IllustrationCRACKED HEAD AT 65000 MILES? I HAVE SEEN NOW 20 DIFFENT OWNERS POSTED ON WEB SITES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AT EVEN LOWER MILES....AND GM DOES NOT RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS. *AK
1995 Pontiac Firebird
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Firebird years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 84 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports14 fire reports8 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
11 reportsVEHICLE SHUTDOWN WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES THE SINGLE DRIVE BELT CONSISTENTLY SLIPS LOSING POWERSTEERING, AC AND ALTERNATOR FUNCTION. THE BELT DOES COME BACK ON LINE, BUT THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING HAS RESULTED IN THE SAFETY PROBLEM OF SEVERAL NEAR CRASHES. IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. T…
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WHILE DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES THE SINGLE DRIVE BELT CONSISTENTLY SLIPS LOSING POWERSTEERING, AC AND ALTERNATOR FUNCTION. THE BELT DOES COME BACK ON LINE, BUT THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING HAS RESULTED IN THE SAFETY PROBLEM OF SEVERAL NEAR CRASHES. IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN WITH ASSURANCE AND SAFETY DURING RAIN STORMS.*AK
TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED ONCE AND BEEN REBUILT, STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT. ENGINE HAS HAS MULTIPLE LEAKS INCLUDING THE REAR MAIN SEAL, THE HEAD GASKET AND THE MANIFOLD. ANTENA NO LONGER RETRACTS.
REAR OIL SEAL REPLACED, CONTINUED LEAKAGE, SHOP DENIES. *AK
THE SMOG PUMP BLOWS THE FUSE, THE COOLING FANS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED NEARLY $500.00 TO REPLACE THE PUMP, WIRING, AND FUSE. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM USING BIGGER RATED WIRE AND FUSE, WHICH USUALLY MEANS ORIGINAL PARTS WERE NOT ADDEQUATE. I AM GOING TO CONTACT GM'S CORPORATE OFFICES ABOUT THIS PROBL…
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THE SMOG PUMP BLOWS THE FUSE, THE COOLING FANS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED NEARLY $500.00 TO REPLACE THE PUMP, WIRING, AND FUSE. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM USING BIGGER RATED WIRE AND FUSE, WHICH USUALLY MEANS ORIGINAL PARTS WERE NOT ADDEQUATE. I AM GOING TO CONTACT GM'S CORPORATE OFFICES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IF THE T.S.B. CALLS FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM WITH BIGGER RATED WIRE AND FUSE, THEN GM KNOWS IT IS POSSIBLY A DESIGN DEFECT. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE UNDER A RECALL OR AN EMISSIONS WARRANTY OF SOME KIND. *AK
THE "AIR PUMP" FUSE FREQUENTLY BURNS OUT, CAUSING THE CAR TO FAIL AT LOW SPEEDS. *AK
DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE #29, AIR PUMP FUSE AND WIRING ARE NOT ADEQUATE TO PREVENT FUSE FROM BLOWING. FUSE BLOWS AFTER ENGINE GOES INTO CLOSED LOOP OPERATION. AIR PUMP DOES NOT WORK AFTER THIS, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO APPEAR.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BECAME SLUGGISH. SMOKE THEN CAME FROM VENTILATION VENTS IN VEHICLE, WHICH THEN RESULTED IN A FIRE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CAUSE OF FIRE UNKNOWN. *AK
ABS BRAKE FAILURE; ALSO REPLACED IGNITION WIRES/FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL/INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. *AK
Official recalls
195V046000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Mar 22, 1995
THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COULD HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED CAUSING THE SHAFT LOWER COUPLING TO LOOSEN AND ROTATE ON THE STEERING GEAR INPUT SHAFT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT FOR THE CORRECT LOWER COUPLING AND REPLACE IT AS REQUIRED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA97024 · Fuel Tube Retaining Clip Failure
Opened Nov 13, 1997 · Closed Sep 29, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
MOST OF THE REPORTS REVIEWED IN THIS INVESTIGATION ARE FIRE INCIDENTS IN WHICH FUEL LEAKAGE HAS BEEN ALLEGED AS THE CAUSE OR THE AREA OF ORIGIN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT.THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP WAS A FACTOR IN ANY OF THESE FIRE INCIDENTS AND NHTSA TESTING INDICATES THATBROKEN OR DISLODGED RETENTION CLIP DOES NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE TOWARD THE LEFT SECONDARY AIR INJECTION CHECK VALVE.FAILURE OF THE CLIP PLACES THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY IN THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS THE 1993 MODEL YEAR LTI VEHICLES.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE97036 · Fuel Tub Retaining Clip Failure
Opened Jul 24, 1997 · Closed Nov 13, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
OWNERS HAVE REPORTED FAILURES OF THE FUEL TUBE RETENTION CLIP THAT ATTACHES TO THE PLASTIC THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER.ACCORDING TO GM, THE SUBJECT RETENTION CLIP (P/N 12048089) WAS IMPLEMENTED IN PRODUCTION ON OCTOBER 12, 1993, TO ADDRESS A CONCERN WITH INCORRECT ASSEMBLY PLANT FUEL LINE ROUTING.MIS-ROUTED FUEL TUBES MAY FAIL FROM CONTACT WITH A HOT AIR CHECK VALVE, CREATING A FIRE HAZARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.GM MAINTAINS THAT NO PROBLEMS SHOULD OCCUR IF THE CLIP IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND ISN'T MISHANDLED DURING SUBSEQUENT SERVICE OPERATIONS.SOME OWNERS HAVE ALLEGED TO ODI THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP BECOMES BRITTLE OVER TIME AND MAY ALSO PULL FREE OF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER ATTACHMENT HOLE.