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Pontiac SunfireModel year report

2004 Pontiac Sunfire Problems

Complaints
32filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
45,000miles, 27 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
27 mpgcombined, 2.2L 4-cyl FWD · 23 city / 33 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 32 consumer complaints for the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire. The part named most often is electrical system, with 16 complaints (50% of the total), followed by engine cooling (4) and brakes (3). 27 of the complaints include a mileage, and 52% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 45,000 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 393 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 75 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 55 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Steering (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “The RPM needle went totally on the right side into the needle of the speedometer. Can't tell how fast I am going. Expensive to replace. Paint starting to chip in different places. This is the second vehicle that I had that the paint peeled and general motors states that it is too old of a vehicle to pay to have painted. That is totally sad.”

NHTSA complaint #10464834, filed 2012-07, 71,000 miles

Engine cooling: “The contact stated while driving various speeds or while stopped at an idle, the engine stalled without warning. Afterwards, the engine was easily restarted. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined the battery, air flow sensor, altitude sensor, and the fuel filter fitting needed to be replaced. Although the replacements were made, the problem persisted. The manufacturer was notified.”

NHTSA complaint #10168661, filed 2006-09, 34,000 miles

Brakes: “The ABS,trac and service light came on after I hit a deer because the traction control and ABS would not let me stop from hitting it. I now have the problem with ABS traction control and service light but it now makes it hard to stop till all those come on. I was told it was a sensor in the hub of rear end.”

NHTSA complaint #10221376, filed 2008-03, 45,000 miles

Engine: “Bought car used in 2013. Everything seemed to be okay until 9/12/14 when the theft system service light came on and I noticed the speedometer, rpms, and gas indicators were not reading - car began stalling like it was going to shut down. I was traveling about 50 to 55 MPH on a busy street. After car is shut off for a time it starts up okay and runs until the same thing reoccurs after going about 20 miles or so - if car shuts down while moving it could cause a serious injury or death. I have read numerous complaints about this same thing on various websites. …”

NHTSA complaint #10637233, filed 2014-09, 112,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

52% of the 27 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 13,000 and 85,000 miles.

19%0–1015%10–2519%25–5022%50–757%75–10015%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (27 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 45,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’035’05’07’09’11’13’15’20
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Sunfire · coupe not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2004 Pontiac Sunfire version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Sunfire FWD2.2L 4-cyl5-speed manual233327$2,500
Sunfire FWD2.2L 4-cyl4-speed automatic213125$2,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 393 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 393 bulletins →

Other model years of the Pontiac Sunfire

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20056861,0000—26Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20043245,0001—27Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20037234,4591—25Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20028235,6900—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20016663,0001—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20009663,5001—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19999387,5002—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199812071,6203—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199719095,0006—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1996201136,0507—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199511992,0225—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Pontiac Sunfire model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire have?

NHTSA recorded 32 consumer complaints for the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 16 complaints (50% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 4.

Has the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire get?

The EPA rates the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire (Sunfire, 2.2L 4-cyl) at 27 mpg combined, 23 city and 33 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,500 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Pontiac Sunfire reported?

Among the 27 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 45,000 miles and the middle half falls between 13,000 and 85,000 miles; 52% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.