Total Complaints
15 filings
PONTIAC SUNBIRD · model year
1990 PONTIAC SUNBIRD
15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990PONTIACSUNBIRD carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1990 SUNBIRD is engine and engine cooling:engine with 2 filings, followed by steering: steering wheel/handle bar (1) and seats:front assembly:recliner (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 17 investigation files overlapping the 1990 SUNBIRD. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
15
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030113SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT 55MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB
20000926ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
FAN BELT FAILED.*ET
20000926SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS
BRAKE CYLINDERS FAILED.*ET
20000926SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS FAILED.*ET
20000926POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. *ET
20000926ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED. *ET
20000921TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION. THREE TIRES HAVE SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION. BLACKWALL OF THE TIRES IS NO LONGER BLACK. TIRE SIZE 195/70R14, DOT # VDRWJRA138. REPLACEMENT TIRES ON A 1990, SUNBIRD. TIRE MILEAGE LESS THAN 20,000. TIRES HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH ANOTHER BRAND AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK
19970912CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTAIN DRIVER IN THE SEAT. DRIVER SUFFERED SOME DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE BELT NOT RETRACTING AROUND HER. *AK
19970719SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DRIVER BELIEVES SAFETY BELT THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE DOOR ARE UNSAFE.
19950718FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
EA94-013 ACTIVE, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND PARKED SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
19950609CrashSEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THERE WAS A CAR SEAT STRAP IN THE REAR SEAT CAR SEAT WAS THROWN FORWARD THERE WAS NO CHILD IN CAR SEAT. TT
19950605CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
SEAT BACK BROKE UPON REAR IMPACT, RESULTING IN COLLAPSING. TT
19950525ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKETS FAILED TWICE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. *SKD
19950208ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME OUT, ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WARPED AND SPLIT. TT
19950112STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING ARM BRACKET ATTACHED TO THE FIRE WALL CAME LOOSE, RESULTING IN STIFF STEERING. TT
Compare 1990PONTIACSUNBIRD to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 PONTIAC SUNBIRD have?▼
The 1990 PONTIAC SUNBIRD has 15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 PONTIAC SUNBIRD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 PONTIAC SUNBIRD is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR and SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER.
Is the 1990 PONTIAC SUNBIRD safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.