2005 Pontiac Sunfire

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

70/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Electrical system	48	71%
Vehicle speed control	2	3%
Electrical system	1	1%
Steering	1	1%
Steering	1	1%
Electrical system	1	1%
Electrical system	1	1%
Steering	1	1%
Electrical system	1	1%
Fuel system	1	1%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

None of the gauges work properly Gm has not issued a recall despite the numerous complaints and it is a 500 to 800 dollar repair bill to replace the instrument cluster. 2005 Sunfire and the instrument cluster is malfunc
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

GOING DOWN HILL, TURNED MY CAR TO THE RIGHT AND THE CAR KEEP GOING STRAIGHT. IT DID NOT TURN AT ALL. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY ON COMING TRAFFIC, BUT MY CAR HIT THE CURVE FIRST STOPPING AN ACCIDENT FROM OCCURRING I HAVE REP
NHTSA complaint: Steering

RECALL NEEDED! INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS FAILED. STARTED WITH THE FUEL GAUGE MOVING IN WRONG DIRECTION INTO SPEEDOMETER. EMPTY IS AT 110MPH. SPEEDOMETER STUCK AT 55MPH WHILE COMING INTO TOWN AND NEEDING TO REDUCE TO 35MPH W
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

GAS GAUGE TEMP GAUGE RPM GAUGE ALL DONT WORK WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

INSTRUMENT GAUGE (SPEEDOMETER) WENT FIRST THEN SLOWLY PROGRESSED INTO ALL OF THEM. THEY ARE SPORADICALLY ACCURATE, BUT MOST OF THE TIME REST AT THE LOW OR HIGH END AND OFTEN OFF INTO THE NEXT GAUGE. I PAID FIRESTONE A
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

VEHICLE RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF, USUALLY WHEN IDLING OR STOPPED. CLOCK AND RADIO RESET. CAR CAN EASILY BE RESTARTED, BUT CLOCK AND RADIO MUST BE RESET. HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM ON SEV
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

DRIVING THE VEHICLE WENT TO TURN A CORNER AND THE ENTIRE CAR DIED. I LOST ALL STEERING AND ELECTRICAL IN THE CAR. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TRIED TO BE RESTARTED THAT WAS A VERY LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. ONCE TOWED TO A MECHANI
NHTSA complaint: Steering

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DOES NOT WORK AT ALL ANYMORE - THE GAUGE WAS AT HOT EVEN WHEN THE CAR HAD BEEN OFF OVERNIGHT AND WAS COMPLETELY COOL. NOW IT IS ALL THE WAY AROUND UNDERNEATH THE GAUGE NEXT TO IT. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Steering 08E063000

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 DU

Risk: IF THE WELD FAILS, LOSS OF STEERING COULD RESULT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Fix: DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 16, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN TOLL FREE AT 1-800-523-2492.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	74	good
Longevity est.	75	good
Maintenance	89	excellent
Depreciation	60	average
Performance	47	below average
Efficiency	46	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 21% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 30% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 82% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 56% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 74: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 75: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2005 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 89: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire?

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 48 of them (71%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 74/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2005 Pontiac Sunfire last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2005 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2005 Pontiac Sunfire?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.