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1998 Pontiac Firebird

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 4 of 63 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

27 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

NONE

NHTSA ODI #701624

Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ON MY '98 PONTIAC FIREBIRD STARTED WARPING AT 10,000 MILES, THEY GOT TO A POINT WHERE I CAME CLOSE TO LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ON RAIN SLICKED ROADS. THE EXTREME PULSATING OF THE BRAKES MAKES THE CAR VERY HARD TO CONTROL ON WET ROADS. THE WARPING OF THE ROTORS GETS WORSE AS THE BRAKES GET HOT. WHEN …

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THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ON MY '98 PONTIAC FIREBIRD STARTED WARPING AT 10,000 MILES, THEY GOT TO A POINT WHERE I CAME CLOSE TO LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ON RAIN SLICKED ROADS. THE EXTREME PULSATING OF THE BRAKES MAKES THE CAR VERY HARD TO CONTROL ON WET ROADS. THE WARPING OF THE ROTORS GETS WORSE AS THE BRAKES GET HOT. WHEN STARTING OUT IN THE MORNING THE WARPING ISN'T VERY NOTICABLE, BUT GETS MUCH WORSE AS THEY HEAT UP. WHICH MAKES IT DIFFCULT FOR THE SERVICE DEPT. THEY CHECK THE BRAKES COLD. AFTER MUCH COMPLAINING THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS AT 13,417 MILES. THEY STARTED TO WARP AGAIN AT ABOUT 16,000 MILES. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL WEAR, AND THAT IT MUST BE MY BREAKING HABITS. LATER THE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT BREAK PROBLEMS ARE A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT WITH GM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT AND I HATE TO TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO ALL OF THE SHAKING OF THE CAR. I REALLY FEEL THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFTEY ISSUE. THE COMBINATION OF THE ANTILOCK BRAKES AND THE SEVERE PULSATING MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOUR HELP IN THIS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

NHTSA ODI #701519

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

EVERY EIGHT THOUSAND MILES THE VEHICLE PULSATES OR VIBRATES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, SPEED LIMIT BETWEEN 55-60, DEALER CONTACTED AND REPLACED THE BRAKES THREE TIMES FOR INCIDENT REOCCURRING, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #828808

Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

IN A HARD BRAKING SITUATION, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. IN A NORMAL BRAKING SITUATION THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT 7,000 MILES. 4,000 MILES LATER, THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #828651

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

PMEMATURE WEAR OF PADS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED.

NHTSA ODI #540762

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 1998
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS FAILED, REPLACED AND STILL DO NOT WORK PROPERLY.

NHTSA ODI #539456

Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SIX TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES, IF BRAKING UNDER 15 MPH THE NOISE WILL BE VERY LOW, BUT NOTICEABLE. ALSO THE NOISE WILL PROGRESS AS THE DAY GO ON. *AKWHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE A BAG OF BOLTS. DEALER CHANGED BRAK…

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CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SIX TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES, IF BRAKING UNDER 15 MPH THE NOISE WILL BE VERY LOW, BUT NOTICEABLE. ALSO THE NOISE WILL PROGRESS AS THE DAY GO ON. *AKWHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE A BAG OF BOLTS. DEALER CHANGED BRAKE PADS TWICE, SAND THEM, GRIND DOWN THE ROTORS, CALLED GM TECHNICHIAN AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CONSUMER IS LEASING VEHICLE AND WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO AN ENGINEER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ODI #826920

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.