1996 Pontiac Firebird recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Child seat › Latch connector/clip

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A COSCO SAFETY SEAT LIGHT AND COMFY SAFETY SEAT (NA), MODEL NUMBER: IC-108BVN (NA). THE SEAT WAS MANUFACTURED ON NOVEMBER 6, 2013. THE SAFETY SEAT WAS BEING UTILIZED IN A 1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BOTTOM LEFT LATCH BECAME DIFFICULT TO RELEASE WHEN REMOVING THE CHILD SEAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A SCREWDRIVER WAS NEEDED TO DEPRESS THE LATCH IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE CHILD SEAT. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONSTANTLY. THE CHILD WAS IN THE SAFETY SEAT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN.

  Apr 25, 2015
• Seats › Front assembly › ReclinerCrash

  1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD SEAT BACK COLLAPSED INTO THE BACK SEAT. CONSUMER STATES THAT HE VIOLENTLY TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT ON THE HIGHWAY TO AVOID AND ACCIDENT WHEN HIS SEAT COLLAPSED INTO THE REAR SEAT CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL. *KB THE CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED, BECAUSE WHEN THE SEAT BROKE, HE COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD AND INSTINCTIVELY APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT WILL NOT LOCK IN ANY POSITION. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME THE SEAT FAILED. *JB

  Feb 5, 2007
• Exterior lighting › Headlights › Concealment devices

  THE PLASTIC GEARS THAT DRIVE THE HEADLIGHT PODS ON MY 1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD HAVE FAILED. RETRACTION OF THE HEADLIGHT CAUSES LOUD GRINDING NOISES. OCCAISIONALLY, ONE OR OTHER OF THE HEADLIGHT PODS DOES NOT RASIE WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. IT CAN ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE PODS NO LONGER OPERATE AT ALL. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE GIVEN THE LOW MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AMONG FIREBIRD OWNERS AND SOME ENTERPRISING SOUL HAS EVEN COME UP WITH A "FIX". NOTE THIS FIX REQUIRES THE DISASSEMBLY OF PARTS THAT WERE NEVER INTENDED TO BE TAKEN APART. HTTP://WWW.BFRANKER.BADZ28.COM/HEADLIGHTFIX/INDEX.HTM GM CHARGE OVER $200 DOLLARS FOR THE POD DRIVE MOTOR. THAT IS SIMPLY…

  Nov 10, 2001 · 38,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling

  THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE MIRROR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THIS CAR. THE MIRROR BREAKS OFF OF THE CONTROLS WHICH MAKES IT FLOP AROUND. YOU CAN'T USE IT TO DRIVE WITH, NOR CAN YOU GET IT TO STAY STILL. YOU CAN'T REPLACE JUST THE MIRROR EITHER. YOU HAVE TO BUY THE WHOLE PIECE (CASING AND MIRROR) THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT PAINTED. GRRRRRRRRRR!

  Jun 15, 2002 · 73,000 miles
• Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhoodFire1 injury

  WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH FLAMES WERE COMING FROM VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *TS *JB

  Jun 17, 2003 · 57,000 miles
• Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood

  THE SPARK PLUG WIRES GO BAD WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO MISFIRE. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST TEN TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS A SAFETY CAMPAIGN FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR UP TO 70,000 MILES OR SEVEN YEARS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER FIXED ONE TIME AT NO COST. THE OTHER TIMES THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY THE EXPENSES. *AK

  Jul 14, 2003
• Electrical system › Ignition › Switch

  WHILE PLACING KEY INSIDE OF IGNITION SWITCH VEHICLE WILL NOT START. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

  Aug 1, 2002
• Power train › Manual transmission

  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. *AK

  Dec 7, 2000

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• FUEL TUBE RETAINING CLIP FAILUREClosed

  MOST OF THE REPORTS REVIEWED IN THIS INVESTIGATION ARE FIRE INCIDENTS IN WHICH FUEL LEAKAGE HAS BEEN ALLEGED AS THE CAUSE OR THE AREA OF ORIGIN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT.THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP WAS A FACTOR IN ANY OF THESE FIRE INCIDENTS AND NHTSA TESTING INDICATES THATBROKEN OR DISLODGED RETENTION CLIP DOES NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE TOWARD THE LEFT SECONDARY AIR INJECTION CHECK VALVE.FAILURE OF THE CLIP PLACES THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY IN THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS THE 1993 MODEL YEAR LTI VEHICLES.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE…

  EA97024 · opened Nov 13, 1997 · closed Sep 29, 1998
• FUEL TUB RETAINING CLIP FAILUREClosed

  OWNERS HAVE REPORTED FAILURES OF THE FUEL TUBE RETENTION CLIP THAT ATTACHES TO THE PLASTIC THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER.ACCORDING TO GM, THE SUBJECT RETENTION CLIP (P/N 12048089) WAS IMPLEMENTED IN PRODUCTION ON OCTOBER 12, 1993, TO ADDRESS A CONCERN WITH INCORRECT ASSEMBLY PLANT FUEL LINE ROUTING.MIS-ROUTED FUEL TUBES MAY FAIL FROM CONTACT WITH A HOT AIR CHECK VALVE, CREATING A FIRE HAZARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.GM MAINTAINS THAT NO PROBLEMS SHOULD OCCUR IF THE CLIP IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND ISN'T MISHANDLED DURING SUBSEQUENT SERVICE OPERATIONS.SOME OWNERS HAVE ALLEGED TO ODI THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP BECOMES BRITTLE OVER TIME AND MAY ALSO PULL FREE OF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER ATTACHMENT HOLE.

  PE97036 · opened Jul 24, 1997 · closed Nov 13, 1997