1996 Pontiac Sunfire Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

21Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints

10.4%Of all 201 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine and engine cooling:engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE21 · 10.4%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL19 · 9.5%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP15 · 7.5%

AIR BAGS14 · 7%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION12 · 6%

Share of the 201 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1996 Pontiac Sunfire overview page.

What owners report

“VEHICLE IS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE ONTO THE GROUND, CAUSING HEADGASKET TO FAIL. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.”NHTSA complaint 8006682 — filed 04/01/2002

“I AM FILLING THIS OUT BECASE I AM TRYING TO FIND THE INFORMATION ON THE HEAD GASKET REALL ON MY CAR. THE HEAD GASKET HAS…”NHTSA complaint 756686 — filed 01/11/2002

“WHILE DRIVING AN UNSUAL NOISE OCCURRED DUE TO FAILURE OF ONE OF THE LIFTERS WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO CRAMSHAFT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.”NHTSA complaint 882726 — filed 03/12/2001

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1996 Pontiac Sunfire have engine and engine cooling:engine problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine is the most-reported problem area on the 1996 Pontiac Sunfire: 21 of 201 complaints on file (10.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1996 Pontiac Sunfire have in total?

201 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 30 involved a crash, 11 involved a fire, 24 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling:engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.