AI Damage1987 Pontiac Fiero: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Pontiac Fiero filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 15
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 60% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 5 Equipment 7% of all complaints
- 6 Parking brake 7% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 7% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 7% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (60% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (20% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (7% 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
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 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 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
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.
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??
I'd like to know if pontiac will still honor the pontiac fiero recall, particuliarly the exhaust manifolds.
I would like a list of all recalls on this vehicle so that I can get it fixed. This makes the second time that the temp gauge has went out of this car. I have been told my professional that it is the way it has been wired from the manafactuor. Thank you
While attempting to do some work on said vehicle I began to jack it up with the scissor type jack provided by the manufacturer. After raising the vehicle body about 3 inches the screw thread on the jack stripped out of fitting in the jack dropping the vehicle.
Engine leaks prior to/after recall repairs; lyons pontiac dealer fixed 3 leaks butm refuses to do the others under the recall, demands payment (89-v232) and (90v-104); also transmission failure.
The sun roof glass rubber and glass needs to be replace leak when rain on the driver side . Tt
Parking brake sticks through stretch cable. Causing an inability to release. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,288 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Fiero has 12 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 15, above average.
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.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Pontiac Fiero?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: overheating, coolant loss (7%), rollaway, parking brake (7%), smoke, burning smell, fire (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Pontiac Fiero?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Pontiac Fiero from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
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 2026-11-06.