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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2021-05-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192266</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCDANIEL THOMAS R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>51 RIO ROBLES</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN JOSE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95134</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-05-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2247</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>116</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>274512</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares held of record by the McDaniel Trust dtd 7/26/2000 (the &quot;Trust&quot;) of which the Reporting Person and his wife are co-trustees.  Each trustee has independent control and voting power over the Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Reflects 2,247 shares of common stock transferred by the Reporting Person to the Trust on May 14, 2021.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Form 4s filed by the Reporting Person on 2/18/2014, 5/14/2014, 8/18/2014, 11/17/2014, 2/20/2015, 5/13/2015, 8/18/2015, 11/23/2015, 2/19/2016, 5/18/2016, 8/17/2016, 11/21/2016, 2/21/2017, 5/18/2017, 8/22/2017, 11/22/2017, 2/22/2018, 5/21/2018, 8/22/2018, 11/21/2018, 2/21/2019, 5/16/2019, 8/15/2019, 11/19/2019, 2/20/2020, 8/13/2020, 8/17/2020, 11/16/2020 and 2/22/2021 reporting the transfer of shares by the Reporting Person to his Trust were incorrectly reported using transaction codes A and D, and should have reported using transaction code G.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Lauren Walz, as attorney-in-fact for Thomas R. McDaniel</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-05-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
