AI Damage1982 Pontiac Firebird: common problems
Owners of the 1982 Pontiac Firebird filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 67% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 33% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 33% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (67% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 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 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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.
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 17,150 of 36,656 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
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
- Firebird 19783 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 1982 Pontiac Firebird?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, powertrain, seat belts. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (67%), engine failure or replacement (33%), seat belts (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1982 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 1982 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.
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.