AI DamagePontiac Firebird: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Pontiac Firebird across 27 model years: 595 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9999 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 47 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 63 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 49 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 84 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 59 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 21% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 123 complaints (21% of all), 17 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 79 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 65 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 63 complaints (11% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 58 complaints (10% 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 1984–1986
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1984–1989
- 3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1990–1992
- 3.4 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1993–1995
- 3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1995–2002
- 3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl 1989
- 5 L · petrol · 8 cyl 1984–1992
- 5.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl 1987–2002named in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed 1984–2002
- manual, 4-speed 1984–1985named in 4 complaints
- manual, 5-speed 1984–2002named in 4 complaints
- manual, 6-speed 1993–2002named in 4 complaints
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 595 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 123 | 17 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 79 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 65 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 63 | 6 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 58 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 48 | 4 | 0 |
| Air bags | 43 | 31 | 0 |
| Steering | 38 | 6 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 33 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 32 | 4 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 28 | 5 | 0 |
| Visibility | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 15 | 2 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Lost tracks hen from the back wheel leaven a driveway,went up in a bank met flip on top roll over and the airbag did not come out,windshield on passer side shatter,the passer in the car got hit in the right shoulder buy the jack they call it a acromioclavicular injuries and the driver wish is me and the owner of the…
While I was driving on the middle lane on beltway 495 heading to work- I saw a huge tire high in the air & dropping in front of my car. I took my foot off the accelerator. It hit the front grille & went underneath my car causing it to fly over the tire. I landed safely on the middle lane.
1996 pontiac firebird seat back collapsed into the back seat. Consumer states that he violently turned the wheel to the left on the highway to avoid and accident when his seat collapsed into the rear seat causing him to lose control.
Tl contact owns a 1982 pontiac fire bird. While driving 30 mph, the contact stated that there was a head on crash with another vehicle and her seat belts were inoperable. As of january 3, 2008, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. The front seat passenger sustained a slip disk in the lower back and neck injuries.
2000 pontiac firebird front right tire blew out. When the tire blewout it caused the vehicle to swerve to the right and hit a concrete barrier. The vehicle sustained minor damage to the right front quarter panel and wheel area. The consumer was not injured (ohio traffic crash report).
The dual air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was totaled due to severe damage. Driver hit shoulder on the steering wheel that caused a ligament tear, and passenger suffered a cut on the head.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
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.