IllustrationCONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE LIGHT APPEARING ON THE DASHBOARD, AND PEDAL GOING DOWN TO THE FLOOR. *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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
13 reportsWHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, BRAKE WAS APPLIED, BUT SPEED INCREASED IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH. VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. SAME DAY VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AGAIN, SPUN OUT, AND HIT A TREE. BRAKE WAS APPLIED BOTH TIMES, CRUISE WAS ON BUT NOT SET. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN, NO INJUR…
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WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, BRAKE WAS APPLIED, BUT SPEED INCREASED IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH. VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN. SAME DAY VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AGAIN, SPUN OUT, AND HIT A TREE. BRAKE WAS APPLIED BOTH TIMES, CRUISE WAS ON BUT NOT SET. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN, NO INJURIES.*AK
I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERELY LONGER BRAKING DISTANCES DURING RAINY WEATHER (I.E. WITH WET DISC BRAKES). THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. ONCE THE DISCS ARE DRY (E.G. AFTER BRAKING SEVERAL TIMES) BRAKING RETURNS TO NORMAL. THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASES BY A FACTOR OF 2-3 X AND HAS ALMOST CA…
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I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERELY LONGER BRAKING DISTANCES DURING RAINY WEATHER (I.E. WITH WET DISC BRAKES). THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. ONCE THE DISCS ARE DRY (E.G. AFTER BRAKING SEVERAL TIMES) BRAKING RETURNS TO NORMAL. THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASES BY A FACTOR OF 2-3 X AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO REAR-END OTHER VEHICLES SEVERAL TIMES. IT IS PARTICULARLY A PROBLEM IF THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN A RAIN STORM AND IS THEN DRIVEN. THE ONLY SOLUTION I HAVE FOUND IS TO PERIODICALLY SNUB THE BRAKES DURING WET WEATHER IN ORDER TO KEEP THEM DRY. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET GM TO EVEN RESPOND--THEY SIMPLY CREAT A FILE AND THAT IS THE LAST I EVER HEAR (I HAVE DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES). I AM CONCERNED THAT ONE DAY I WILL BE UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WET PAVEMENT OR WITH THE ABS SYSTEM. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY SKIDING, ETC. IT ALWAYS HAPPENS IN HEAVY RAINS AND IS ELIMINATED AFTER SEVERAL HARD STOPS WHICH DRIES OFF THE BRAKES.*AK
TOOK VEHICLE TO MIDAS FOR MAINTENANCE DUE TO BRAKES SQUEALING WHEN APPLIED. HAD BRAKES CHECKED. MECHANIC NOTICED THAT REAR BRAKE DRUMS WERE CRACKED. NO EXPLANATION OF HOW THEY BECAME CRACKED. *AK
COME TO SLOW STOP, LOW TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON, CAR SLIPS FORWARD SLIGHTLY, ABS SYSTEM CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH SCANNER THOUGH ALL OTHER AREAS DO. *AK
WHEN REAR BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT ABS BRAKES WILL NOT FUNCTION. POSSIBLE CAUSE CROSS UP OF WIRES. CONSUMER HAD PARTS REPLACED, BUT CONDITION STILL EXIST. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK *TT
ABS BRAKE FAILURE; ALSO REPLACED IGNITION WIRES/FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL/INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT ABS WARNING LIGHT MALFUNCTIONING WHEN LIGHT APPEARS FOR NO APPARENT REASON, DLR. CAN'T CORRECT. *AK
ABS BRAKES DO NOT RESPONED DURING WET WEATHER, RESULTING IN LONG STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
ABS BRAKES KEEP GOING OUT AND EVERY TIME THE BRAKE IS APPLIED THE CAR DOES NOT STOP. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
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.