FaultScore

Pontiac Firebird steering problems

39 of the 802 complaints filed about the Pontiac Firebird are about the steering — 5% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1995.

39

Complaints

5%

Share of all complaints

6

Crashes

1

Fires

Steering complaints by model year

1980 Firebird 1 2.6%
1986 Firebird 2 5.1%
1988 Firebird 2 5.1%
1989 Firebird 2 5.1%
1990 Firebird 1 2.6%
1991 Firebird 1 2.6%
1992 Firebird 3 7.7%
1993 Firebird 1 2.6%
1994 Firebird 5 12.8%
1995 Firebird 10 25.6%

Median failure at 147,700 miles

1998 Firebird 5 12.8%
1999 Firebird 3 7.7%

Median failure at 44,500 miles

2000 Firebird 2 5.1%
2002 Firebird 1 2.6%

What owners said

1980 Pontiac Firebird Haddon Twp., NJ

STEERING

RECENTLY RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 80V108000, WHICH I ASSUME WAS ISSUED IN OCTOBER 1980, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO VERIFY THAT IF MY CAR WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL THAT IT WAS ADDRESSED, IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 38K ORIGINAL MILES, AND I DO NOT WISH TO HAVE A RECALL WHICH WENT UNFIXED. THANK YOU

NHTSA complaint #10761153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Pontiac Firebird at 46,000 miles Washington, DC

STEERING

LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAN NOT TURN VEHICLE

NHTSA complaint #10608532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Pontiac Firebird at 147,700 miles Cartersville, GA Crash

STEERING

ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK ABOUT 1 AM,COMING AROUND SOME CURVES, THAT I HAD COME AROUND A HUNDRED TIMES BEFORE, WENT TO CURVE LEFT AND THE CAR STEERED RIGHT, WENT INTO DITCH, HIT A DRIVEWAY CULVERT AND TORE THE TIRE OFF THE RIM AND DESTROYED THE RIM. DIDNT REALIZE ANYTHING MAJOR WAS WRONG TILL I GOT THE TIRE CHANGED AND WENT TO GO HOME, THE CAR WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT REALLY HARD, GOT IT UP TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID THE SUBFRAME WAS BENT IN A FEW PLACES. THEY SAID IR WOULD COST ABOUT $1600.00 TO $2000.00 TO FIX IT, WELL I DON'T HAVE THAT KINDA MONEY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO NOW ITS BEEN SITTING. NOTHING CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME TO FIX IT AT THIS TIME..I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE STEERING IN THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10172836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Pontiac Firebird SAN Francisco, CA

STEERING

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY FIREBIRD WHICH I BOUGHT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALER. I DON NOT HAVE THE EXACT DATES AND MILEAGE OF THE PROBLEMS AT HAND. IN SHORT THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE PURCHASING DEALER AND/OR REPAIRED: ROTERS(BRAKES) 2X, ANTENA 3 OR 4X, OPEN CIRCUIT(REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY-TRUNK/WINDOWS/DOORS AND ALARM)1 OR2X, CD/STEREO STILL ISN'T REPAIRED AND UNSURE OF PROBLEM, SUSPENSION OFF, LEFT BLINKER MALFUNCTIONING, MISC. FUSES CONTINUOUSLY BLOWN, POWER STEERING COLUMN LEAK .....I THINK THATS IT! THAT'S ENOUGH THOUGH.

NHTSA complaint #10070846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Pontiac Firebird at 43,000 miles Wellington, FL

STEERING:COLUMN

WHEN MAKING A U TURN STEERING LOCKED UP AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD TO STOP AND PLACE GEAR SHIFT IN PARK AND THEN MOVE BACK TO DRIVE BEFORE THE WHEEL WOULD TURN. THE ENGINE DID NOT DIE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED IN THE 1 1/2 THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. ALYSE ECKER.

NHTSA complaint #10047740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Pontiac Firebird Fredericksburg, VA

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, STEERING COLUMN BROKE INSIDE HOUSING AND CAUSED STEERING WHEEL TWO LOCK UP, RESULTING IN VEHICLE GOING INTO A COMPLETE CIRCLE ON A BUSY STREET. CONSUMER FELT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. *AK THE STEERING COLUMN/HOUSING WAS REPLACED, THE 4 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE COLUMN TO THE HOUSING GET FATIGUED AND BREAK AFTER YEARS OF PEOPLE PUSHING AGAINST THE COLUMN TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #8017282 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 Pontiac Firebird Chicago, IL

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME HARD TO MOVE. BODY SHOP PUT OIL IN STEERING COLUMN, BUT IT STILL WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

NHTSA complaint #8006940 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Pontiac Firebird Tucker, GA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES THE SINGLE DRIVE BELT CONSISTENTLY SLIPS LOSING POWERSTEERING, AC AND ALTERNATOR FUNCTION. THE BELT DOES COME BACK ON LINE, BUT THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING HAS RESULTED IN THE SAFETY PROBLEM OF SEVERAL NEAR CRASHES. IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN WITH ASSURANCE AND SAFETY DURING RAIN STORMS.

NHTSA complaint #757473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 Pontiac Firebird Lockport, NY

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

WITH THE PROBLEMS WITH CAR .DEALERSHIP IS NOT FIXING.LEAVING BOLTS OUT .CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS. WE FEEL HELPLESS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.

NHTSA complaint #747309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Pontiac Firebird Scottsdale, AZ

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. YH

NHTSA complaint #784401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Pontiac Firebird FT. Stewart, GA

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

MECH. SAYS THAT THESE ITEMS SHOULDN'T GO BAD. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY.

NHTSA complaint #721229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Pontiac Firebird Washington, DC

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP 11/24/99 FOR SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #715548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1986 Pontiac Firebird Hicksville, NY Fire

STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ALARM SYSTEM RESULTED IN FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #605675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Pontiac Firebird SAN Diego, CA

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY FAILED. YH

NHTSA complaint #608971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Pontiac Firebird Dillsboro, NC

STEERING

ROTORS ARE CONSTANTLY WARPING,STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES DURING STOPS. I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS TURNED 3 TIMES AND IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. MY GROUND EFFECTS ARE ALSO CONSTANTLY COMING LOOSE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WORKED ON ALOT AND THEY ARE LOOSE AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #712586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Pontiac Firebird Bolingbrook, IL

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

INTERMITTENT STEERING CLOUMN SNAP OR CLICK NOISE WHEN TURNING WHEEL.

NHTSA complaint #709154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Pontiac Firebird Dallas, TX Crash

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH FISHTAILED CONSUMER'S CAR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING DAMAGES TO FRONT WINDSHIELD WHICH TORE OPEN, ALLOWING CHEMICALS TO ESCAPE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR CONSUMER TO BREATH AND CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #838470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Pontiac Firebird Mobile, AL Crash 1 injured

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT VEHICLE STARTED SPINNING AROUND, THEN LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A COLLISION/INJURIES. NO PRIOR INDICATION THAT INCIDENT WOULD OCCUR. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE CAR WAS TOTALLED AND NO REPAIIRS DONE.

NHTSA complaint #829451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Pontiac Firebird Cranbury, NJ

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE PUMP STEERING HOSE WHICH IS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND, ROAD DEBRIS MAY SEVERE THE HOSE, AND CAUSE A POWER STEERING LEAK, WHICH COULD RESULT IN STEERING DIFFUCLTY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #835048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Pontiac Firebird Carleton, MI

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING. REPAIR INCLUDED STEERING COLI KIT 14.865.

NHTSA complaint #537670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Pontiac Firebird problems