1996 Pontiac Firebird Owner Complaints

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.

NHTSA ID

10744253

Incident

Apr 25, 2015

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

NHTSA ID

10221739

Incident

Feb 5, 2007

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

NHTSA ID

10100419

Incident

Nov 10, 2001

Mileage

38,000 mi

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!

NHTSA ID

10070677

Incident

Jun 15, 2002

Mileage

73,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10033527

Incident

Jun 17, 2003

Mileage

57,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10027249

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

NHTSA ID

8017619

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

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

NHTSA ID

754168

Incident

Dec 7, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

880176

Incident

Aug 19, 1999

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

NHTSA ID

870117

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

NHTSA ID

727001

Incident

Aug 8, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

856594

Incident

Feb 8, 2000

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

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

713470

Incident

Oct 2, 1999

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.

NHTSA ID

713210

Incident

Oct 10, 1999

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

NHTSA ID

548342

Incident

Jun 18, 1999

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

NHTSA ID

709072

Incident

Jul 12, 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

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

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

NHTSA ID

705839

Incident

Dec 1, 1997

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

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

NHTSA ID

703442

Incident

May 5, 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

VEHICLE LEAKING OIL. CHANGED OIL FILLER CAP STEM, ENGINE GASKET TWICE, MAIN CRANK SEAL, DRIVE SHAFT, AND MANIFOLD BUT BUT NONE OF THE REPLACEMENT CORRECTED THE OIL LEAK.

NHTSA ID

541031

Incident

Aug 29, 1996

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