1998 Pontiac Sunfire Body and structure Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 4%of 120 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 88,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the body and structure of the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire, 4% of the 120 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 88,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“1998 Sunfire began to make clunking noises on front right side. Upon visual investigation, it was found that the frame component was completely rusted through and separated. This could be a very dangerous problem under the right circumstance. I have sent digital files to your webmaster email to show exactly what has happened as I feel that there should be a recall immediately , as this is a serious safety matter.”
NHTSA complaint #10223478, filed 2008-04, 88,000 miles“The coolant light has continuously flashed for the past few days. The vehichle was returned to dealership in order to fix. The manual states that coolant should only be replaced at 155,000 miles or every 5 years. This is the third incident, which leads me to believe that the vehicle has a major malfunction. The previous incident, the oil was in the coolant and the coolant was in the oil. I am in the process of discussing this situation with the military legal services about my options. My vehichle should be ready this afternoon if the problem is fixed.”
NHTSA complaint #712222, filed 1999-09“She was involved in a accident where the lady hit her on the drivers side of the car. I have seen on tv where this car has a very bad side impact rating, and also on this website. The woman who hit her got two broken legs, the driver of the Pontiac Sunfire died. She suffered a broken brain stem, pelvis, arms, and femur.”
NHTSA complaint #10047290, filed 2003-11Body and structure: other model years
Other parts of the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire
32 complaintsElectrical system
21 complaintsBrakes
15 complaintsSteering
14 complaintsAir bags
11 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
7 complaintsVehicle speed control
7 complaintsFuel system
6 complaintsExterior lighting
5 complaintsSeat belts
5 complaintsTires
4 complaintsEquipment
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Pontiac Sunfire
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology