<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-02-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000867773</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SUNPOWER CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SPWR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000879764</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TOTAL S.A.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2, PLACE JEAN MILLIER</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>LA DEFENSE 6</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>92400 COURBEVOIE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>I0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>FRANCE</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001802735</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France SAS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2, PLACE JEAN MILLIER</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>LA DEFENSE 6</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>92400 COURBEVOIE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>I0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>FRANCE</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001502077</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Total Solar INTL SAS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2, PLACE JEAN MILLIER</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>LA DEFENSE 6</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>92400 COURBEVOIE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>I0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>FRANCE</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>0.875% senior convertible debentures due 2021</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-02-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>56439000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>54463635.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-06-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>193561000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The 0.875% senior convertible debentures due 2021 (the &quot;Debentures&quot;) are convertible into shares of SunPower's common stock at any time based on an initial conversion rate of 20.5071 shares of common stock per $1,000 aggregate principal amount of Debentures</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Debentures are convertible at any time.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Following the transactions reported herein, the Debentures held directly by Total Solar Intl SAS are convertible into 3,969,375 shares of SunPower's common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Total Solar Intl SAS is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France SAS, which is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Total S.A. As a result, each of Total Solar Intl SAS, Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France SAS and Total S.A. may be deemed to beneficially own the securities reported herein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>TOTAL S.A., By:	/s/ Aurelien Hamelle, Name: Aurelien Hamelle, Title: General Counsel</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>TOTAL GAZ ELECTRICITE HOLDINGS FRANCE SAS, By: /s/ Laurent Vivier, Name: Laurent Vivier, Title: Managing Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>TOTAL SOLAR INTL SAS, By: /s/ Noemie Malige, Name: Noemie Malige, Title: Managing Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
