The Pontiac Firebird has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1995–2002. On average a defect was admitted 7.88 years after the car was built, the slowest took 12 years. The most recalled system is Structure (1 campaigns). Owners also filed 289 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Pontiac Firebird
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Structure 1 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection," and no. 214, "side impact protection." these vehicles may have welds near the lower driver's side door hinge that do not meet specifications
Risk. In a crash, an occupant could receive severe injuries
Fix. Dealers will install structural rivets. Owner notification began december 26, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737
Power Train 1 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The clutch master cylinder may have been built with an incorrect retaining ring
Risk. This may not allow the clutch system to disengage the clutch when the clutch pedal is depressed, resulting in unintentional vehicle movement, increased stopping distances, engine stalls, and difficulty in shifting
Fix. Dealers will replace the hydraulic clutch master cylinder with a new cylinder
Seat Belts 1 Read
What's wrong. These vehicles were manufactured with seat belt retractors out of design position which can cause the retractor to lock-up on slopes less severe than the fmvss requirement. This does not comply with fmvss no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
Risk. In the event of a vehicle collision, unbelted occupants are more at risk of injury than those using seat belts
Fix. Dealers will inspect the seat belts for proper front seat belt retractor position. Retractors found to be improperly positioned will be reinstalled correctly
Equipment 1 Read
What's wrong. Certain honeywell fram racing brand hp4 and hp8 oil filters that were manufactured from may 25, 2006, through september 14, 2007, and sold for use as replacement equipment for vehicles list above. The affected filters are marked with a date code a61451 through a72571 sequentially. The date code and part number appear on the filter housing. Fram racing hp4 and hp8 oil filters not bearing a date code in this range are not affected by this recall. The gasket of the oil filter becomes more pliable under high temperatures and pressures
Risk. This condition may cause inadequate sealing and loss of engine oil, possibly resulting in a fire
Fix. Honeywell will replace the affected oil filters free of charge. The recall began during november 2007. Owners can contact fram customer service toll-free at 1-800-890-2075
What's wrong. Certain honeywell fram racing brand hp4 and hp8 oil filters that were manufactured from may 25, 2006, through september 14, 2007, and sold for use as replacement equipment for vehicles list above. The affected filters are marked with a date code a61451 through a72571 sequentially. The date code and part number appear on the filter housing. Fram racing hp4 and hp8 oil filters not bearing a date code in this range are not affected by this recall. The gasket of the oil filter becomes more pliable under high temperatures and pressures
Risk. This condition may cause inadequate sealing and loss of engine oil, possibly resulting in a fire
Fix. Honeywell will replace the affected oil filters free of charge. The recall began during november 2007. Owners can contact fram customer service toll-free at 1-800-890-2075
What's wrong. Certain honeywell fram racing brand hp4 and hp8 oil filters that were manufactured from may 25, 2006, through september 14, 2007, and sold for use as replacement equipment for vehicles list above. The affected filters are marked with a date code a61451 through a72571 sequentially. The date code and part number appear on the filter housing. Fram racing hp4 and hp8 oil filters not bearing a date code in this range are not affected by this recall. The gasket of the oil filter becomes more pliable under high temperatures and pressures
Risk. This condition may cause inadequate sealing and loss of engine oil, possibly resulting in a fire
Fix. Honeywell will replace the affected oil filters free of charge. The recall began during november 2007. Owners can contact fram customer service toll-free at 1-800-890-2075
Exterior Lighting 1 Read
What's wrong. Certain aj motorsport combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment
Risk. Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
Fix. Aj motorsport will notify owners and offer reimbursement for the lamps. The recall began on july 31, 2006. Owners may contact aj motorsport at 626-618-2026
What's wrong. Certain aj motorsport combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment
Risk. Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
Fix. Aj motorsport will notify owners and offer reimbursement for the lamps. The recall began on july 31, 2006. Owners may contact aj motorsport at 626-618-2026
What's wrong. Certain aj motorsport combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment
Risk. Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
Fix. Aj motorsport will notify owners and offer reimbursement for the lamps. The recall began on july 31, 2006. Owners may contact aj motorsport at 626-618-2026
Steering 1 Read
What's wrong. The steering intermediate shaft could have been improperly assembled causing the shaft lower coupling to loosen and rotate on the steering gear input shaft
Risk. This condition can result in a loss of steering control increasing the potential for a vehicle accident
Fix. Dealers will inspect the intermediate steering shaft for the correct lower coupling and replace it as required
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 7.88 years |
| Slowest campaign | 12 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 75% |
| Campaigns on record | 6 |
Which Firebird years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Structure | |
| 1999 | Power Train | |
| 1997 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 1996 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 1995 | Exterior Lighting |
Check your own car
Each of these 6 campaigns covers a range of production, not every Pontiac Firebird ever built — two cars of the same year can differ by a single week at the plant. Whether yours is among them, and whether the free repair was already carried out, is answered only by the number on its windscreen: check this Firebird by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
A campaign on one model says little about the brand as a whole — see how the Pontiac Firebird compares in the full recall check by make and model →
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Pontiac Firebird have?
6 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1995–2002. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my Firebird still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 7.88 years, and the slowest campaign came 12 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.
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