2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE Exterior Lighting Problems

FAILURE TO THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS, WITH TIME, CORROSION ATTACK THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS. WHICH WILL CAUSE THE HEADLIGHT INTENSITY TO LOWER OR WORST, TOTAL HEADLIGHT FAILURE. THAT MEAN THAT YOU CAN BE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND TOTALLY LOSE YOUR HEADLIGHT. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN REPAIRED 4 TIMES NOW, AND I NEED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED A 5TH TIME APRIL 2004. *TR

Mileage: 18,000

2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. HEADLAMPS DO NOT WORK. FOUND OUT THRU INTERNET SEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE WIRING PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT GM SHOULD FIX (FOG LAMPS AS WELL). THE LAMPS ALREADY WENT OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IF THIS HAPPENS AT NIGHT YOU HAVE NO LIGHTS. GM KEEPS SKIRTING AROUND THE ISSUE UNTIL YOUR WARRANTY RUNS OUT THEN IT COSTS YOU MORE MONEY THAN YOU HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. VERY, VERY, VERY FRUSTRATING. JUST DO A INTERNET SEARCH FOR SUNFIRE HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS/DO NOT WORK/ ETC. AND YOU'LL SEE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY BECAME EXTREMELY DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND REPAIRED ACCORDING TO A SAFETY RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THE REPAIRS DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Mileage: 3,000

HEAD LIGHTS FAIL FOR NO REASON AND AT ANY TIME. THIS CAN INCLUDE BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAM AND FOG LIGHTS. HAS BEEN REPAIRED NOW FOR THE 5TH TIME AT A GM DEALER SHIP. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS NOT WORKING ON THE VEHICLE. THE FORWARD ELECTRIC HARNESS ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER INTO THE LIGHT AND CAUSED IT TO FAIL. SOON AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN 2003, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A RECALL (GM RECALL NUMBER 03029) ON THE LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BECAUSE IT AFFECTED THE SIGNAL LIGHTS AND DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT. THE CONTACT RECENTLY TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, BUT THEY STATED THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AND WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,700. UPDATED 03/23/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/24/09.*JB

Mileage: 8,700

THE FRONT WIRING HARNESS ON MY 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE 2 DOOR HAS FAILED FOR THE 4TH TIME DUE TO CORROSION OF THE OBVIOUSLY-TOO-SMALL GAUGE WIRING AND INAPPROPRIATE PLACEMENT AND WATER-PROOFING OF THE WIRING HARNESS AND CONNECTORS. HEADLIGHT(S) OR FOGLIGHT(S) TYPICALLY EITHER FAIL OUTRIGHT, OR DIM TO ABOUT 10% INTENSITY, CAUSED BY CORROSION IN THE WIRES AND CONNECTORS. PREVIOUS FAILURES OF THIS WIRING HARNESS AFFECTING BOTH HEADLIGHTS AND/OR FOGLIGHTS OCCURRED IN JAN 2005, JAN 2006, AND JAN 2007, AND WERE REPAIRED BY REMOVAL OF CORRODED WIRE SECTIONS AND RE-SPLICING OF WIRES. DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH GM AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS CONFIRM MY SUSPICIONS OF SIMILAR FAILURES IN MANY OTHER SUNFIRES AND CAVALIERS. I AGREE WITH A LIFELONG MECHANIC WHO SAYS THE ONLY PROPER SOLUTION IS A COMPLETE REWIRING JOB. THIS IS AN EXTREME HAZARD AS COMPLETE HEADLIGHT FAILURE OR DIMMING CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING. A DEAD OF NIGHT FAILURE ANYWHERE, IN THE CITY, NEAR A SCHOOL, OR ON A COUNTRY ROAD AS HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER'S FRIEND IN HER SUNFIRE, CANNOT BE CONSTRUED AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN LIFE-THREATENING; FOG LIGHT AND HEADLIGHT FAILURE AT ANY OTHER TIME IS DANGEROUS. IF THE FAILURE OF SUNFIRE/CAVALIER REAR BRAKE AND TURN LIGHTS WARRANTED A 2004 RECALL, THEN SURELY THIS EQUALLY OR MORE THREATENING CHRONIC PROBLEM DESERVES ONE. WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED ALREADY IS BEYOND ME. GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BY ISSUING A SERIES OF TSBS OVER THE YEARS ON THIS PROBLEM: #03018, #0309, #030842002, #021903, AND THE NHTSA HAS BEEN APPRISED OF THEM. I AM A HOBBY MECHANIC WHO HAS SPENT 45 YEARS BUILDING AND RACING POWERBOATS AND WORKING ON AND RESTORING CARS. I KNOW A DESIGN FAULT WHEN I SEE ONE. THIS ISSUE MUST BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE SUSPECT WIRING HARNESSES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED, RATHER THAN WAITING FOR THEM TO FAIL (TIME AND TIME AGAIN) AND THEN MAKING SPLICES TO THE WIRING AND CLEANING UP THE CONNECTORS. *TR

Mileage: 30,918

REFERRING TO THE PASSENGER-SIDE HEADLIGHT: WHILE DRIVING MY CHILDREN HOME AFTER IT WAS ALREADY DARK, I NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER-SIDE HEADLIGHT SEEMED A LITTLE DIMMER THAN THE DRIVER-SIDE HEADLIGHT. I ALSO HAD ON MY DRIVING LIGHTS THAT ARE BELOW THE HEADLIGHTS. WE WERE ON A PARTICULARLY DARK ROAD WHERE THERE IS A TENDENCY TO BE DEER, SO WHEN IT WAS CLEAR OF OPPOSING TRAFFIC, I PUT THE HIGH-BEAM LIGHTS ON. AFTER PUTTING THE HIGH-BEAMS ON, ALL THE LIGHTS.....HEADLIGHTS, HIGH-BEAMS, AND DRIVING LIGHTS WENT OUT....WHILE I WAS DRIVING. A RED "SERVICE" LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. I WAS VERY STARTLED AT THIS AND HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I SWITCHED THE LIGHTS OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND NOTHING WOULD WORK AND THE "SERVICE" LIGHT REMAINED ON. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA OR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY IF I PANICKED. MY CHILDREN WERE VERY WORRIED THAT WE WERE PULLED OFF IN THE DARK. I DECIDED TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, HOPING TO RESET SOMETHING, AND TURN IT BACK ON. WHEN I DID THIS, THE "SERVICE" LIGHT WAS NOT ON, AND THE HEADLIGHTS AND DRIVING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE PASSENGER-SIDE LIGHT WAS STILL DIM WHEN I LOOKED AT IT, AND I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WERE LIT AND DIM, ALTHOUGH THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH INSIDE THE CAR WAS NOT ON. I BOUGHT A NEW HEADLIGHT AND CHANGED THE BULB, BUT THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEADLIGHT, IT WAS STILL DIM. *TR

Mileage: 24,600

I HAD BOUGHT 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE FROM MCELVEEN PONTIAC-BUICK-GMC TRUCK, SUMMERVILLE, SC IN 2002. THIS CAR WAS RECALLED UNDER FOLLOWING RECALL FOR REAR STOP LAMPS AND WORK WAS DONE ON 6/8/2005. NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA04028 NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V524000 MAKE: PONTIAC MODEL: SUNFIRE YEAR : 2003 MANUFACTURER : GENERAL MOTORS CORP. COMPONENT : EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL MY PASSENGER SIDE REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED IN DECEMBER 2007 AND I TOOK THE CAR TO LOU SOBH PONTIAC, DULUTH, GA ON 12/13/2007. THEY REPLACED THE TURN LAMP. IN FEB. 2008 THIS LAMP FAILED AND I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO LOU SOBH PONTIAC, DULUTH, GA AND THEY REPLACED THE BULB (NO PAPER WORK WAS GENERATED BY SERVICE DEPT. AND WORK WAS COVERED UNDER PART WARRANTY). IN MARCH 2008 BOTH REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED. I TOOK CAR AGAIN TO LOU SOBH PONTIAC, DULUTH, GA ON 4/5/2008. THIS TIME THEY CHECKED ALL WIRING AND INFORMED ME THAT THE BOTH SOCKETS ARE MELTED DUE TO OVERHEAT AND MAY BE LOOSE CONTACTS. THEY REPLACED BOTH SOCKET. SOCKETS WILL MELT OVER THE TIME ONLY IF THEY ARE LOOSE TO BEGIN WITH, AND IF IT IS NOT CAUGHT IN TIME, THAN WIRING MAY CATCH FIRE AND ALSO MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT. THIS ALSO MAY BE RELATED ANOTHER INCIDENT I HAD ENCOUNTERED WITH MY POWER WINDOWS WHICH FAILED DUE TO FAILURE OF REGULATOR DUE TO SHORT (IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY) WHICH HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME AS WHEN REAR SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED IN DEC. 2007. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEADLAMP CIRCUIT MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO A FAILED WIRE AND CORRODED CONNECTION. THEY MADE THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,346. UPDATED 3/5/08 *CN THE REAR TURN SIGNALS WERE INOPERATIVE AS WELL.

Mileage: 55,346

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEADLAMP CIRCUIT MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO A FAILED WIRE AND CORRODED CONNECTION. THEY MADE THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,346. UPDATED 3/5/08 *CN THE REAR TURN SIGNALS WERE INOPERATIVE AS WELL.

Mileage: 55,346

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS QUIT WORKING. THE BULBS TESTED FINE, THE FUSE TESTED FINE AND THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH SEEMS TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. I REPLACED THE SWITCH WITH A KNOWN WORKING SWITCH AND THE LOW BEAMS STILL DO NOT WORK. I DRIVE WHEN IT IS DARK OUTSIDE AND AM FORCED TO USE MY HIGH BEAMS TO SEE AND MAKE SURE THAT I AM SEEN BY OTHER DRIVERS. I TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SUGGESTED REPLACING THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WHICH I DID AND THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS STILL DO NOT WORK. *CN

Mileage: 25,000

I PURCHASED THE CAR IN OCTOBER 2003 AND THE CAR WAS GREAT. IN MARCH 2006 I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WHERE THE CAR WHEN ATTEMPTED TO START WOULD TAKE A FEW SECONDS EXTRA AND THEN START, THEN 6 MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND THE CAR JUST CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE CAR RESTARTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER. THEN IN NOVEMBER THIS STARTED HAPPENING MORE AN MORE FREQUENTLY. ONE NIGHT IN DECEMBER THE CAR CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART AT ALL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OF THE ROAD. I WAITED AN HOUR AND STILL THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I CAME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I GOT THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP SO I REPLACED THAT AND THE CAR WORKED FOR 2 DAYS AND THEN THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. HE THEN TESTED THE CAR AND SAW THERE WAS NO POWER GOING TO THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD HIM DO A TEMPORARY FIX AND RUN A LINE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE FUEL PUMP SO THE CAR WOULD STILL START. THEN EVERYTHING ELSE SLOWLY STARTED TO FAIL. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY AND NOW STAYS ON. ONE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AND THEN THE OTHER FOLLOWED BY MY HIGH BEAM TOTALLY. MY FRONT LEFT TURN SIGNAL WENT THEN THE REAR RIGHT FOLLOWED BY THE FRONT RIGHT. MY HORN NO LONGER WORKS. I DON'T KNOW IF MY AIRBAGS WOULD DEPLOY IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. *JB

Mileage: 80,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN WATER ENTERED THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE HIGH BEAM ILLUMINATED. HOWEVER, THE LOW BEAM BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER REWIRED THE HEADLIGHTS AND REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS. *AK

Mileage: 75,800

2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE - REAR BLINKER BULDS KEEP BURNING OUT. MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION AND I'VE ALMOST BEEN IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS WHERE THE DRIVER BEHIND ME ALMOST REAR ENDED ME. I'VE BEEN PULLED OVER ABOUT 6 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR BUT LUCKILY NOT WRITTEN UP. I CALLED THE DEALER BUT THEY TOLD ME TO JUST KEEP REPLACING THE BULBS. THE BULBS COST AROUND $2.00 AND THEY BURN OUT WITHIN 2 HOURS. I'VE TRIED DIFFERENT TYPES OF BULBS BUT NONE WORK.

IT TOOK 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP , 9 SERVICE REPAIRS BEFORE THE REAR LIGHT BULB SOCKET ASSEMBLIES RECALL 04V524000 WAS REPAIRED CORRECTLY. CENTRAL PONTIAC, BUICK, GMC - REPAIR 4 TIMES. INTER HAVEN FL 863 299-1221, TEINLE OLDSMOBILE-PONTIAC-CADILLAC-GMC TRUCK, INC- FREMONT OHIO, REPAIRED 4 TIMES. *AK

Mileage: 1,980

NUMEROUS OF FAILURES;AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON, CLUTCH STICKS TO FLOOR, CAR DOESN'T WANT TO START. *BF THE TURN SIGNALS AND LIGHTS HAD GONE OUT, IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WERE TIMES WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD START ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT THE TURN OF THE KEY, THE VEHICLE USED AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF GAS, THE DASH WOULD RATTLE, THE ENGINE WOULD GROWL, THE DASH MADE A SOUND LIKE THE SPEAKER WAS BLOWN, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL IN THE STEREO AND THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE. (2003 PONTIAC SUNFIRE) *SC

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES CONSUMER HAD ANOTHER DRIVER STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND WATCH FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO COME ON. CONSUMER HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAUSED MOISTURE TO BECOME TRAPPED INSIDE. *AK REAR BRAKELIGHTS KEEP FAILING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SIX TIMES.

Mileage: 4,977

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. THE BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

REAR TAIL LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS-- BULBS BURNING OUT ON A WEEKLY BASIS, ONE BULB WAS MELTED IN THE SOCKET, BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I PLAN ON TAKING IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP NEXT WEEK.*AK

Mileage: 9,000

REAR TAIL LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS-- BULBS BURNING OUT ON A WEEKLY BASIS, ONE BULB WAS MELTED IN THE SOCKET, BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I PLAN ON TAKING IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP NEXT WEEK.*AK

Mileage: 9,000

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE INSIDE REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER INSPECTED TRUNK, AND DETERMINED THAT LEFT SIDE BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET WAS ON FIRE. *AK *JB

Mileage: 20,620

REAR TURN SIGNAL BULBS BLEW OUT THREE TIMES BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTION IN THE SOCKET. ALSO, EXHAUST FUMES ENTERED THE PASSENGER CABIN AFTER DRIVING FOR A PERIOD OF THIRTY MINUTES. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 10,000

CD PLAYER FAILED AT 9,000MI. FOG LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED AT 10,00MI TRUNK LATCH FAILED AT 8,500MI. *AK

REAR SEAT IS BROKEN RUNK LATCH IS BROKEN. WARRANTY WAS NOT HONORED. *AK

CONSUMER REPLACED DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL BULBS FOUR TIMES. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE WHEN PREPARING TO MAKE A TURN, AND LOOKING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR A VEHICLE WAS RIGHT NEXT TO HER. *AK

LEFT BLINKER AND BRAKE LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING - PURCHASED VEHICLE 5/03 - MILEAGE 2300 MILES.

Mileage: 2,300

LEFT BLINKER AND BRAKE LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING - PURCHASED VEHICLE 5/03 - MILEAGE 2300 MILES.

Mileage: 2,300

VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL PROBLEMS; FUEL GAUGE IS NOT READING PROPERLY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF WHEN THE GAUGE READS 1/4 FULL. ALSO, LEFT TURN SIGNAL LIGHT DOES NOT OPERATE ALL THE TIME. *AK