1995 Pontiac Sunfire car will start but has no power

Tiny
MOMM5MI
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 PONTIAC SUNFIRE
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
MY CAR WILL START BUT WHEN I GO TO DRIVE IT HAS NO POWER/ THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN ALL OF A SUDDEN/ IT WAS DRIVING FINE AND THEN SEEMED TO LOSE POWER AND I COULD ONLY GO ABOUT 15 MPH/ I CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS AND CLEANED THE WIRES/ IT STARTED TO RUN FINE AND WHEN I GOT A BLOCK AWAY IT STARTED TO DO THE SAME THING/ IT NOW WILL NOT GO ABOVE APPROX. 15 MPH / WHEN I CHECK THE SPARK FROM THE PLUG IT IS A RED SPARK / I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE BLUE BUT AM NOT SURE/ ANY HELP YOU COULD GIVE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED THANKS MARGARET
Friday, January 11th, 2008 AT 10:55 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
JSKELLY4693
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
When you say no power, a little more explanation would be helpful.

Is the engine stuttering at all, does it feel like it's missing a spark (almost feels like you're out of gas), does it just hit 15mph and stop going any faster?

When you changed the plugs, and it ran fine, did it accelerate normally until it started happening again?

PS - Future posts, please take off the "CAPS LOCK", it's very annoying.
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Saturday, January 12th, 2008 AT 11:26 PM
Tiny
MOMM5MI
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Sry for caps I have problems with my vision/ It acts like a vaccum leak, but cant find it/ it also has a spark knock in the engine almost like it is out of time/ it will run but only reaches about 15 miph/ I thought possibly it could be where the ignition coils attach is bad / when I changed the spark plugs it only went about a block at normal speed and then seemed to lose power again/ it now will only go as I have stated above/ it doesnt stutter or anything else just has no power/since this is not a older car I know there is no vaccum advance / any help would be greatly appreciated/ thanks Margaret
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Sunday, January 13th, 2008 AT 8:35 PM
Tiny
JSKELLY4693
  • MEMBER
  • 22 POSTS
Try this. When I had my 96 Sunfire, I remember there was a recall on the PCM (one of the computers), about moisture entering it, and causing problems.

Get your VIN number (should be on your title), call your local Pontiac dealership, and see if any warranty recall work was done on your car.

The PCM controls a lot of the engine functions, spark, timing, fuel /air ratio, fuel pump.
If that has gotten corroded, that may be what the problem is.
2.2L 4Cyl

2.3 4Cyl

You didn't indicate your motor size, so there are both.
That's a full list of all Service Bulletin and Recalls on your make / model car.

You may also want to have your fuel filter replaced. If it's clogged, there won't be enough fuel to power the engine.

I would check the recall status first, see maybe if that's it.
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Sunday, January 13th, 2008 AT 10:44 PM

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