Pontiac Firebird Complaints (1998)

63 consumer complaints on file.

#705498April 10, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE REAR ROTORS SQUEAK WHEN THE BRAKES ARE PUSHED, A GROVE HAS DEVELOPED IN ONE OF MY REAR ROTORS. ALSO, WHEN I FIRMLY APPLY THE BRAKES THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT PADS AND ROTORS ARE ONLY WARRANTEED FOR 12K/12MONTHS. THE VEHICLE IS STILL OPERATIONAL, I AM HOWEVER CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM MAY WORSEN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#835574April 7, 1999
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT BEAMS WILL NOT RETRACT TO THE OPEN POSITION. HEADLIGHTS ALWAYS HAVE TO BE TURNED ON AT LEAST TWICE. FOUR TIMES THEY HAVE FAILED TO COME UP AT ALL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#705182April 1, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS ARE WARPING IN LESS THAN 10K MILES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING. I HAVE HAD THIS FAILURE TWICE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND MY BRAKING SYSTEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#836298March 30, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE ACCELERATED BETWEEN 120 MPH AND140 MPH, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHICH DIDN'T STOP THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#704915March 25, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS LOOK LIKE CRAP AFTER ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#704301March 11, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS COMMINCED DURING NORMAL STOPPING CONDITIONS RESULTING IN THE CAR NOT EVEN SLOWING DOWN EVEN THOUGH I CONTINUED TO APPLY STEADY BREAKING PRESSURE. I PURCHASED MY CAR AT BECK AND MASTEN BUT ERNIE GUZMAN PONTIAC SERVICE DEPT IS EXAMING MY BRAKES, FOUND UNEVEN ROTOR ON ONE BREAK BUT DOES NOT BELEIVE THIS IS THE CAUSE OF ABS BREAK PROBLEM. MY GMC FILE # 99053279. THE SERVICE MGR. AT ERNIE GUZMAN PONTIAC (PHONE 281-493-1500) WHO IS LOOKING INTO THE DILEMA IS CRAIG ABBONDOLA. A COMPUTER CHECK AND TEST DRIVES HAS FAILED TO SHED LIGHT ON THE PROBLEM SO FAR. IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN SOME 27000 MILES OF DRIVING THIS CAR, BUT REALLY GETS YOUR ATTENION WHEN IT OCCURS, SO FAR NO DAMAGE HAS RESULTED BUT THAT IS ONLY DUE TO GOOD LUCK - SO FAR AT LEAST- BOTH OCCASSIONS AT ABOUT 30-40 MILES/HOUR IN APPROACH TO TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#704187March 9, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHEN THE CAR WAS STILL ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD, I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE BRAKE SHUDDER IN THE STREERING WHEEL WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND STOPPING. RETURNED CAR TO DEALER FOR BRAKE RELATED COMPLAINT. THEY TURNED ONLY FRONT ROTORS. REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT REARS. RETURNED AGAIN A FEW MONTHS LATER FOR SAME PROBLEM. SERVICE MANAGER SAID ROTORS WERE WITHIN FACTORY SPECS AND REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THRID TIME INTO DEALER, ROTORS WERE TURNED AGAIN. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME I HAVE THIS PROBLEM. CAR IS BEGINNING TO SHUDDER BADLY WHEN BRAKING. CALLS TO DEALERSHIP OWNER UNRETURNED. CALL TO PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE LED TO ABSOLUTELY NO OFFER OF HELP OR RESOLUTION. MY PONTIAC CASE NO. IS 99050789. THERE IS ALREADY A TSB ON BRAKE PROBLEMS ON ALL 1998 F-BODIES, THAT IS CAMARO AND FIREBIRD MODELS. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS NOT SAFE TO TURN THE ROTORS ANYMORE. I NEED SOME HELP HERE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#835511March 5, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW, STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND HIT A DEER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE DEER FLEW ONTO THE ROOF OF THE CAR . THE CAR CRASHED INTO A DITCH OF WATER, AND WENT UNDER WATER. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LOCKED THE DOORS. THE T-TOP GLASS ROOF WOULD NOT OPEN. PASSENGER'S WINDOW WAS OPENED, TO GET CONSUMER OUT. ALSO, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#835048February 19, 1999
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE PUMP STEERING HOSE WHICH IS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND, ROAD DEBRIS MAY SEVERE THE HOSE, AND CAUSE A POWER STEERING LEAK, WHICH COULD RESULT IN STEERING DIFFUCLTY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#608971February 1, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
FRONT BRAKE OUT OF ROUND. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#607393February 1, 1999
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR REAR VIEW INOPERATIVE. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#608082February 1, 1999
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
FUEL LINE CLAMP RELEASED FROM FUEL FILTER CAUSING GAS LEAKAGE. *YC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#702072January 9, 1999
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THE AIR COMPRESSOR HAS GONE OUT FOUR TIMES TWO OF WHICH THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#833230January 8, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
REAR AXLE MAKES LOUD NOISES. DEALER HAS SEEN AND TRIED TO REPAIR, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#701624December 28, 1998
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
NONE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#701519December 21, 1998
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ON MY '98 PONTIAC FIREBIRD STARTED WARPING AT 10,000 MILES, THEY GOT TO A POINT WHERE I CAME CLOSE TO LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ON RAIN SLICKED ROADS. THE EXTREME PULSATING OF THE BRAKES MAKES THE CAR VERY HARD TO CONTROL ON WET ROADS. THE WARPING OF THE ROTORS GETS WORSE AS THE BRAKES GET HOT. WHEN STARTING OUT IN THE MORNING THE WARPING ISN'T VERY NOTICABLE, BUT GETS MUCH WORSE AS THEY HEAT UP. WHICH MAKES IT DIFFCULT FOR THE SERVICE DEPT. THEY CHECK THE BRAKES COLD. AFTER MUCH COMPLAINING THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS AT 13,417 MILES. THEY STARTED TO WARP AGAIN AT ABOUT 16,000 MILES. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL WEAR, AND THAT IT MUST BE MY BREAKING HABITS. LATER THE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT BREAK PROBLEMS ARE A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT WITH GM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT AND I HATE TO TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO ALL OF THE SHAKING OF THE CAR. I REALLY FEEL THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFTEY ISSUE. THE COMBINATION OF THE ANTILOCK BRAKES AND THE SEVERE PULSATING MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOUR HELP IN THIS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#828808October 13, 1998
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
EVERY EIGHT THOUSAND MILES THE VEHICLE PULSATES OR VIBRATES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, SPEED LIMIT BETWEEN 55-60, DEALER CONTACTED AND REPLACED THE BRAKES THREE TIMES FOR INCIDENT REOCCURRING, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#541932October 9, 1998
SEAT BELTS
DESIGN OF SEATBELT CAUSES IT TO BE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR DRIVER WHO IS 5'4" TALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#828651October 6, 1998
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
IN A HARD BRAKING SITUATION, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. IN A NORMAL BRAKING SITUATION THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT 7,000 MILES. 4,000 MILES LATER, THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#827928September 16, 1998
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55-60 MP, THE DRIVER'S SIDE T TOP SHATTERED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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