1996 Pontiac Firebird

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/31/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  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. *JB

• 12/10/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAINFire

  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

• 11/29/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  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.

• 11/23/2004· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  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 EXTORTION.*AK

• 11/06/2001· POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  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

• 10/27/1997· LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

  DOOR LOCK TURN INDICATOR FAILED.

• 10/24/1997· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILED.

• 10/23/1997· SEATS

  HEAD RESTS DON'T STAY IN ONE PLACE VERTICALLY/HORIZONTALLY. DRIVER HAS TO CONSTANTLY ADJUST THE HEAD REST WHILE DRIVING, CREATING AN UNSAFE SITUATION. *AK

• 10/18/1999· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  NO SUMMARY

• 10/12/1999· VISIBILITY

  THE CABLE ON THE LT. DRIVER SIDE KEEPS BREAKING. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME REPLACED. I HAVE SEEN IT BREAK BOTH TIMES, NO ONE WAS TOUCHING THE MIRROR WHEN IT HAPPENED. IT JUST "POPS" AND THE MIRROR FLIPS UP.

• 10/11/1996· AIR BAGSCrash

  NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS UPON IMPACT, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *AK

• 10/09/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  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. *AK

• 09/23/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

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

• 09/11/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  WHILE DRIVING CAR STARTED HESITATING AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DUE TO A DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP. VEHICLE HAS HAD 3 WATER PUMPS PREVIOUSLY. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

• 09/03/1999· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  DEFECT IN THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSING FUSES TO BLOW OUT CONTINUALLY. MJS

• 08/29/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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

• 08/17/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  OIL LEAK CAUSING OIL FUMES TO ENTER THE INTERIOR PASSENGER AREA THROUGH THE AIR VENTS.

• 08/08/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  DEALER SAID - NO RECALL ON THIS COMPONENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

• 07/28/2015· CHILD SEAT

  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.

• 07/23/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  OIL LEAKS SIMULTANEOUSLY LEAKING FROM THE FRONT,REAR,MAIN,HEAD,AND OIL PAN GASKETS.

• 07/22/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN

  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.*AK

• 07/14/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  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

• 06/07/1996· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  ELECTRICAL SYS. MALFUNCTIONS WHEN APPYING BRAKE, DASH LIGHTS FLICKER, WHEN APPYING SIGNALS, DASH LIGHTS GO OUT, ALSO CONCEALED HEAD LAMPS WON'T OPEN. *AK

• 05/28/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN WIRING IN THE DASH IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN, RESULTING IN VEHICLE STALLING. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

• 05/17/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  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. *AK

• 04/28/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 25-30 MPH, ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN FOR NO REASON; WOULD HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 1/2 HOURR TO 1 HOUR BEFORE STARTING AGAIN; TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WHO COULD NOT FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 04/28/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 30 MPH; ENGINE SHUT DOWN FOR NO REASON; HAD TO WAIT 1/2 HOUR TO 1 HOUR BEFORE TRYING TO START VEHICLE AGAIN; TOOK TO DEALER TWICE; COULD NOT FIND/FIX PROBLEM. *AK

• 04/24/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED WHILE PRESSING THE PEDAL, IT WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING HIM TO RUN INTO THE WINDOW OF BLOCKBUSTERS. *AK

• 04/21/1999· POWER TRAIN

  FIRST TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 34000 MNUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, SECOND TRANSMISSION BEING REPLACED WITH ONLY 40,000 MI ON IT. MANUFACTURER WILL ONLY PAY 1/3 OF $2,200 COST. SAME PROBLEM ON BOTH TRANSMISSIONS. *AK

• 04/21/1998· 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. *AK

• 04/10/1997· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILED.

• 03/20/2008· SEATSCrash

  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

• 03/10/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  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. *AK

• 02/25/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  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).

• 02/17/1999· POWER TRAIN

  NOTICED ROARING IN THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE AFTER PURCHASE. THOUGHT POSSIBILITY OF SIMPLE ROAD NOISE AT FIRST. BUT LATER AS THE ROAR CONTINUED AND GOT LOUDER ,BECAME CONVINCED OTHERWISE. I HAVE WORKED IN A GARAGE IN THE PAST SO I WAS AWARE OF POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WHICH COULD CAUSE THE NOISE, BUT DID NOT BELIEVE THESE POSSIBILITIES SHOULD EXIST AT SUCH A LOW MILEAGE. THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE ROARING CONTINUES. THE REAR CHUNK WAS FREE OF EXCESS METAL ON THE MAGNET, SO THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS A MYSTERY SINCE LABOR WILL COST SO MUCH. THIS IS ONLY A 3 YEAR OLD CAR SO YOU CAN IMAGINE MY FRUSTRATION. AN INQUIRY WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED AND FOLLOW UP LATER FROM NHTSA. *AK

• 02/09/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  FUSE BLEW OUT AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER SAID THAT MECHANIC INDICATED IT WAS THE FUSE. IF ON THE FREEWAY IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR ACCIDENT. WHEN CONSUMER PUTS KEY IN FUSE IT WILL IMMEDIATELY BLOW OUT. *AK

• 02/08/2001· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FUEL ODOR/VAPOR GETTING INTO VEHICLE VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND STILL UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

• 02/03/1997· SUSPENSION

  CONSUMER SAID THAT STRUT ROD CAME LOOSE OR BROKE WHILE DRIVING. AS RESULT THE WHEELS TILTED INWARD. MECHANIC SAID THAT IF CAR WAS IN HIGH SPEED THE WHEELS WOULD HAVE COME OFF, THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. *AK

• 01/28/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  ELECTRICAL SHORT IN FUSE BOX MELTED FUEL LINES AND CAUSED FIRE.

• 01/15/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  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!

• 01/03/1997· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEFire

  THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. THE FUEL LINE IS TOO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE AND IT CAUSED A FIRE. *AK