Total Complaints
10 filings
PONTIAC FIREBIRD · model year
1988 PONTIAC FIREBIRD
10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988PONTIACFIREBIRD carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1988 FIREBIRD is steering: steering wheel/handle bar with 2 filings, followed by seat belts (2) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 17 investigation files overlapping the 1988 FIREBIRD. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
10
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20200914SEAT BELTS
I PURCHASED MY 1988 PONTIAC FIREBIRD IN 2016. THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL ON MY VEHICLE THAT WAS ISSUED JUNE 1, 1990. MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER N900043. I'VE CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS ABOUT THIS OUTSTANDING RECALL AND I WAS TOLD THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY AVAILABLE PARTS TO CORRECT THE RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS MY DAILY DRIVER. MY SEAT BELT STRAPS HAVE DIFFICULTY RETRACTING.
Mileage: 52,455
20130117SEAT BELTS
GM REFUSES TO PERFORM OPEN RECALL ON SEAT BELT BUCKLES. *TR
Mileage: 108,000
20001026STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
T-ROOFS LEAK WHEN EVER CAR GETS WET WINDOWS HAVE AIR BUBBLES IN THEM AND MAHE ANY LIGHTS APPEAR VERY BRIGHT, ALSO POSSIBILLITY OF WIDOWS CRACKING
19991130FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
THE FUEL FILLER NECK ON MY CAR IS LEAKING GAS,THE CAR HAS A DUTCH REGISTRATION NOW BUT WAS BOUGHT NEW IN THE U.S.A.. ABOUT 4 MONTS AGO I SEND A LETTER TO PONTIAC,BUT THEY DIDN'T ANSWER IT. *AK
19980425STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING COLUMN BECAME LOOSE DUE TO LOOSENING OF STEERING BOLTS, COULD RESULT IN STEERING COLUMN COMING OFF/LOSS OF CONTROL.
19961231ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
COMPUTER SHORT CAUSED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *SD
19961017ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP FAILURE. *AK
19960315SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT NO LONGER RETRACTS AND IT WILL NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960215STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
FAILURE OF THE STEERING COLUMN THE STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE. TT
19950420SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO FAILURE OCCURING AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD (90V-105). *AK
Compare 1988PONTIACFIREBIRD to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 PONTIAC FIREBIRD have?▼
The 1988 PONTIAC FIREBIRD has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 PONTIAC FIREBIRD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 PONTIAC FIREBIRD is STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1988 PONTIAC FIREBIRD safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.