1987 Pontiac Fiero Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 Pontiac Fiero, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine1155.0%
- Electrical315.0%
- Transmission210.0%
- Visibility15.0%
- Other / unspecified15.0%
- Brakes15.0%
- Steering15.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I AM BOTH COMPLAINING AND REQUESTING HELP. I HAVE A 1987 PONTIAC FIERO V6 WHICH WAS NEVER TAKEN IN FOR RECALL WORK AND AS A RESULT HAS SEVERE OVERHEATING ISSUES AND WILL OCCASIONALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF OIL HITTING THE EXHAUST HEADERS. SAW THE RECALL ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE SO I TRIED TO CALL GENERAL MOTORS BUT THEY SAID THAT THEIR COMPUTERS NO LONGER HAVE RECORDS OF CARS AS OLD AS MINE AND THEREFORE THEY COULDN'T HELP ME. I CONTACTED A DEALERSHIP WHICH LOOKED UP THE NHTSA RECALL BULLETINS 88-C-23 AND 88-C-24 WHICH AFFECTS THE 1987 FIERO V6 REGARDING ENGINE FIRES BUT SAID THAT SINCE THE FIERO IS TOO OLD THE VIN DATA IS NO LONGER IN THE GM DATABASE THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THE RECALL WORK. I REALIZE IT IS AN OLDER CAR BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED OR TOTALED. I TOLD THEM THAT IF THEY COULD GIVE ME THE RECALL PARTS I WOULD DO IT MYSELF, BUT THEY WANT O CHARGE ME AN OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR PARTS THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR. MY CAR HAS CLEARLY NEVER HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE, IT HAS NONE OF THE RECALL REPLACEMENT PARTS IN IT. ALL I WANT IS FOR GENERAL MOTORS TO HELP ME FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
I CALLED PONTIAC TODAY ABOUT A RECALL THEY ISSUED THESE CARS. ACCORDING TO THE DOCUMENT THEY SENT THERE DEALERSHIP CARS MY CAR FALLS IN THIS RECALL AND THEY ARE STATING THEY HAVE NO RECALLS ON THIS CAR. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE, I KNOW THIS IS A OLDER CAR BUT THIS CAN STILL LEAD TO A SERIOUS MATTER OF WHY THEY DID THE RECALL AN ENGINE FIRE!! I TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUS AND I WANT TO GET THIS RESOLVED. THE CAR SHOWS NO SIGNS OF ANY RECALL BEING COMPLETED. WHAT CAN I DO TO GET THIS RESOLVED?? *TR
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED FOUR TIMES. REPLACED CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD. IN ADDITION, EGR/DISTRIBUTOR ALSO FAILED AND WERE REPLACED. *AK
CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED FOUR TIMES. EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILED PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS. IN ADDITION, EGR/DISTRIBUTOR/STARTER FAILED AND WERE REPLACED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
ENGINE LEAKS PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS; LYONS PONTIAC DEALER FIXED 3 LEAKS BUTM REFUSES TO DO THE OTHERS UNDER THE RECALL, DEMANDS PAYMENT (89-V232) AND (90V-104); ALSO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK
ENGINE BLOCK REPLACED TWICE, DUE TO LEAKS. *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE SUN ROOF GLASS RUBBER AND GLASS NEEDS TO BE REPLACE LEAK WHEN RAIN ON THE DRIVER SIDE . TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DO SOME WORK ON SAID VEHICLE I BEGAN TO JACK IT UP WITH THE SCISSOR TYPE JACK PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. AFTER RAISING THE VEHICLE BODY ABOUT 3 INCHES THE SCREW THREAD ON THE JACK STRIPPED OUT OF FITTING IN THE JACK DROPPING THE VEHICLE. WHILE NO ONE WAS HURT OR DAMAGE DONE I FEEL THIS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN HIGHER OR ONE OF THE TIRES REMOVED WHEN THE JACK COLLAPSED INJURY COULD HAVE OCCURRED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
PARKING BRAKE STICKS THROUGH STRETCH CABLE. CAUSING AN INABILITY TO RELEASE. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
BROKEN CONNECTOR ROD. PART WAS RECALLED IN 1990.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .