1991 Pontiac Sunbird problems & reliability
27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 Pontiac Sunbird. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
5 complaints report injuries (6 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1991 Pontiac Sunbird vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 22% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 19% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 15% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 11% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 11% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 11% |
| Power Train | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
| Tires | 1 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“After several repairs, consumer requested help in getting the vehicle to run. *ph the consumer and her husband are senior citizens who need financial help to have their vehicle repaired. The vehicle has had many partial repairs but none that have permanently repaired all the problems. *nm”
Unknown OR Other · filed Mar 30, 2004
“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. I…”
Tires · filed Jul 21, 2003
“Had vehicle in reverse & backing out of parking lot. The throttle stuck & vehicle took off. Vehicle had front wheel drive & the wheels just kept spinning. Will be taking vehicle to dealer. *ak”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Sep 1, 1999
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE93090 · opened Oct 8, 1993 · closed Feb 28, 1994
- STICKING THROTTLE
Engineering Analysis EA92024 · opened Jun 26, 1992 · closed Jan 31, 1994
Technical service bulletins
5 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 Pontiac Sunbird.
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
130089009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2013
Information regarding snow intrusion into rear drum brake assemblies. **mr
000524001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2000
Some v6 engines may, on a very infrequent basis, have an oil odor condition that is generally encountered after the engine's oil has been changed.typically the odor lasts approximately 1000 miles after the change of oil…
876002A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 1998
Crunch noise from right side dash area when turning steering wheel. *tw
433211 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 1994
Buzzing sound when rear defogger is on. *tw
438135 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 1994
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1991 Pontiac Sunbird in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1991 Pontiac Sunbird?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.