1985 Pontiac Firebird: common problems

Owners of the 1985 Pontiac Firebird filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and parking brake. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 16
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 75% of all complaints
2 Parking brake 19% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
5 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
6 Structure 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Seat belts: 12 complaints (75% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Parking brake: 3 complaints (19% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Service brakes: 1 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
2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 16 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts7 · 44%
rollaway, parking brake2 · 13%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 13%
rust, corrosion1 · 6%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Seat belts	12	2
Parking brake	3	0
Electrical system	1	0
Fuel system	1	0
Service brakes	1	0
Structure	1	1

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

While driving about 10 mph slid and went to the crub and the passenger seat belt had unlocked and the spring from the seat belt was found on the floor. Tt
Seat belts · crash · 1996-01-16 · NHTSA complaint #977569
The contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 91v055000 (parking brake:conventional). The dealer informed him that his vehicle could not be repaired under the recall because it did not have rear disc brakes.
Parking brake · 2008-06-02 · NHTSA complaint #10229645
Dt: the contact states there are two nhtsa recalls campaign 85v169000 and 91v055000 concerning the front seat belt webbing and parking brake. This vehicle is experiencing the same problems as indicated in the recalls, but it is not included in the recalls due to vin.
Seat belts · 2005-11-22 · NHTSA complaint #10143433
Upon receiving my 1985 pontiac firebird, the seat belts have not been working properly. The retracting belt in the ceiling will not retract back into the unit on both sides and the plastic on the locking piece next to the seat is destroyed by uv rays. The locking part does not work.
Seat belts · 2005-11-01 · NHTSA complaint #10141452
Rust accumulation under flex brake hose centre support which has crimped hose and causing flex brake line failure. Mjs
Service brakes · 1999-12-30 · NHTSA complaint #550046
Vehicle caught fire under the left rear area, believed to be caused by a fuel line connector.
Fuel system · 1999-03-09 · NHTSA complaint #530177

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19952
19963
19972
19993
20012
20031
20052
20081

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Firebird has 22 complaints (27 years in the data). This year has 16, below average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Parking brake. Electric parking brake, codes, calipers.
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.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1985 Pontiac Firebird?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, parking brake, electrical system. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (44%), rollaway, parking brake (13%), smoke, burning smell, fire (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1985 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 1985 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 1985 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 2026-11-05.