Model year record

1985 Pontiac Firebird

4 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 22 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 91V055000

Parking brake: conventional

Component
Parking brake: conventional
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
179,036
Reported to NHTSA
1991-04-11
Owners notified
1991-07-01

Defect description

PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILS TO OPERATE AND DO NOT WORK AFTER BRAKE PAD WEAR.

Safety risk

PARKING BRAKES WILL NOT COMPLETELY HOLD A PARKED VEHICLEWHEN PARKED ON A SLOPE, CAUSING UNINTENDED VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHICH COULD RESULTIN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Manufacturer remedy

REPLACE NONFUNCTIONING PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTERS.

Recall campaignNHTSA 90V105000

Seat belts: front: buckle assembly

Component
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
1,500,000
Reported to NHTSA
1990-05-14
Owners notified
1991-03-07

Defect description

PLASTIC COMPONENTS OF SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES DO NOT CONTAIN AN ULTRA VIOLET STABILIZER, AND EXPOSURE TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT AND ELEVATED INTERIOR TEMPERATURES COULD WEAKEN THE PLASTIC COMPONENTS.

Safety risk

THIS COULD RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF PLASTIC COMPONENTS WHICHCOULD PREVENT BUCKLE FROM LATCHING AND PROTECTING OCCUPANT IN A SUDDEN STOP ORACCIDENT.

Manufacturer remedy

REPLACE OR REPAIR SEAT BELT BUCKLE.

Recall campaignNHTSA 85V169000

Seat belts: front: webbing

Component
Seat belts: front: webbing
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
738,485
Reported to NHTSA
1985-12-20
Owners notified
1986-04-18

Defect description

DISLOCATION OF A SPRING COVER WILL NOT ALLOW THE SHOULDER BELT TO RETRACT AFTER BEING EXTENDED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: ALTHOUGH INERTIAL FEATURE THAT LOCKS THE LAP BELT AND SHOULDER BELT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT ARE NOT AFFECTED, IF SLACK IS MORE THAN RECOMMENDED IN OWNERS MANUAL, INJURIES TO UPPER BODY AND HEAD WOULD BE INCREASED IN AN ACCIDENT.

Manufacturer remedy

INSTALL RETAINING SPRINGS ON SPRING COVER OF FRONT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR AND, WHEN REQUIRED, RETRACTORS WILL BE REPLACED.

Recall campaignNHTSA 85V018000

Wheels: hub

Component
Wheels: hub
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
2,687
Reported to NHTSA
1985-02-15
Owners notified
1985-02-25

Defect description

THE HUB AREA OF THE WHEELS MAY NOT BE STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND THUS SUBJECT TO FRACTURE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THE WHEELS COULD SEPARATE FROM THE CAR CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Manufacturer remedy

INSTALL NEW FRONT AND REAR TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLIES.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly5
Seat belts: front: anchorage3
Electrical system: wiring: rear compartment/trunk2
Parking brake: conventional2100,000 mi
Seat belts2
Seat belts: front: webbing2
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery1
Parking brake1
Seat belts: front: retractor1
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper1
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings1
Structure: body: roof and pillars1

The 1984 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 1986 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.