RoadVitals

1996 Pontiac Firebird Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Aug 8, 2000
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
29%
of 41 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Pontiac Firebird submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Aug 8, 2000

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

NHTSA ID
727001
Incident
Aug 8, 2000
Brakes
Filed Nov 29, 1999

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.

NHTSA ID
715379
BrakesTransmission
Filed Jul 22, 1999

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

NHTSA ID
708996
Incident
Jul 22, 1999
Brakes
Filed May 17, 1999

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

NHTSA ID
837981
Incident
May 11, 1999
Brakes
Filed Feb 25, 1999
Crash reported

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).

NHTSA ID
703728
Brakes
Filed Oct 9, 1998

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

NHTSA ID
828775
Brakes
Filed Apr 21, 1998

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

NHTSA ID
822652
Incident
Dec 15, 1997
Brakes
Filed Mar 10, 1998

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

NHTSA ID
821379
BrakesTransmission
Filed Oct 24, 1997

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID
523782
Incident
Aug 15, 1997
Brakes
Filed Dec 31, 1996
Crash reported

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

NHTSA ID
805897
Incident
Nov 21, 1996
BrakesTransmission
Filed Dec 10, 1996
Fire reported

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

NHTSA ID
806062
Incident
May 19, 1996
Brakes
Filed Apr 24, 1996
Crash reported

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

NHTSA ID
983461
Incident
Apr 11, 1996

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

Data on this page last refreshed .