YearToAvoid

2005 Pontiac Sunfire Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

—/100

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2005 Pontiac Sunfire has 68 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. The most reported problem area is electrical system (61 complaints, 90% of the total).

Complaints
68
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
25.5
22 city / 31.5 hwy

Top 2005 Pontiac Sunfire problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System61 (90%)
  2. Engine9 (13%)
  3. Steering4 (6%)
  4. Brakes3 (4%)
  5. Fuel System3 (4%)
  6. Structure & Body2 (3%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (3%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers2 (3%)
  9. HVAC1 (1%)
  10. Transmission & Powertrain1 (1%)
2005 Pontiac Sunfire complaints: complaints filed per quarter92004 Q42007 Q22009 Q22010 Q42012 Q22014 Q12016 Q1
88 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2004 Q4 to 2022 Q2; peak 2010 Q4 (9).

2005 Pontiac Sunfire recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2005 Pontiac Sunfire fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22 MPG
Highway
31.5 MPG
Combined
25.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,550
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other Sunfire years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002005
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005No verdict—68025.5

All Pontiac Sunfire years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire a reliable year?
NHTSA has 68 owner complaints and 0 recalls on file for the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire. There are not enough model years to rank it against other years.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (61 complaints), engine (9 complaints), and steering (4 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 61,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire?
EPA rates the 2005 Pontiac Sunfire at 25.5 MPG combined (22 city / 31.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,550. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.