AI Damage1991 Pontiac Sunbird: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Pontiac Sunbird filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 27
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 19% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 15% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Latches, locks, linkages 11% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 4% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 6 complaints (22% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (19% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 4 complaints (15% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (11% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 3 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 27 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
When starting the car the engine revved and the accelerator pedal jammed while in reverse and the car hit another vehicle. No injuries. Dealer has the vehicle now.
Vehicle was involved in an accident, seat belt buckle broke during accident.
Drivers head hit seat belt molding when struck on side. Vehicle equipped automatic seat belts with separate lap. Please describe details. Tt
Vehicle was parked put gears into reverse, acclerator pedal stuck to floor, put into drive impact 12:00 psotion speed unknown. Tt
My wife and I had a firestone "firehawk ss wl" passenger car tire come apart while we were traveling at freeway speeds on interstate 5 in northern california on june 25, 2000. We filed a claim with firestone tire on july 3, 2000 after the tire was inspected at the local firestone store where it had been purchased.
Consumer experienced complete failure of engine cooling system,causing the vehcile to shutdown which could have resulted in an accident.the vehicle has been at the dealer 3 times, and almost the entire cooling system parts have been replaced, but defect is still occurring.
Engine head gasket cracked, causing the oil and the coolant to mix together and leak, may have caused fire or engine damages. Common problem. Please provide further information and vin#.
When my cooling system was not working I brought my car back to the dealer that I bought the car from and when they replaced the fan motor they purposly put an extra washer on one side causing the fan to hit the radiator which then caused my head gasket to blow.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,189 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sunbird has 11 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 27, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
- Sunbird 19845 sources
- Sunbird 19854 sources
- Sunbird 19866 sources
- Sunbird 19876 sources
- Sunbird 19884 sources
- Sunbird 19897 sources
- Sunbird 199011 sources
- Sunbird 199230 sources
- Sunbird 199337 sources
- Sunbird 199442 sources
- Sunbird 19964 sources
- Sunbird 19974 sources
- Sunbird 19993 sources
- Sunbird 20003 sources
- Sunbird 99993 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Pontiac Sunbird?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, vehicle speed control, seat belts. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (15%), seat belts (11%), jerking, harsh shifts (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Pontiac Sunbird?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1991 Pontiac Sunbird from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1991 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.