2001 Pontiac Firebird: common problems

Owners of the 2001 Pontiac Firebird filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 24

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
5 Equipment 8% of all complaints
6 Structure 8% of all complaints
7 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
8 Powertrain 4% of all complaints

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

Electrical system: 8 complaints (33% of all).
Service brakes: 6 complaints (25% of all).
Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (17% of all).
Exterior lighting: 3 complaints (13% of all).
Equipment: 2 complaints (8% of all).

Engines and transmissions

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

3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5.7 L · petrol · 8 cylnamed in 1 complaints
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed
manual, 6-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

headlights and tail lights3 · 13%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 8%
vibration2 · 8%
A/C or heater1 · 4%
jerking, harsh shifts1 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 4%
oil leak or consumption1 · 4%
seat belts1 · 4%
unintended acceleration1 · 4%
windows, sunroof1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	8	0	0
Service brakes	6	0	0
Engine and cooling	4	0	0
Exterior lighting	3	0	0
Equipment	2	0	0
Structure	2	0	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0	0
Powertrain	1	0	0
Seat belts	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0

What owners report

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

Front turn signals go out every few weeks. The problem is the design of the socket, which is not sealed well causing the socket to short out. I have replaced the socket and light-bulbs multiple times. I am concerned because I feel turn signals are vitally important, and accidents could and do occur without them.
Exterior lighting · 2017-07-11 · NHTSA complaint #11004641
Dt: wiring loosened on front headlights, had to pull over at night, and plug in agai. Checked fuses to make sure they were the actual ones. Also, the bulbs that worked the blinkers failed, and the back lights went in/out due to a short.
Electrical system · 2005-06-09 · NHTSA complaint #10124650
This problem caused the window to come off track which contributed to trapping the consumers wife in the vehicle. The consumer was informed that the door had been stressed at the factory during it's construction. The door was un-repairable.
Structure · 2005-02-18 · NHTSA complaint #10109713
Paint on roof behind t-tops bubbling and leaking fluid on rest of paint. Took to dealer and said nothing can be done because after warranty. This is an expensive car that is meant to look good. This is an eye sore.
Structure · 2004-12-27 · NHTSA complaint #10104602
At 6,000 miles, my car began to shudder at the steering wheel and the brake pedal would pulse. I was told that it was warped rotors. I've had them resurfaced three times now! What is the deal with the engineering of these rotors? On two separate occasions I had a hard time stopping to avoid a collision.
Service brakes · 2004-10-26 · NHTSA complaint #10096444
Rotors on the vehicle have been replaced and resurfaced several times during the warranty period. I have reported two cases to pontiac and thye will not take responsibility for the failures even though this is clearly a consistant failure on the firebird model across several years.
Service brakes · 2004-03-18 · NHTSA complaint #10062529
Intermittently sudden acceleration while driving at any speed. Dealer has inspected vehicle and could not duplicate or correct the problem.
Vehicle speed control · 2003-07-25 · NHTSA complaint #10030162
They have been replaced about 2,000 miles ago and the front end is vibrating again now. The car has 45,000 miles on it bought and extended warranty for 60,000 miles.
Service brakes · 2003-04-05 · NHTSA complaint #10014013

When owners complained

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

20013
20027
20034
20045
20052
20062
20171

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Firebird has 22 complaints (27 years in the data). This year has 24, about average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
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.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Pontiac Firebird?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (13%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), vibration (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 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 2001 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 2001 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.