28 of the
802 complaints filed about the Pontiac Firebird
are about the throttle and cruise control —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
28
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT DRIVER INTENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED WHEN HE WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE PRESSURE SENSOR, BEHIND THE HEADLIGHT, WAS DEFECTIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS 56,000. UPDATED 05/10/10 *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. UPDATED 06/11/10
NHTSA complaint #10318042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BOUGHT THE CAR IN JAN. OF 98, AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL 700 MILES. THAT IS WHEN THE GAS PEDAL STUCK FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER IT. LUCKILY I WAS ON A RURAL ROAD AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND IT STOPPED. IT HAPPENED 2 TIMES AFTER THAT, ONE TIME TAKING ME 100 MPH. THE FINAL TIME I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL, WHICH BLEW MY MOTOR AND COST ME 4000 TO REPLACE. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME HELP BECAUSE THIS IS A LIFE THREATING PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10140506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD STICKS INTERMITTENTLY IN SEVERE COLD WEATHER WHILE DRIVING. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HARDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10108616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS, WHO WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE DRIVETRAIN, THE FRONT BACK OF THE UPPER SEAT WAS DISCOLORED(REPLACED), FOAM FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD COME APART, THE GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK WITH OF WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED FROM STOP, AFTER A HEAVY RAIN STORM, THE HORN WOULD SOUND DIFFERENT, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT THE SPEED OF 50 MPH, THERE WOULD BE A RUMBLE NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEEL, THE DRIVESHAFT WAS OUT OF BALANCE(WARRANTY REPLACED), AND THE DRIVER'S WINDOW WAS INOPERATIVE(REPLACED THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR). SCC
NHTSA complaint #10011425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #8011297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN I HAD TO DEPRESS THE CLUTCH AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF. THIS HAS H APPENED FIVE OTHER TIMES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND UNDER DIFFERENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. GM KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM IT HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS AND THEY REFER YOU TO THE DEALER. THEIR DEALERS DO NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEY KNOW THIS INFORMATION. THIS PROBLEM IS SHOWING UP IN ALL F-BODY GM CARS WITH THEIR 5.7 LITER V8S. I HAVE NOT REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY DEALER BECAUSE I KNOW THEY CAN NOT FIX IT. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT CONSISTANT. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN IF YOU PREFORM A GIVEN TASK. ONCE I STARTED MY CAR AFTER IT WAS SITTING ALL DAY THE TACH RACED FROM 900 RPM TO 4,000 RPM. I SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND RESTARTED THREE TIMES BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. ONCE, I WAS EXITING I-96 FREEWAY AT ORCHARD LAKE ROAD EXIT I HAD BEEN DRIVING AT 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO TO SLOW FOR THE EXIT THE ENGINE SHOT UP TO 5,000 RPM FROM 2,100 AND THE CAR WENT FROM 70MPH TO 90MPH BEFORE I PUT THE CLUTCH IN AND APPLIED THE BREAKS. ANOTHER TIME I WAS DRIVING ON NORTH BOUND TELEGRATH ROAD BETWEEN 14 & 15 MILE ROADS AT 50 MPH IT WAS SUMMER TIME AND I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. I APPLIED THE BREAKS TO SLOW DOWN AND THE ENGINE AGAIN WENT FROM 1,800 RPM TO OVER 4,000 RPM. I AGAIN PUT IN THE CLUTCH, AND REMEMBERED THAT I HAD READ A POST ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, SO I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING AND THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE HURT OR KILLED. IF YOU GO TO THE SLP ENGINEERING WEB SITE (HTTP://WWW.SLPENG.COM) YOU WILL FIND THAT THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THIS PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS EITHER A DEFFECT IN THE PCM OR IN THE WIRING HARNES THAT CONTROLS THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. TAKING THE CAR TO A DEALER WILL NOT BE OF ANY HELP. THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP US! THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #758502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CARS ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY GO TO FULL THROTTLE ON ITS OWN. RPMS WOULD RACE FOR A MOMENT THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. DEALER SAID IT WAS CARBON BUILD UP. WE HAD HUNTER CHEVROLET IN HENDERSONVILLE, NC PERFORM THE 30,000 MILE SERVICE MAINTENANCE 10/30/01 WHICH INCLUDED CLEANING OUT THE THROTTLE BODY. ON 11/3/01 WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN, THE THROTTLE AGAIN WENT TO FULL THROTTLE CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF CAR AND CRASHING. DID $7,500.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE. GOT THE CAR BACK IN JANUARY 2002 AND ON 2/13/02 THE CAR AGAIN WENT TO FULL THROTTLE ON ITS OWN CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WRECKING IT AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #758459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN COLD OR DAMP OUTSIDE ENGINE IDLE WILL RACE AND STICK AT 2500 TO 3000 RPM. VEHICLE HAS MANUAL TRANSMISSION - 5 SPEED. SOMETIMES (OCASSIONALLY) TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING SOLVES THE PROBLEM, MOST TIMES NO. COULD BE DANGEROUS IN THE WINTER CAUSING EXCESS TORQUE TO REAR WHEELS.
NHTSA complaint #754168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THROTTLE PEDAL GETS CAUGHT BY FLOOR MAT WHEN SLAMMED TO FLOOR FOR FAST ACCELERATION. FLOOR MAT DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO PREVENT IT FROM MOVING IN FRONT OF PEDAL, AT THIS POINT, VEHICLE STAYS ACCELERATING.
NHTSA complaint #725534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AND RELEASING ACCELERATOR PEDAL HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY GO OUT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #867134 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHENEVER ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS APPLIED, THE PEDAL WOULD STICK TO FLOOR & WOULD NOT LET UP. VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY TAKE OFF. WOULD APPLY BRAKES, BUT VEHICLE FAIL TO STOP. VEHICLE HIT A CURB & WENT AIRBORNE & LANDED 200 FEET FACING THE OTHER DIRECTION. DRIVE VEHICLE TO SHOP TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK THE THROTTLE LINKAGES ON VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #854078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHENEVER AT A STOP SIGN ENGINE IDLED HIGH, HAD TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL IN ORDER TO BRING RPMS BACK DOWN. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, THEY INDICATED VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #852766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CAR WHEN SLOWING DOWN LURCHES, LIKE A TIRE HAS A BUBBLE IN IT, OR THE REAR-END IS SLIPPING, OR TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING; YOU CAN ACTUALLY 'FEEL' EACH REVOLUTION OF THE TIRES--RER-RER-RER-RER.....NO MECHANICAL CUASES/PROBLEMS NOTED FROM AUTO SHOP VISITS.
NHTSA complaint #706418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE ACCELERATED BETWEEN 120 MPH AND140 MPH, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHICH DIDN'T STOP THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP.
NHTSA complaint #836298 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.