NHTSA Complaint #10446306 — 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE

THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL ON MY 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE RECENTLY STARTED FUNCTIONING ERRATICALLY I.E. GAUGES (GAS GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER) WOULD START FLUCTUATING WILDLY. LOCAL PONTIAC DEALERSHIP HAS DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS HAVING A DEFECTIVE (OR BURNED OUT) INSTRUMENTAL PANEL CLUSTER. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS COMPONENT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY TYPE OF LIFETIME WARRANTY AND THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD COST $472.31. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS TO BE SYSTEMIC AMONG LATE 1990 TO EARLY 2000 PONTIAC VEHICLES. FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, IT IS A DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCE TO BE DRIVING 70-75 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND TO HAVE YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL START MALFUNCTIONING. PONTIAC SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTERS AND REPAIR THEM AT NO CHARGE. *KB