Total Complaints
4 filings
PONTIAC SUNBIRD · model year
1997 PONTIAC SUNBIRD
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997PONTIACSUNBIRD carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 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 1997 SUNBIRD is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 1 filings, followed by unknown or other (1) and suspension:front:wheel bearing (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 1997 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.
4
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING | 1 |
| STEERING:COLUMN | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050721STEERING:COLUMN
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS LOOSE AND THE DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL WITH STEERING WHEEL. FIRST BROKE LAST YEAR, AND THE OWNER HAD IT REPAIRED ON MARCH 10, 2004. A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS LATER THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN BROKE AGAIN. CURRENTLY, IT BROKE F A THIRD TIME. THE FIRST TIME THE OWNER HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE. THE SECOND TIME WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE THIRD TIME THE OWNER WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AGAIN. THE COST WAS AROUND $200.00. NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA ON WHY THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. THE DEALER DID THE REPAIRS. THE OWNER HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR THE PAST YEAR. THE OWNER WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REPAIRS LAST THIS TIME BEFORE SHE PAID FOR THEM. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE BEFORE THIS. THE CAR IS ACTUALLY A 1997 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. *AK
Mileage: 139,713
20030324SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
THE VEHICLE WHEEL BEARING WERE ON RECALL BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL. *NLM
20030123CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO DEFECT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAD HIS SEAT BELT ON, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND HIS HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD WITH FORCE, BUT WAS NOT INJURED. THE CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE AREA WHERE HE HIT HIS HEAD IN THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH WAS THE ONLY AREA WHERE THE GLASS HAD COME OUT. SCC
Mileage: 140,000
19970707SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
SECOND TIMES THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AT 30 TO 40MPH AND THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR THERE IS ALSO A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
Compare 1997PONTIACSUNBIRD to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 PONTIAC SUNBIRD have?▼
The 1997 PONTIAC SUNBIRD has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 PONTIAC SUNBIRD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 PONTIAC SUNBIRD is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING.
Is the 1997 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.