2001 Pontiac Firebird

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

• 12/27/2004· STRUCTURE

  PAINT ON ROOF BEHIND T-TOPS BUBBLING AND LEAKING FLUID ON REST OF PAINT. TOOK TO DEALER AND SAID NOTHING CAN BE DONE BECAUSE AFTER WARRANTY. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE CAR THAT IS MEANT TO LOOK GOOD. THIS IS AN EYE SORE.*AK

• 12/16/2002· POWER TRAIN

  WHEN CAR IS SITTING STILL AND IN PARK OR NEUTRAL THERE IS A VIBRATION THRU OUT CAR @ 2200 RPM'S. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE THE VIBRATION OCCURS AT 48-51 MPH. THIS VIBRATION IS WORSE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS SAY THIS IS A "NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC" OF THIS CAR. BOTH DEALERSHIPS HAVE AGREED THERE IS A VIBRATION BUT SAY "THEY CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT". THEY HAVE ALSO SAID THAT SOME OF THESE CARS VIBRATIONS ARE WORSE THAN MINE.

• 12/16/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  HEADLAMPS WILL FLICKER INTERMITTANTLY WHEN DRIVING. DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM.

• 12/06/2007· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

  VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING POORLY WITH DECREASED GAS MILEAGE, SAT IN VEHICLE WHILE IDLING AND NOTICED ROUGH IDLE. SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED 10 MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE BACKFIRED AND WOULD NO LONGER IDLE AT ALL. SAME PROBLEM THE FOLLOWING MORNING, NEEDED A MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY. REPLACED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, VACUUM LINE AND OIL CHANGE. (GAS IN OIL) *TR

• 11/15/2001· SEAT BELTS

  THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT, THE PART ACCROSS THE LAP, DOESN'T RESTRAIN THE DRIVER IN PLACE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. YOU CAN PULL THE BELT AWAY FROM YOUR BODY WITH VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE. GM AND THE DEALER SAY THAT THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION BUT THE PASSENGER BELT PROVIDES POSITIVE RESTRAINT AND MY 96 FIREBIRD PROVIDED POSITIVE RESTRAIN FOR BOTH FRONT SEATS. *AK

• 10/26/2004· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  AT 6,000 MILES, MY CAR BEGAN TO SHUDDER AT THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD PULSE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS WARPED ROTORS. I'VE HAD THEM RESURFACED THREE TIMES NOW! WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THE ENGINEERING OF THESE ROTORS? ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS I HAD A HARD TIME STOPPING TO AVOID A COLLISION. IT IS NOT SAFE AND DEFINATELY NOT NORMAL FOR ROTORS TO WARP SO FAST. WHY WON'T GM DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!!!*AK

• 10/26/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  EXCESSIVE VALVE CLATTER AND CONSUMPTION OF FUEL. *AK

• 10/03/2001· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,TIRES

  PLEASE IF YOU COULD HELP! I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD DAGHTER. IF IT COULD BE PREVENTED, PLEASE HELP. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

• 08/26/2007· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  HAVE A 01 GRAND AM GT WITH THE TURN SIGNAL CLICKING NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM THE DASH. WHEN I HIT A BUMP ON THE ROAD OR TOUCH MY TURNING SIGNAL LEVER IT WILL START CLICKING. HOWEVER, IT WILL MAKE THIS MORSE CODE CLICKING NOISE THAT IS SAYING GM WILL NOT PAY FOR THIS PROBLEM, HAND OVER 300 DOLLARS. I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE BECAUSE THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER SAID SO. HE ALSO STATED THAT THEY DO A TON OF THESE REPAIRS, ESPECIALLY 01 TO 04 PONTIAC GRAND AM'S. *TR

• 08/21/2006· TIRES

  FIRESTONE TIRE DEFECTIVE: TREADS COMPLETELY PEELED OFF. *JB

• 08/18/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

• 08/16/2006· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE, A BURNING ODOR WAS DETECTED. THE CONTACT OPENED THE TRUNK AND NOTICED A BEACH TOWEL HAD TWO BURN MARKS ON IT. THE TOWEL WAS MOVED AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC.

• 08/08/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  TURN SIGNALS OPERATE SPORADICALLY, WHETHER STANDING OR MOVING. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AND THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG.

• 07/25/2003· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  INTERMITTENTLY SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 07/14/2005· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  ANTI-THEFT KEEPS GOING OFF. THERE IS BROKEN WIRE IN OUR IGNITION.

• 07/13/2004· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  (1) THE FIRST DAY THAT I NOTICED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WAS WHEN THE DASH LIGHTS WERE HESITATING. WHEN I FIRST TURNED THE CAR ON AND PUT THE HEADLIGHTS ON WHEN IT WAS DARK. (2) NEXT THE HESITATION BECAME A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AND THE MILEAGE BURNED OUT, AND I WAS IN FEAR OF DRIVING MY CAR AT NIGHT, BECAUSE OF MY LIGHTS BURNING OUT. IF IT DID BURN OUT AT NIGHT I COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, FOR THE FAILURE OF SOMEONE NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE ME COMING. (3) I MADE AN APPOINTMENT. TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED AT THE PONTIAC DEALER ON JULY 13, 2004 AND I DROVE IT TO ITS APT. AT 7:30 A.M. THEY SAY IT WILL TAKE 3 TO 4 DAYS TO FIX DUE TO THE PART HAVING BE SENT OUT TO BE FIXED. THEY ALSO SAID IT WILL BE AN EXPENSIVE JOB. I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP [VALLEY CHEVROLET IN WILKES BARRE, PA] REFUSED TO INCORPORATE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY INTO MY LOAN ON THE CAR, SO THEREFORE I COULD NOT AFFORD AN ADDITIONAL $1,500 FOR THE WARRANTY. SO NOW I AM STUCK HAVING TO FIX A PART ON THE CAR THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE, PARTLY BECAUSE THE CAR IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD. *LA

• 07/11/2017· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  FRONT TURN SIGNALS GO OUT EVERY FEW WEEKS. THE PROBLEM IS THE DESIGN OF THE SOCKET, WHICH IS NOT SEALED WELL CAUSING THE SOCKET TO SHORT OUT. I HAVE REPLACED THE SOCKET AND LIGHT-BULBS MULTIPLE TIMES. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I FEEL TURN SIGNALS ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT, AND ACCIDENTS COULD AND DO OCCUR WITHOUT THEM. ALSO, SINCE THE SOCKETS ARE SHORTING OUT, I AM WORRIED THAT A BIGGER ELECTRICAL PROBLEM COULD MANIFEST BECAUSE OF THAT. I KNOW THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THESE CARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, BUT I AM CONFUSED WHY A RECALL FOR SUCH A BAD AND DANGEROUS DESIGN HAS NOT BEEN PUT INTO PLACE.

• 06/27/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION - APPROXIMATELY 1QUART OF OIL IS CONSUMED EVERY 1000 MILES. ELECTRICAL - DURING ACCELERATION THE LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT SHORTS OUT. THIS HAS ESCALATED TO NOT TURNING ON AFTER THE CAR IS WARM AND DRIVEN, STOPPED AND TURNED OFF, THEN TURNED ON AGAIN. CURRENTLY, NOT TURNING ON AT ALL. IF I TAP ON THE LIGHT, IT FLICKERS. *AK

• 06/17/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  ELECTRICAL POWER TRUNK AND CONVERTIBLE TOP. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE TRUNK. THE HOUSING OVER THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HAD BURNED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *JB

• 06/12/2007· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  LEAK IN BOTH UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. HAD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED TWICE AND NOW VEHICLE STILL ISN'T RUNNING CORRECTLY.....COST OF $600.00 PLUS MANY HEADACHES.

• 06/12/2001· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED IT CAUSES STEERING WHEEL TO SHUTTER. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, AND INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED.*AK THE ROTORS FAILED AT LESS THAN 7500 MILES, BUT THE DEALER DID NOT REPLACE THEM CLAIMING THEY CAN BE TURNED TWO OR THREE TIMES. *YH

• 06/09/2005· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  DT: WIRING LOOSENED ON FRONT HEADLIGHTS, HAD TO PULL OVER AT NIGHT, AND PLUG IN AGAI. CHECKED FUSES TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE THE ACTUAL ONES. ALSO, THE BULBS THAT WORKED THE BLINKERS FAILED, AND THE BACK LIGHTS WENT IN/OUT DUE TO A SHORT. *AK

• 05/31/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. CONTACTED DEALER. HAD ENGINE REPAIRED , PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK

• 05/19/2005· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  2001 PONTIAC MONTANA, 48K MILES. LEAKS WATER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AREA, DRIVERS SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW DOES NOT ROLL UP WITHOUT HELP, ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK ON PASSENGER SIDE, OVERHEATS, I'M TOLD IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET OR INTAKE GASKET WHICH I AM ALSO TOLD IS VERY COMMON FOR THESE CARS AROUND 50K MILES.

• 05/03/2002· SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHEN COMING TO A STOP, APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE PULLS FROM LEFT OR RIGHT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER CONTACTED. *AKALIGNMENT AND BALANCING OF TIRES HAS BEEN PERFORMED MANY TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE. CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKE HOSES, RACK AND PINION AND STEERING RACK HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE PULLING IS STILL PREVALENT. *JG

• 04/25/2001· TIRES

  TIRE JUST WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. SHOP SAID IT WAS RUN FLAT AND COULDN'T REPAIR. ORIGINAL DEFECT AT JUNCTION OF SIDEWALL AND TREAD.*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/65R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/65R16 )

• 04/05/2003· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,EQUIPMENT

  THE FRONT ROTORS/BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES SINCE I GOT THE CAR. THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN THE CAR HAD 196 MILES ON IT, AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED ABOUT EVERY 8,000 TO 12,000. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED ABOUT 2,000 MILES AGO AND THE FRONT END IS VIBRATING AGAIN NOW. THE CAR HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT BOUGHT AND EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 60,000 MILES. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAS LOCKED UP TWO TIMES WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE CAR TO SPIN ACROSS FOUR LANES, THE FIRST TIME AND DOING A 180 WHILE ON AN ON RAMP RIGHT AFTER LEAVING LONG PONTIAC OF CHATTANOOGA. EVER TIME I TAKE THE CAR TO THEM THEY JUST TELL ME THAT THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND TELL ME IT IS OK. *JB

• 03/18/2004· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,EQUIPMENT

  ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND RESURFACED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I HAVE REPORTED TWO CASES TO PONTIAC AND THYE WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURES EVEN THOUGH THIS IS CLEARLY A CONSISTANT FAILURE ON THE FIREBIRD MODEL ACROSS SEVERAL YEARS. WARP ROTORS CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM. *AK

• 03/03/2005· VISIBILITY

  AUTO REAR WINDOW FAILURE. BOTH REAR WINDOWS HAVE FAILED ON THIS CAR. THEY EACH CYCLED LESS THAN 10 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. THE LAST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN I CLOSED THE REAR DOOR AND THE WINDOW FELL DOWN. *JB

• 02/22/2002· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  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). *JS

• 02/15/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  BATTERY AMP GAUGE FLUXUATES RANDOM, MAXING AMP (18) THEN DROPPING DRAMATICALLY DOW AS LOW AS (8). LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, DASH) BRIGHTEN AND DIMS AT RANDOM INCLUDING HIGH BEAMS. CAR DIES, STEERING BECOMES DIFFICULT AT RANDOM WHEN TURNING SHARPLY TO LEFT OR RIGHT.

• 01/30/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  A FIRE STARTED IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. SCC *TS

• 01/20/2005· POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  2001 PONTIAC MONTANA MINI VAN 1. VAN WOULD NOT START DAY OF TEST DRIVING. 2. AFTER ONLY THREE WEEKS, HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SENT IN TO BE FIXED AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE PAN. 3. PASSENGER POWER DOOR LOCK WOULD NOT ALWAYS UNLOCK, SENT IN MORE THAN ONCE FOR THIS. FIXED , WORKS FOR NOW? 4. PASSENGER POWER REAR WINDOW WOULD NOT ALWAYS WORK. REPLACED MOTOR. 5. PASSENGER POWER WINDOW WENT DOWN WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. FIXED , WORKS SO FAR. 6.PASSENGER POWER SLIDER DOOR JAMS SOMETIMES. 7. PASSENGER POWER SLIDER DOOR WILL ONLY WORK MANUALLY OCCASIONALLY. 8. LIGHTS WENT OUT INSIDE AND OUT TWICE AT NIGHT. 9. LIGHTS FLICKER INSIDE AND OUT WHEN PUTTING WINDOWS UP OR DOWN OR TO DO ANYTHING ELECTRICAL. 10.BAD ODOR IN VENTS EVEN AFTER REPLACING FILTER. I FEEL THAT I HAVE REALLY BEEN LET DOWN WITH THIS VAN AND THE SERVICE I HAVE RECEIVED. I FEEL THAT THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THESE VANS AFTER DOING SOME INVESTIGATING AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROBLEMS I HAVE ADDRESSED TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN. THANK YOU AND I REALLY HOPE THIS WILL GET YOUR ATTENTION!!!! *JB

• 01/18/2005· STRUCTURE

  FIVE MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL WAS LOOSE. *NM THIS WAS A RECURRENT ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE WINDOW TO COME OFF TRACK WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO TRAPPING THE CONSUMERS WIFE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE DOOR HAD BEEN STRESSED AT THE FACTORY DURING IT'S CONSTRUCTION. THE DOOR WAS UN-REPAIRABLE. *SC *JB

• 01/17/2002· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  FRONT END WAS PULLING, JUMPING AND THE BRAKES GRAB WHEN PRESSED AND PULL TO THE LEFT.