1987 Pontiac Firebird: common problems

Owners of the 1987 Pontiac Firebird filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 10
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 50% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
3 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
6 Wheels 10% 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: 5 complaints (50% of all).
Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5 L · petrol · 8 cyl
5.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 10 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts5 · 50%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 20%
headlights and tail lights1 · 10%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Seat belts	5	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Fuel system	1	0
Vehicle speed control	1	1
Wheels	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 parked, turned the vehicle on and put it in reverse and the vehicle took off without any notice. Vehicle went into trees and then stopped.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1997-03-13 · NHTSA complaint #804487
While driving vehicle engine caught on fire. Cause of fire has not been determined. Please provide further details.
Engine and cooling · 2003-09-22 · NHTSA complaint #10040334
The drivers side front seat belt, had a plastic component located in the buckle which cracked, which caused the seat belt to be inoperative. Dealer had been contacted. Please provide any further information. Ts.
Seat belts · 2002-12-02 · NHTSA complaint #8023483
The wheel studs broke while driving resulting in the wheel coming off the vehicle which caused damage to the vehicle (ohio traffic crash report).
Wheels · 2001-01-23 · NHTSA complaint #558992
Fuel tank filler neck is loose, permitting liquid fuel and vapors to escape - fire and explosion possible.
Fuel system · 2000-08-23 · NHTSA complaint #726370
Recall repair work for seat belt buckles done in 1990 has failed. The buckles are shattered.
Seat belts · 1999-02-09 · NHTSA complaint #834628
Recall work on the seat belt was not completed properly, wrong parts on one belt and other belts not replaced.
Seat belts · 1998-10-14 · NHTSA complaint #537034
Vehicle has retractable headlights that should be opened manualy if motors do not work; however, manual operations does not work. At times headlights could not be turned on manually, affecting visibility at night driving.
Exterior lighting · 1996-10-15 · NHTSA complaint #509772

When owners complained

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

19951
19961
19971
19981
19991
20001
20011
20022
20031

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 10,921 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Firebird has 22 complaints (27 years in the data). This year has 10, below average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1987 Pontiac Firebird?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (50%), smoke, burning smell, fire (20%), headlights and tail lights (10%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 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 1987 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 1987 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.