13 of the 50 complaints about the 1996 Pontiac Firebird are about the braking system — 26% of everything reported for this model year.
13
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DEALER SAID - NO RECALL ON THIS COMPONENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #727001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS WARNING LIGHT ON DASH COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. RESTARTING CAR (1 TO 3 TIMES) MAY CORRECT PROBLEM. BRAKES ALSO SLIP ON DRY PAVEMENT CAUSING LOW TRACTION LIGHT TO COME ON AND MAY CAUSE ABS WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON.
NHTSA complaint #715379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE BRAKES ARE REPEATEDLY FAILING. WHEN STOPPING THEY WILL BEGIN TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND THEN LET GO, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO PROCEED FORWARD. IT IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS WHILE TURNING. THE NO TRACTION LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN OCCURRING. EVENTUALLY THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #708996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT ILLUMINATING. THE ELECTRONIC SPECIALIST SAYS THERE IS A SHORTAGE IN ONE OF THE TWO WIRES THAT RUNS FROM DASH TO REAR OF VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #837981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THIS IS AN ONGOING BRAKE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME, DESPITE GOOD CONDITIONS AND RELATIVELY LOW SPEED. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: CAR DOES NOT FEEL LIKE SUFFICIENT BRAKING IS BEING PROVIDED; MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN ROTORS ARE WET. SYMPTOMS: 1) DRIVER CANNOT APPLY SUFFICIENT FORCE TO LOCK ROTORS (OR ENGAGE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM); 2) REAR BRAKE PADS WORN COMPLETELY OUT AT 35000 MILES, WHILE FRONT PADS BARELY WORN AT ALL. OTHER RELATED FACTS: 1) HAVE PERSONALLY BLED BRAKE SYSTEM, VERIFIED NO AIR IN LINES; 2) DEALER CLAIMS SYSTEM "OPERATING AS DESIGNED" DESPITE EVIDENCE OF WORN REAR PADS; 3) AT PRESENT, CAR HAS WORN TIRES, WHICH SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO LOCK-UP ON WET PAVEMENT; I HAVE TO PUT BOTH FEET ON THE PEDAL AND PUSH WITH ALL MY MIGHT TO FORCE ROTORS TO LOCK (AND ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM DOES THEN ENGAGE).
NHTSA complaint #703728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #828775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #828775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #523782 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHILE DRIVING ON ROUGH ROAD APPLIED BRAKES. PEDAL PULSATED BUT BRAKES FAILED TO CATCH. VEHICLE SPED UP INSTEAD. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC SAID ABS LIGHT NOT ON & IN FAILURE MODE. COULD NOT REALLY FIND OR REPAIR BRAKE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #822652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE SYSTEM GETS WET, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES, LOSS OF CONTROL FOR FEW SECONDS, SLOWLY WILL BEGIN TO RECOVER, DEALER HAS REPLACED BRAKE PADS, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING.
NHTSA complaint #821379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
IN WET AND DRY WEATHER THE ABS BRAKES LOCK UP. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE SECOND TIME INCIDENT HAPPENED ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT HIM AND CONSUMER SLAMMED ON BRAKES, THE FRONT TIRES LOCKED UP, THE TIRES LOCKED UP AND WHEN CONSUMER SLAMMED ON BRAKES THE FROONT OF VEHICLE TURNED SIDEWAYS AND THE TRUCK IN ANOTHER LANE HIT CONSUMER;S VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #805897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS IN REFERENCE TO OIL LEAKS, THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION DIP STICK ONTO THE MOTOR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DEALER REPLACED ABS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #806062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED WHILE PRESSING THE PEDAL, IT WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING HIM TO RUN INTO THE WINDOW OF BLOCKBUSTERS.
NHTSA complaint #983461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.