AI DamagePontiac Fiero: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Pontiac Fiero across 9 model years: 106 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 61% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Parking brake 12% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 4% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 4% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 2% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 65 complaints (61% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 15 complaints (14% of all).
- Parking brake: 13 complaints (12% of all).
- Service brakes: 8 complaints (8% of all).
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1984–1988
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1985–1988
- automatic, 3-speed 1984–1988
- manual, 4-speed 1984–1986
- manual, 5-speed 1985–1988
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 106 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 65 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
1996 pontiac feiro v6 got in the rain or through a small puddle this car hydroplanes at low speeds 40 mph very badly. I'm lucky to be live. The feiro was totaled this car spun out so quickly while driving straight.
I have a 1987 pontiac fiero v6 which was never taken in for recall work and as a result has severe overheating issues and will occasionally have an issue with small amounts of oil hitting the exhaust headers.
In addition, the oil warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 51,000.
How is this possible, I know this is a older car but this can still lead to a serious matter of why they did the recall an engine fire!! I take this very serious and I want to get this resolved. The car shows no signs of any recall being completed. What can I do to get this resolved??
A friend was driving my 1984 pontiac fiero when the engine suddenly caught fire. After an investigation by the local fire department, they determined an oil like substance was sprayed on the manifold. My friend was arrested for arson & I was arrested for criminal solicitation.
He was concerned that oil would drip onto the catalytic converter and cause a fire. There were no warning indicators prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the val cover and drip shield needed to be replaced. The vehicle has not been repaired.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Parking brake. Electric parking brake, codes, calipers.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.