF VEHICLE AT THIS TIME EXHAUST SYSTEM IS RUNNING JUST AS HOT AGAIN, DEALER STATED FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE INSTRUCTED HIM NOT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE HAS BAD GAS MILEAGE, STARTER MOTOR SEIZED AND FAILED, POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING, COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM LEFT FRONT AND BACK OF THE VEHICLE, REPLACED RADIATOR, HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR AT IDLE, TRUNK LEAKS, HEAD LAMP IS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, GLOVE BOX WILL NOT CLOSE, MUFFLER FELL OFF, KEY COMES OUT OF IGNITION WITH VEHICLE RUNNING, TRANSMISSION HAS NO REVERSE, THERE WAS BRAKE PULSATION AT HIGH SPEED OR WHEN STOPPING, BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, SPEAKERS INOPERATIVE, SEAT SPRING FAILED, SUSPECTED MOTOR OIL SMELL AND REPLACED THERMOSTAT, HORN WAS INOPERATIVE, POWER AND GROUNDS DISTRIBUTION REPLACED, WINDOW WILL NOT GO DOWN ALL THE WAY, FOUND WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED, HAZARD LAMPS AND TURN SIGNAL WERE INOPERATIVE, REPLACED BLOWN FUSE, CIGARETTE LIGHTER INOPERATIVE, REPLACED BLOWN FUSE, TRACTION CONTROL INOPERATIVE, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, A/C HOSE LEAKING, REPLACED EVAPORATOR, HARD TO START AND ROUGH IDLE, ENGINE MAKE RATTLING NOISE AND QUIT RUNNING, REPLACED HEAD CYLINDER AND 02 SENSOR, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT, OVERFLOW BOTTLE MELTED AND 42 GOODYEAR TIRES BLEW OUT, ALSO THE HVAC WAS INOPERATIVE. *YD

EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT GETTING HOT MELTING THE CARPET AND PAINT INSIDE TRUNK, FUMES FILLED INTERIOR OF VEHICLE AT THIS TIME EXHAUST SYSTEM IS RUNNING JUST AS HOT AGAIN, DEALER STATED FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE INSTRUCTED HIM NOT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE HAS BAD GAS MILEAGE, STARTER MOTOR SEIZED AND FAILED, POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING, COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM LEFT FRONT AND BACK OF THE VEHICLE, REPLACED RADIATOR, HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR AT IDLE, TRUNK LEAKS, HEAD LAMP IS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, GLOVE BOX WILL NOT CLOSE, MUFFLER FELL OFF, KEY COMES OUT OF IGNITION WITH VEHICLE RUNNING, TRANSMISSION HAS NO REVERSE, THERE WAS BRAKE PULSATION AT HIGH SPEED OR WHEN STOPPING, BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, SPEAKERS INOPERATIVE, SEAT SPRING FAILED, SUSPECTED MOTOR OIL SMELL AND REPLACED THERMOSTAT, HORN WAS INOPERATIVE, POWER AND GROUNDS DISTRIBUTION REPLACED, WINDOW WILL NOT GO DOWN ALL THE WAY, FOUND WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED, HAZARD LAMPS AND TURN SIGNAL WERE INOPERATIVE, REPLACED BLOWN FUSE, CIGARETTE LIGHTER INOPERATIVE, REPLACED BLOWN FUSE, TRACTION CONTROL INOPERATIVE, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, A/C HOSE LEAKING, REPLACED EVAPORATOR, HARD TO START AND ROUGH IDLE, ENGINE MAKE RATTLING NOISE AND QUIT RUNNING, REPLACED HEAD CYLINDER AND 02 SENSOR, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT, OVERFLOW BOTTLE MELTED AND 42 GOODYEAR TIRES BLEW OUT, ALSO THE HVAC WAS INOPERATIVE. *YD

I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOORHOOD AT ABOUT 15-20 MPH, WHEN I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE, AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED CAR. THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT WAS UNKNOWN AT THE TIME, BUT THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE INCLUDING MECHANICS THAT HAVE LOOKED AT MY CAR AND STATED TO ME THAT THE AXLE SNAPPED IN HALF. THIS WOULD OF OCCURED BEFORE I HIT THE OTHER CAR, BECAUSE I WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS FROM THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS, DUE TO THE SNAP OF THE AXLE. I HAVE TRIED TO ASK MANY PEOPLE TO LOOK AT IT, TO SEE WHAT THEY THINK WOULD OF BEEN THE CAUSE, BUT THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO. MANY MECHANICS HAVE STATED TO ME THAT THE IMPACT OF MY CAR WITH THE OTHER CAR WOULD NOT OF CAUSED IT TO SNAP. ALSO, WITH THE WAYS THAT THE CARS ENDED UP TOGETHER, THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO DETERMIN THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. *AK

SINCE PURCHASED IN APRIL 24 2000, HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION PAN GASKET AND DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED, GRINDING NOISES WHEN CAR IS PARKED. ENTIRE TRANSMISSON HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT OF VEHICLE AND BRAKE FAILURE WITH IN THE 8 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. *AK

PRIOR TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILING, I DID GET A ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ABOUT TWO MONTHS PREVIOUS. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED IT OUT, THEY SAID THE LIGHT INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION, BUT WHEN THEY RAN THE COMPUTER CHECKS THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WITH NO WARNING LIGHT ON, THE REVERSE GEAR WENT OUT ON THIS CAR. WHEN I TALKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CAR WAS THE SECOND SUNFIRE THAT THEY THEMSELVES HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN. WHEN I CALLED PONTIAC TO INQUIRE AS TO THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM I WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT "THEY DON'T KEEP THOSE STATISTICS". IF THAT INFORMATION IS NOT KEPT BY THEM, HOW DO THEY EVER KNOW IF/THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRODUCT? DO THEY NOT HAVE QUALITY CONTROL?? THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *AK