1997 Pontiac Firebird Owner Complaints

Hi my Pontiac firebird got Impounded properly parked for 3 hrs on private property on the same property where I’m a Tenant at [XXX] Las Vegas it was towed illegally and was in pound yard where I was charged $474.64 by tow guys 3823 losse rd 89030 they did not put sticker they illegally towed no sign on wall saying we cannot park at night there I’m parking space got impounded from the wheel in the rear and popped my right front tire pulling it and towed it like that damaging my front suspension I’d like to get my refund . My contact # is [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11579567

Incident

Mar 20, 2024

WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE MIDDLE LANE ON BELTWAY 495 HEADING TO WORK- I SAW A HUGE TIRE HIGH IN THE AIR & DROPPING IN FRONT OF MY CAR. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. IT HIT THE FRONT GRILLE & WENT UNDERNEATH MY CAR CAUSING IT TO FLY OVER THE TIRE. I LANDED SAFELY ON THE MIDDLE LANE. ( AT THE TIME I DIDN'T REALIZED THAT MY AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED ON IMPACT.) AT ANOTHER DATE SOMEONE HIT MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AT ABOUT 10 MPH & THE AIRBAG DIDN'T WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10652891

Incident

Jul 11, 1999

Mileage

60 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR MAKING AN EXIT OFF THE FREEWAY & AS I LOOKED OVER MY SHOULDER TOO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE TO MERGE OVER I SEEN THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE I WENT TO TURN BACK AROUND & SMOKE WAS ALSO COMING FROM THE SIDES OF THE STEERING WHEEL , I WENT TOO PUT MY EYES BACK ON THE ROAD & THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE . *TR

NHTSA ID

10533166

Incident

Jul 12, 2013

Mileage

119,280 mi

THE TURNING SIGNAL LIGHT SOCKETS ON THE 1997 FIREBIRD (AND PROBABLY OTHER MODEL YEARS) BURN UP AFTER A TIME CAUSING SIGNAL FAILURE AND MARKER LIGHT FAILURE. THE CAUSE IS THE EXCESSIVE HEAT GIVEN OFF BY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. PONTIAC USED THE TURNING SIGNAL ELEMENT OF THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY AS A FULL ON,ALL THE TIME, VISIBILITY LIGHT FOR DAYTIME DRIVING. I LOVE THE IDEA FOR SAFETY REASONS BUT I FEEL THE SIGNAL SOCKET NEEDS TO BE BETTER ABLE TO HANDLE THE HEAT OF THESE LIGHTS BEING ON ALL THE TIME. VISIBILITY IS GREAT BUT HAVING THESE SOCKETS FAIL AT BUSY INTERSECTIONS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SIGNAL SEEMS TO BE A BIGGER SAFETY ISSUE AND AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE SOCKETS BURN BLACK AND HAVEN'T CAUGHT ON FIRE ON MY CAR AND I'M NOT SURE OF THE FIRE POTENTIAL OF THIS, BUT BEING THAT THE BUMPER FENDERS AND VIRTUALLY MOST OF THE CAR IS PLASTIC, IF THEY EVER DID CATCH FIRE I'D HATE TO SEE HOW FAST THE VEHICLE WOULD BURN!. I HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO USING A SMALL JUMPER WIRE TO GROUND THE DRL SIGNAL OUT SO THAT I EFFECTIVELY DISABLED THE LIGHTS SO THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO CONTINUALLY HAVE TO REPAIR THE SOCKETS OR RISK HAVING A FIRE. THE NEXT QUESTION ASKS FOR A DATE OF INCIDENT AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO ANSWER SO I'LL PUT TODAY'S DATE IN THERE. THE SOCKETS SEEM TO BURN OUT ONCE EVERY FEW YEARS, EVEN THE REPLACEMENTS ARE PRONE TO FAILURE AFTER A COUPLE YEARS. MY SOCKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 134,000 MILES AND THIS THIRD SET OF SOCKETS ARE SCORCHED AFTER BEING REPLACE SIX MONTHS AGO SO I DISABLED THE DRL BEFORE THEY GOT WORSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274054

Incident

Jun 16, 2009

Mileage

60,000 mi

AT 118,000 MILES I HAD MY FRONT BRAKES CHANGED FOR THE THIRD TIME. I ASKED THE PERSON CHANGING THE BRAKES TO CHECK THE REAR BRAKES SINCE THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN CHANGED. I HAD ASKED PREVIOUS PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THEM WHEN INSPECTING BRAKES AND I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THEY WERE FINE. THIS TIME THE PERSON REALLY LOOKED AT THEM AND INFORMED ME THAT THE BRAKES HAD NEVER TOUCHED THE DRUMS (EVER). MY REAR BRAKES WERE SHOWROOM NEW AND SO WERE THE REAR DRUMS. I HAD HAD AN SCCIDENT A FEW YEARS AGO AND HAD THOSE BRAKES BEEN WORKING I GUARANTEE I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN STOPPED IN TIME TO HAVE PREVENTED THE ACCIDENT AND MY INJURIES. THE DAT OF INCIDEN WILL BE THE DATE OF THIS DISCOVERY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10111934

Incident

Jan 19, 2005

Mileage

118,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HAS CRACKS DEVELOPING, AND DEALER INDICATES THAT PANELS ARE SEPARATING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10032145

THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10017243

ABS FAILED WHILE APPLYING BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY / SUDDEN STOP, WHICH LED TO A VEHICLE CRASH. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK *JLG

NHTSA ID

8018300

Incident

Sep 4, 2002

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 20 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE DURING THE ACCIDENT. *YH

NHTSA ID

8018290

Incident

Sep 4, 2002

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING. WHEN OCCURRED VEHICLLE WOULD NOT RESTART FOR AN HOUR OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALERS SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK

NHTSA ID

896549

Incident

Aug 25, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

747458

Incident

Jun 5, 2001

ENGINE IS OVERHEATING BECAUSE OF RADIATOR COOLANT (DEX/COOL) BREAKING DOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

880318

FUEL LEAKAGE ; LEAKAGE OCCURRED IN FUEL LINE THAT IS ATTACHED TO FUEL INJECTOR. CONSUMER NOTICED PROBLEM WHEN COMING OUTSIDE TO VEHICLE, AND SMELLING THE GASOLINE. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED YET.*AK

NHTSA ID

877913

Incident

Dec 26, 2000

ROUGH IDLE AFTER ENGINE IS HOT. CAR WOULD NOT RE-START FOR 24 HOURS. *AK

NHTSA ID

738324

Incident

Dec 24, 2000

FRONT RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WENT OUT. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE WHOLE WIRING WENT BAD ON THAT LIGHT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

736664

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

CAR HAD TROUBLE ACCELERATING. SES LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT SPARK PLUG WIRES HAD GONE BAD AND ALSO NEEDED NEW 0-2 SENSOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

736663

Incident

Aug 1, 2000

THERE HAS BEEN WHINING IN REAR-END AND A ROARING IN FRONT END. I HAVE HAD CAR IN SHOP 9 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR REAR END PROBLEMS,THE DRIVESHAFT HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED,POWER WINDOW FAILURES,HEADLIGHT FAILURE

NHTSA ID

734708

Incident

Jun 30, 1999

CANNOT MOVE FOOT FROM GAS PEDAL TO BRAKE PEDAL WITHOUT HITTING STEERING COLUMN CONCERN ABOUT EMERGENCY BRAKING.*AK

NHTSA ID

734004

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

THE GAS GAUGE READS 3/4 FULL WHEN THE TANK IS ACTUALLY 1/2 FULL. THE GAUGE READS 1/2 FULL WHEN ACTUALLY 1/4 FULL. GAUGE READS 1/4 FULL WHEN EMPTY. PONTIAC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT CORRECT IT, OF REMEDY IT FOR CUSTOMERS. PONTIAC SHOULD REMOVE GAS GAUGE FROM DASH BOARD SINCE THE SYSTEM IS THIS FAULTY.

NHTSA ID

733928

LACK OF POWER, HESITATION, BACKFIRING THROUGH FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. CANNOT MAINTAIN 40 MPH ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, GOING UPHILL.

NHTSA ID

733924

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

PREMATURE BURN OUT OF REAR TAIL LIGHTS. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO T DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT IT WILL WILL COST $100.00 PER LIGHT.*AK

NHTSA ID

867607

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

THE SES LIGHT CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE AND UPON TAKING IT TO TOWN & COUNTRY THE FIRST TIME, THEY ADVISED THAT ONE OF THE SPARK PLUG WIRES HAD GONE BAD AND REPLACED SAME. I HAD TO RETURN AGAIN ON 10/07/99 BECAUSE THE SES LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE WAS SPUTTERING. I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED THIS TIME. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND ADVISED THAT I REFUSED TO RETURN TO TOWN & COUNTRY AND THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO PENN PONTIAC. I WAS ADVISED ONCE AGAIN THAT IT WAS A SPARK PLUG WIRE AND THEY REPLACED SAME AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. ON 11/24/99 I HAD TO RETURN TO PENN PONTIAC FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE THIRD TIME. ONCE AGAIN, THEY ADVISED THAT IT WAS A SPARK PLUG WIRE AND REPLACED ANOTHER ONE AGAIN. ON 12/10/99, I RETURNED TO PENN PONTIAC FOR THE FOURTH TIME BECAUSE THE SES LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE WAS SPUTTERING AND THE ENTIRE BACK END WAS RATTLING. I WAS ADVISED THIS TIME THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A BROKEN BAFFLE IN THE MUFFLER AND THEY REPLACED THE MUFFLER. UPON PICKING UP MY VEHICLE AFTER SAID REPAIRS, THE VEHICLES WAS RATTLING WORSE THAN IT EVER HAD BEFORE. THERE IS NO WAY PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE THAT THEY COULD HAVE TEST DRIVEN THE VEHICLE AFTER SAID REPAIRS AND NOT NOTICED THE HORRIBLE NOISE, BECAUSE IT WAS RATTLING AS SOON AS I STARTED THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY WENT IN AND SPOKE WITH THE MANAGER. HE CAME OUT AND LISTENED TO THE VEHICLE AND HAD A MECHANIC TAKE IT BACK INTO THE SHOP. AFTER WAITING APPROX. 30 MINUTES, THE MANAGER THEN ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS THE CATILYTIC CONVERTER AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE FOLLOWING WEEK TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GO BACK AGAIN AND HAVE THE CATILYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. HE ASSURED ME THAT IT WOULD ONLY TAKE AN HOUR. I CALLED THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND HAD TO WAIT AN ADDITIONAL WEEK BEFORE THEY COULD FIT ME IN. ON 01/05/00, I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE 5TH TIME TO HAVE THE CATILYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. AND NOW IT IS 01/21/00 AND THE ALTERNATOR HAS NOW FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS ACTING THE SAME WAY.

NHTSA ID

717703

Incident

Aug 23, 1999

UPON PICKING UP MY VEHICLE FROM PENN PONTIAC AFTER HAVING TO HAVE THE RIGHT FRONT ROTOR PREMATURELY REPLACED AND HAVING THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED, I TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP ON WET ROADS DUE TO RAIN WHEN HAVING TO STOP FOR A RED TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE. AT THE TIME OF HITTING THE BRAKES, I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES PER HOUR. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT GO INTO EFFECT FOR AT LEAST 5 SECONDS. I HAD TO RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO ADVISE THEM OF THIS. THEY ADVISED ME TO CALL AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED OUT IN ADDITION TO THE RATTLING NOISES THAT I HAD BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT FOR SEVERALS PRIOR VISITS. I THEN HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK IN THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND WAS ADVISED THAT A MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM AND THAT A BAFFLE WAS BROKEN ON THE MUFFLER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE MUFFLER AND WAS ASSURED THAT THE MUFFLER WAS THE CAUSE OF THE RATTLING. THIS DID CORRECT THE BRAKE PROBLEM; HOWEVER, IT DID NOT CORRECT THE RATTLING NOISE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AFTER SERVICE, THE VEHICLE WAS RATTLING WORSE THEN WHEN DROPPED OFF, DESPITE THE DEALERSHIP'S ASSURANCES THAT THE MUFFLER WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEY HAD CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM FOR THE 4TH TIME. I WILL SUBMIT A DIFFERENT REPORT AS WILL BE OUTLINED IN THE NEXT REPORT. *AK

NHTSA ID

717702

Incident

Nov 24, 1999

UPON TAKING VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE BRAKE JOB, DUE TO TOWN & COUNTRY PONTIAC ADVISING THAT BRAKES NEEDED TO BE MAINTAINED, I WAS ADVISED (NOT BY THE DEALERSHIP, BY ANOTHER MECHANIC'S SHOP) THAT THE RIGHT FRONT ROTAR WAS WORN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS REQUIRED BY MD. LAW. UPON LEARNING THIS, I THEN TOOK VEHICLE TO PENN PONTIAC, AS TOWN & COUNTRY LOOKED AT MY BRAKES AND DID NOT INFORM ME OF THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS, AND PENN PONTIAC CONFIRMED THAT ONLY THE RIGHT SIDE ROTAR HAD BEEN CHEWED UP. THEY FURTHER ADVISED ME THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE NOT WORN UNEVENLY AND THAT THERE WAS NO WAY POSSIBLE THAT THIS OCCURRED FROM NORMAL WEAR. THEY FURTHER ADVISED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT ROTAR HAD TO HAVE BEEN MACHINED AT SOME POINT BECAUSE THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS WORKING PROPERLY AND THE BRAKE PADS WERE NORMAL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO HAVE THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, THE BRAKES HAD NEVER BEEN REPAIRED OR MAINTAINED, AS THE SENSOR HAD JUST BEGAN MAKING NOISE WHICH INDICATED THAT IT WAS JUST THEN TIME FOR THE NORMAL MAINTENANCE. THEREFORE, THERE HAD TO HAVE BEEN A DEFECT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM OR TOWN & COUNTY PONTIAC HAD TO HAVE MACHINED THAT ROTAR PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE OF SAID VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH 3000 MILES, AS IT WAS A DEMO. TOWN & COUNTRY NEVER DISCLOSED ANY INFORMATION OF PRIOR REPAIRS REQUIRED PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE OF SAME. I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS FAIR TO EXPECT A BUYER TO ASSUME THAT REPAIRS WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON A NEW VEHICLE WITH ONLY 3000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

717701

Incident

Nov 24, 1999

I HAVE HAD THREE SERIOUS OIL LEAKS WITH THIS VEHICLE WHICH STARTED WHEN IT ONLY HAD 8,000 MILES. IN ADDITION, THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED AND THE POWER WINDOWS BROKE. THE REAR BUMPER RUSTS AFTER IT RAINS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE DUST. YOU HAVE TO USE RUBBING COMPOUND ONCE A WEEK. OVERALL, THE AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN EXHORBINANT AND NOT WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM A $28,000 VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

713939