1986 Pontiac Firebird: common problems

Owners of the 1986 Pontiac Firebird filed 19 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 19
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 68% of all complaints
2 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
3 Steering 11% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
5 Equipment 5% of all complaints
6 Latches, locks, linkages 5% of all complaints
7 Parking brake 5% of all complaints
8 Service brakes 5% 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: 13 complaints (68% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 2 complaints (11% of all).
Steering: 2 complaints (11% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (5% of all).
Equipment: 1 complaints (5% 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, 5-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 19 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts9 · 47%
brake failure2 · 11%
A/C or heater1 · 5%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 5%
rollaway, parking brake1 · 5%
vibration1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Seat belts	13	1
Fuel system	2	0
Steering	2	0
Electrical system	1	0
Equipment	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Parking brake	1	0
Service brakes	1	0
Vehicle speed control	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.

Vehicle was on recall/90c03 was performed and accident occured passenger seat belt failed passenger hit the windshield. Tt
Seat belts · crash · 1995-08-01 · NHTSA complaint #969674
Consumer stated the brake fails also on a minor incline, which resulted in damage to the front end when vehicle struck a curb after the vehicle rolled down the incline.
Parking brake · 2002-03-04 · NHTSA complaint #8004907
Seat belt casings in the front back are cracking. Seat belt comes out of vehicle. Contacted dealer. Consumer states that the buckles have released on several occasions.
Seat belts · 2002-03-04 · NHTSA complaint #8004906
I've had trouble with the a/c, the seatbelts, the fuel injectors, the rear hydraulics for the hatch, starter, ignition, etc., etc. Is there any recourse at this late date? I really want to keep my car, but I'm having a hard time finding someone qualified to work on it. Any suggestions?
Seat belts · 2000-06-23 · NHTSA complaint #723422
I intend to send more information on this gmcproduct at a later date. No safety defect listed in the summry.
Equipment · 2000-05-31 · NHTSA complaint #722965
Whenever at a stop sign engine idled high, had to press the gas pedal in order to bring rpms back down. Contacted dealer and manufacturer, they indicated vehicle was not under warranty.
Vehicle speed control · 1999-11-10 · NHTSA complaint #852766
Tilt steering column pivot pinion loosens due to vibration, causing steering wheel to lock up when pin backs out far enough.
Steering · 1996-05-02 · NHTSA complaint #488429
Alleged rear brake failure caused consumer to have a near accident pe86-025c. Tt
Service brakes · 1996-01-17 · NHTSA complaint #977657

When owners complained

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

19952
19963
19996
20004
20011
20022
20041

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,439 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Firebird has 22 complaints (27 years in the data). This year has 19, about average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1986 Pontiac Firebird?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, fuel system, steering. Total complaints: 19. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (47%), brake failure (11%), A/C or heater (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 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 1986 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 1986 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.