Pontiac ยท 1997
1997 Pontiac Sunfire
Official EPA fuel economy and NHTSA recall record, best combined figure 26 MPG.
The Pontiac Sunfire is a compact car by Pontiac that was introduced for the 1995 model year to replace the Sunbird. Not only was the name changed, but dramatic styling changes were included as well. The new styling was shared with the redesigned Chevrolet Cavalier.
Fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City | Highway | Combined | CO2 g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | Automatic 3-spd | Regular | 21 | 29 | 24 | 370 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Regular | 22 | 31 | 25 | 355 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Regular | 22 | 33 | 26 | 342 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Regular | 20 | 31 | 24 | 370 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Regular | 19 | 29 | 23 | 386 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Regular | 20 | 30 | 23 | 386 |
Safety recalls (NHTSA)
9 campaigns on record for this model year. Recall repairs are free at dealers; check your exact vehicle by VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE COMPACT SPARE TIRE ASSEMBLIES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH INCORRECT RIMS. IF THE SPARE TIRE IS UNDERINFLATED, THE BEAD CAN SEPARATE FROM THE RIM CAUSING A RAPID LOSS OF AIR. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS."
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. BECAUSE OF CERTAIN CALIBRATIONS IN THE AIR BAG'S SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE, AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD OCCUR IN A LOW SPEED CRASH OR WHEN AN OBJECT STRIKES THE FLOOR PAN.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM BOLTS CAN FATIGUE AND BREAK.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH MIS-LOCATED WELDS AT THE JOINT BETWEEN THE LEFT ROCKER PANEL INNER REINFORCEMENT AND THE BODY SIDE RING. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 214, "SIDE DOOR STRENGTH."
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
CERTAIN DELPHI AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMP MODULES / MODULE RESERVOIR ASSEMBLIES (MRA) THAT WERE SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE MRAS VENT AND FUEL RETURN TUBES WERE REVERSED. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE VEHICLE NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY (IDLE ROUGH AND/OR STALL) DUE TO AN OVERLY RICH FUEL BLEND OR THE VEHICLE'S EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CARBON CANISTER MAY LEAK FUEL.
DORMAN PRODUCTS IS RECALLING 3,900 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS DORMAN PART NOS. 425-151, 425-152, AND 425-153, (SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS" BRAND NAME), BALKAMP #'S 7-3057, 7-3058, 7-3059 (SOLD UNDER THE "NAPA" BRAND NAME), AND PLATINUM PARTS #'S 2425151, 2425152, AND 2425153 MANUFACTURED DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2007. THESE REPLACEMENT STEERING SHAFTS CAN BE USED ON THE VEHICLES LIS
Owner complaints (NHTSA)
257 complaints filed by owners for this model year (35 involving a crash, 10 a fire). Complaints are owner reports, not confirmed defects - browse them in full on nhtsa.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fuel economy of a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire?
EPA figures for the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire reach 26 MPG combined depending on configuration; the table on this page lists every tested engine and transmission combination.
Are there recalls on the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire?
NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns for the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire. Check your specific vehicle by VIN on the official NHTSA site, recalls are fixed free of charge by dealers.
What are common problems with the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire?
Owners have filed 257 complaints with NHTSA for the 1997 Pontiac Sunfire, most often about: Steering, Electrical System, Engine And Engine Cooling. Complaint counts reflect what owners report, not confirmed defects.
Sources: EPA fueleconomy.gov, the NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings databases (all US public data), refreshed monthly. Recall texts are quoted from the official record. Details on About & Data Sources.