1989 Pontiac Firebird: common problems

Owners of the 1989 Pontiac Firebird filed 20 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 20
involving a crash: 4

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 35% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
5 Steering 10% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
7 Equipment 5% of all complaints
8 Latches, locks, linkages 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: 7 complaints (35% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 3 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Fuel system: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Steering: 2 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
3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 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 20 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts3 · 15%
A/C or heater1 · 5%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 5%
engine failure or replacement1 · 5%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 5%
stalls while driving1 · 5%
steering or power steering problems1 · 5%
unintended acceleration1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Seat belts	7	1
Service brakes	3	1
Engine and cooling	2	0
Fuel system	2	0
Steering	2	1
Electrical system	1	0
Equipment	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Tires	1	0
Vehicle speed control	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.

When son applied the brakes to stop in an emergency situation the pedal went to floor and the vehicle would not stop. Driver had to use the emergency brakes to stop the vehicle. Driver was involved in a crash because of this. Vehicle was towed to a body shop, where the brake booster rod clip was found broken.
Service brakes · crash · 1998-11-12 · NHTSA complaint #830673
While driver was backing out of driveway, the engine surged like the driver was stepping on the accelerator pedal. When the driver's foot was actually on the brake pedal and vehicle zoomed right out of the driveway into a neighbor's yard, back end first hitting a tree.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1997-11-07 · NHTSA complaint #818585
While driving, suddenly lost steering capability when steering wheel locked, couldn't turn right or left, upon braking vehicle spinned out, then rolled over.
Steering · crash · 1996-03-11 · NHTSA complaint #980625
The seatbelts do not click into the buckle properly and the springs have broken.
Seat belts · 2024-03-13 · NHTSA complaint #11577040
Consumer is requesting information in regards to recall concerns for 1989 firebird . The seat belt does not retract properly leaving an enormous amount of slack.
Seat belts · 2005-05-06 · NHTSA complaint #10120394
While driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly caught fire. The cause of why this happened was undetermined.
Engine and cooling · 2005-03-07 · NHTSA complaint #10113605
While making a left hand turn, steering column broke inside housing and caused steering wheel two lock up, resulting in vehicle going into a complete circle on a busy street. Consumer felt there could have been an accident.
Steering · 2002-08-27 · NHTSA complaint #8017282
2 out of 3 original firestone triathlon ii tires are cracking around the tire along the radial. Nlm
Tires · 2000-10-17 · NHTSA complaint #555174

When owners complained

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

19955
19962
19972
19981
19994
20001
20021
20041
20052
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,257 of 36,656 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 20, about average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1989 Pontiac Firebird?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 20. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (15%), A/C or heater (5%), door locks, latches, handles (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 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 1989 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 1989 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.