AI Damage1978 Pontiac Firebird: common problems
Owners of the 1978 Pontiac Firebird filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and tires. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 67% of all complaints
- 2 Tires 33% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (67% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
As a result, the car will not start until the solenoid cools down. Why can't the solenoid be mounted elsewhere? I believe that gm never addressed the hot starting problem it is a danger, especially if one breaks down on a busy highway with inadequate shoulders or cannot get to a shoulder.
My original 1978 pontiac fb forum on occasion has hot starting problems (meaning the vehicle will not start until the starter solenoid cools down). This heat related problem is caused by the starter solenoid being to close to the hot exhaust manifold.
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 17,152 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Firebird has 22 complaints (27 years in the data). This year has 3, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
- Firebird 19823 sources
- Firebird 19834 sources
- Firebird 198411 sources
- Firebird 198516 sources
- Firebird 198619 sources
- Firebird 198710 sources
- Firebird 198810 sources
- Firebird 198920 sources
- Firebird 19909 sources
- Firebird 199127 sources
- Firebird 199227 sources
- Firebird 199318 sources
- Firebird 199459 sources
- Firebird 199584 sources
- Firebird 199641 sources
- Firebird 199749 sources
- Firebird 199863 sources
- Firebird 199947 sources
- Firebird 200024 sources
- Firebird 200124 sources
- Firebird 200221 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1978 Pontiac Firebird?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, tires. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: won't start (67%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1978 Pontiac Firebird?
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 1978 Pontiac Firebird 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 1978 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.