FaultScore report
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1988 Pontiac Firebird with NHTSA between 1995 and 2020. The largest single group is the seat belts.
10
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 80,227 miles
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
THROTTLE STICKING
THROTTLE STICKING
REAR AXLE SHAFT FAILURE
REAR DISC BRAKES
SUMMARY: CORROSION IN THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER PREVENTS AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENT FOR PAD WEAR. THIS MAY EVENTUALLY CAUSE LOSS OF REAR SERVICE BRAKE AND PARKING BRAKE. GM HAS ADDED CORROSION PROTECTION AND CHANGED SPRING RATE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. SAME BASIC DESIGN USED ON ALL MODELS IDENTIFIED.
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Seats And Restraints
On certain vehicles, the seat belt buckle assemblies may not latch or release due to fracture of the red push button. This would prevent a person from using his or her seat belt thereby increasing the risk of injury in the event of a sudden stop or collision. Correction: Seat belt buckles will be inspected and defective assemblies will be replaced.
Fuel System
NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.8.L V6 ENGINES. THE FUEL FEED HOSES MAY PULL OUT OF THE CRIMPED COUPLING AT THE ENGINE END OF THE HOSE ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE AND AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CORRECTION: A REDESIGNED FUEL FEED HOSE WILL BE INSTALLED ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SEAT BELTS
I PURCHASED MY 1988 PONTIAC FIREBIRD IN 2016. THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL ON MY VEHICLE THAT WAS ISSUED JUNE 1, 1990. MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER N900043. I'VE CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS ABOUT THIS OUTSTANDING RECALL AND I WAS TOLD THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY AVAILABLE PARTS TO CORRECT THE RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS MY DAILY DRIVER. MY SEAT BELT STRAPS HAVE DIFFICULTY RETRACTING.
NHTSA complaint #11355027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
GM REFUSES TO PERFORM OPEN RECALL ON SEAT BELT BUCKLES.
NHTSA complaint #10493362 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
T-ROOFS LEAK WHEN EVER CAR GETS WET WINDOWS HAVE AIR BUBBLES IN THEM AND MAHE ANY LIGHTS APPEAR VERY BRIGHT, ALSO POSSIBILLITY OF WIDOWS CRACKING
NHTSA complaint #734786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
THE FUEL FILLER NECK ON MY CAR IS LEAKING GAS,THE CAR HAS A DUTCH REGISTRATION NOW BUT WAS BOUGHT NEW IN THE U.S.A.. ABOUT 4 MONTS AGO I SEND A LETTER TO PONTIAC,BUT THEY DIDN'T ANSWER IT.
NHTSA complaint #715430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN BECAME LOOSE DUE TO LOOSENING OF STEERING BOLTS, COULD RESULT IN STEERING COLUMN COMING OFF/LOSS OF CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #534795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
COMPUTER SHORT CAUSED SUDDEN ACCELERATION.
NHTSA complaint #507294 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #509806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT NO LONGER RETRACTS AND IT WILL NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #980772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
FAILURE OF THE STEERING COLUMN THE STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE. TT
NHTSA complaint #979269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO FAILURE OCCURING AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD (90V-105).
NHTSA complaint #964099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.