2002 Pontiac Firebird Owner Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE VALVE COVER GASKET. AS A RESULT, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE OIL PAN GASKET AND THE VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 1/12/16 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WITH THE OIL LEAKING, IT WAS COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. UPDATED 02/04/16.*JB

NHTSA ID

10786992

Incident

Oct 30, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON ,SOMETIMES CAR WILL NOT START AND SOMETIMES DIES WHILE DRIVING AND LOSES POWER AT ANY GIVING TIME. THE KEY THAT HAS A THE SENSOR DOES NOT READ OR GIVE THE CORRECT RESISTANCE TO THE VATS SECURITY SYSTEM AND THE SECURITY SYSTEM SHUTS THE CAR OFF. I BELIEVE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE KEY RESISTANCE AND THE IGNITION IN WHICH IT GOES INTO. SOMETHING ELECTRICAL IS NOT READING OR MAKING CONTACT MESSING UP ALL THE SECURITY IN THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10479380

Incident

Oct 3, 2012

Mileage

43,000 mi

ENGINE OIL LEAK PROBLEM SINCE AUGUST. I HAVE HAD CAR CHECKED ON TWO (2) OCCASIONS BY MY MECHANIC. HE STATED IT COULD NEED A NEW OIL PAN OR THE REAR MAIN SEAL. THE CAR ONLY HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND NOT TOO HAPPY THAT I AM FACING COSTLY ENGINE REPAIRS FOR THIS WELL CARED FOR CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10475926

Incident

Aug 14, 2012

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR OF THE CHROME ALLOY RIMS ON THE VEHICLE EXHIBIT CRACKS. THE RIMS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED PER THE WARRANTY; HOWEVER, SINCE THERE WAS A MEMO INDICATING THAT THEY COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BUT REPLACED. PONTIAC HAS BEEN VERY UNCOOPERATIVE AND REFUSED TO COMPLY. THE DEALER TOOK PICTURES OF THE RIMS AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A COSMETIC ISSUE AND NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE BRAND, MANUFACTURER AND ANY RELATED RIM INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 85000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,926. UPDATED 6/21/10 *CN UPDATED 06/24/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10320631

Incident

May 20, 2003

Mileage

42,926 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. OUTER SKIN COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM DOOR. LOWER HINGE IS DEFECTIVE. OWNED VEHICLE SINCE NEW, WAS A RECALL RELATED TO HINGE, BUT NEVER NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALL REGARDING MY VEHICLE. ACTUALLY GLUED SKIN BACK TO DOOR TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10301968

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHROME RIMS EXHIBITED CORROSION AND RUST ON THE INSIDE SURFACE. IN ADDITION, THE SPOKES WERE SEVERELY CRACKED. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY FOUND RUST AND CORROSION ON ALL FOUR RIMS. THE RIMS HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 05/27/09 *BF UPDATED 06/02/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10265728

Incident

May 4, 2006

Mileage

42,000 mi

CHROME PLATING PEELING FROM WHEELS,CORROSION CAUSING TIRES TO LOOSE AIR AND GO FLAT. LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE CAUSES HANDLING PROBLEMS--CONSTANT PROBLEM-SITUATION HAS BEEN REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES. CLEANING CORROSION FORM WHEEL (WHICH PONTIAC DEALER HAS DONE) CORRECTS PROBLEM FOR SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10206962

Incident

Oct 23, 2007

Mileage

10,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE BRAKES MADE A CONSISTENT VIBRATION WHEN APPLIED AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURRED WITH NO PRIOR WARNINGS, UNDER NORMAL BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER, WHO CLEANED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTATED THE ROTORS. THE VEHICLE PROBLEMS PERSISTED, BUT NO FURTHER REPAIRS WERE MADE.

NHTSA ID

10174384

Incident

Oct 1, 2006

Mileage

13,000 mi

2002 PONTIAC FIREBIRD WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *MR

NHTSA ID

10133477

Incident

Aug 17, 2002

CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING GM CORP PLACING ELECTRONIC RECORDING DEVICES IN VEHICLES WITHOUT INFORMING THE CUSTOMER.*MR *NM

NHTSA ID

10132399

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY DID NOT ACTIVATE WHEN LIGHT SWITCH WAS TURNED ON. LAMPS LITE BUT THE ASSEMBLY DID NOT RISE INTO POSITION.

NHTSA ID

10124847

Incident

Jun 5, 2005

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY AND THEFT DETERENT KEY CHIP SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING AND THE RADIO FACE DISPLAY NOT WORKING AT ALL UNLESS I TURN THE RADIO OFF AND ON UNTIL IT WORK SOMETIME 5 OR 6 TIMES. THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS BRAND NEW HAD A NOISE COMING FROM THE 6SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR NOW THE VEHICLE HAS 17000 MILES AND IT IS MUCH WORSE WITH SOME DIFFICULTY SHIFTING ON ACCASION. THE DIFFERENTIAL HAS A WHINING NOISE AT 50-60 MPH AT CRUISING RPM AND THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THIS IS NORMAL. I AM SEVERELY IRRITATED WITH GM FOR THE DISREGARD TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EVEN IF YOU ARE WITHIN YOUR ORIGINAL WARRANTY YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT GETTING A LOANER VEHICLE DURING ANY REPAIRS. THAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS KEEPING ME FROM GIVING THEM MY CAR. THREE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS IN THE HOUSTON AREA HAVE ALL TOLD ME THAT WEAR PARTS ARE NOT COVERED IN WARRANTY WHICH IS "BUMPER TO BUMPER" FULL WARRANTY. I JUST DON'T THINK A TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE DOING THIS AT 17000 MILES. NOT TO MENTION I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE MOST OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM OUT OF MY OWN POCKET WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 10000 MILES ON IT FROM A STICKING BRAKE CALIPER. I AM VERY DISPLEASED SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW.*AK

NHTSA ID

10068186

Incident

Mar 15, 2004

I PURCHASED THE 2002 PONTIAC COLLECTORS EDITION FIREBIRD AS MY FIRST NEW CAR. I REGRET TO SAY THAT I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE PERFORMANCE AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS VEHICLE. MY FIRST COMPLAINT IS A SEVERE VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING OVER 55 MPH OR AFTER IT WARMS UP. THIS VIBRATION IS FELT THROUGH THE SHIFTER AS WELL AS BEING APPARENT WHEN YOU STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE NEAR THE EXHAUST WHILE IT IS RUNNING. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED FROM TWO SEPERATE DEALERSHIPS THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM BUT GM WILL NOT APPROVE THE REPAIR DUE TO THE MILEAGE AND THE LACK OF A COMPUTER CODE, EVEN THOUGH THE GM MECHANICS HAVE AGREED THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NOW GONE OVER THE MILEAGE REQUIRMENT AND IT IS WORSE. I ALSO WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR DUE TO A DRUNK DRIVER DAMAGING THE DRIVER'S DOOR. WHEN THIS WAS BEING REPLACED IT SEEMS THAT GM NEVER PAINTED THE BOTTOMS OF EITHER DOOR. I WAS AGAIN INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT GM'S RESPONSE WAS "NO ONE SEES THE BOTTOMS OF THE DOORS AND THEY WONT RUST, THEREFORE IT DIDNT NEED PAINT." THE ORIGINAL YELLOW PAINT JOB WAS VERY THIN OVER THE BLACK PRIMER USED. THE PAINT CODES ON THE CAR DOESNT MATCH FOR REPAIRS DUE TO THIS THIN PAINT COAT, WHEN APPLIED IT IS TWO DIFFERENT SHADES. THE CAMARO IS ALSO NOT PAINTED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE DOORS, HOWEVER, THE CORVETTE SEEMS TO BE PAINTED. I AM VERY DISCOURAGED WITH GM FOR THE ISSUES LISTED ABOVE, I HAVE PUT FORTH A LOT OF MONEY FOR MY FIRST TIME CAR AND IT SEEMS THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE NORMAL CONSUMER PURCHASING THESE VEHICLES. GM ALSO SEEMS UNWILLING TO MAKE THE CORRECTION NEEDED. HOW DOES A COMPANY GET AWAY WITH CHARGING THIS MUCH MONEY FOR MERCHANDISE AND THEN NOT EVEN GIVING A FULL PAINT JOB, LET ALONE IT NOT WORKING PROPERLY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062038

Incident

Mar 1, 2003

Mileage

3,500 mi

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY FIREBIRD WHICH I BOUGHT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALER. I DON NOT HAVE THE EXACT DATES AND MILEAGE OF THE PROBLEMS AT HAND. IN SHORT THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE PURCHASING DEALER AND/OR REPAIRED: ROTERS(BRAKES) 2X, ANTENA 3 OR 4X, OPEN CIRCUIT(REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY-TRUNK/WINDOWS/DOORS AND ALARM)1 OR2X, CD/STEREO STILL ISN'T REPAIRED AND UNSURE OF PROBLEM, SUSPENSION OFF, LEFT BLINKER MALFUNCTIONING, MISC. FUSES CONTINUOUSLY BLOWN, POWER STEERING COLUMN LEAK .....I THINK THATS IT! THAT'S ENOUGH THOUGH.

NHTSA ID

10070846

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, CLUTCH, PISTONS, DASH FAN AND REAR RIGHT MOLDING. *MR THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. SATURN REPAIRED THE PART BUT WOULD NOT REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR REPAIR COST DUE TO THE VEHICLE EXCEEDING THE WARRANTY. AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE HAD 96K PLUS MILES. THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: ENGINE KNOCKING/LOSS OF POWER (8 PISTONS WERE REPLACED), AFTER ENGINE PROBLEM/REPAIR, ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION OCCURRED (ONE QUART EVERY 1300 HUNDRED MILES, BANG NOISE IN THE CLUTCH (BEARING WAS REPLACED), WATER AND HAZE WAS IN THE HIGH/LOW BEAM INSIDE THE BULBS, LEFT HEADLIGHT SHORTED OUT/WIRE BURNT (ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED), THE BRAKE PEDAL RUBBER GUARD HAD DETACHED, THE GAS TETHER DETACHED, THERE WAS AN ENGINE KNOCK UPON ACCELERATION, THE IGNITION MODULE AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR EXPERIENCED PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS, THE TRANSMISSION SHIMMIES WHEN SHIFTING UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED, THE HEADLIGHTS, REAR LIGHT, DASH LIGHTS, RADIO LIGHTS, AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD CONTINUOUSLY FLICKER. *SCC IN COLD WEATHER THE SHIFTER FAILED TO ENGAGE IN 2ND AND 4TH GEARS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10044101

CONSUMER WOULD PUT KEY INSIDE IGNITION AND HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON. HOWEVER, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CONSUMER STATED THAT IGNITION WIRES WERE WORN/WEAK. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ABOUT 4-5 TIMES. A FEW TIMES THE IGNITION WAS TURNED ON WITH A LITTLE MANIPULATION OF THE KEY. BUT THE LAST 2 TIMES THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 90'S AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED AT ALL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS FAILURE IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TS *NLM

NHTSA ID

10034351

Incident

Jun 5, 2003

Mileage

10,080 mi

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS, WHO WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE DRIVETRAIN, THE FRONT BACK OF THE UPPER SEAT WAS DISCOLORED(REPLACED), FOAM FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD COME APART, THE GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK WITH OF WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED FROM STOP, AFTER A HEAVY RAIN STORM, THE HORN WOULD SOUND DIFFERENT, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT THE SPEED OF 50 MPH, THERE WOULD BE A RUMBLE NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEEL, THE DRIVESHAFT WAS OUT OF BALANCE(WARRANTY REPLACED), AND THE DRIVER'S WINDOW WAS INOPERATIVE(REPLACED THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR). SCC

NHTSA ID

10011425

Incident

Mar 1, 2003

Mileage

1,000 mi

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED THE RPM'S ON THE VEHICLE HIT THE ROOF BUT THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION DO NOT RESPOND LEAVING THE VEHICLE CRUISING AT ABOUT 15 MPH ON A VERY BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I-95. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON TWO SEPERATE OCASIONS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SERVICE TEAM SAYS THEY CAN NOT OR ARE NOT ABLE TO RECREATE THE LOSS OF POWER IN THE VEHICLE THEREFORE ARE NOT ABLE TO FIX IT. THIS INCIDENT HAS OCCURED THREE TIMES IN ABOUT A SIX MONTH PERIOD. THE VEHICLE IS NEW AND NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED WHEN THIS HAPPENS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008060

Incident

Feb 24, 2003

Mileage

17,976 mi

THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD. DT

NHTSA ID

768736

Incident

Oct 14, 2002

RIGHT HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT AFTER 7 MONTHES WITH VEY LITTLE NIGHT DRIVING SO USE OF HEADLIGHTS WAS MINIMAL. WOULDN'T HAVE COMPLAINED HAD I NOT READ OF MANY ACCOUNTS OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHERS WITH THE SAME CAR ON THE WEBSITE LS1.COM IN THE WS6/FIREHAWK FORUM.*AK

NHTSA ID

766556

Incident

Aug 30, 2002

DESIGN OF WINDSHIELD DISTORTS IMAGES OF OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT AND CAUSES OCCUPANTS TO EXPERIENCE HEADACHES AND NAUSEA. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT DESIGN COULD NOT BE CHANGED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8003050

Incident

Jan 21, 2002