Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

1985 Pontiac Firebird

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

6
Open recalls
16
NHTSA complaints
9
Defect investigations
0
Service bulletins

Consumer complaints

16 filed
2
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries reported
1
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • Seat BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE Assembly
    5
  • Seat BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
    3
  • Parking BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
    2
  • Seat BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
    2
  • Seat Belts
    2
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND Fittings
    1
  • STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND Pillars
    1
  • Fuel SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
    1

Recalls

6 campaigns
07E088000·EQUIPMENT2007-10-24

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.

RiskTHIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE INADEQUATE SEALING AND LOSS OF ENGINE OIL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

FixHONEYWELL 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.

06E043000·FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2006-05-19

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.

RiskTHIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

FixHONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).

91V055000·PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL1991-04-11

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

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

FixREPLACE NONFUNCTIONING PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTERS.

90V105000·SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1990-05-14

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.

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

FixREPLACE OR REPAIR SEAT BELT BUCKLE.

85V169000·SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING1985-12-20

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.

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

85V018000·WHEELS:HUB1985-02-15

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.

FixINSTALL NEW FRONT AND REAR TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLIES.

NHTSA investigations

9 actions
EA92005·VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES1992-01-30 → 1993-01-29

THROTTLE STICKING

EA90012·POWER TRAIN1990-02-28 → 1991-04-24

REAR AXLE SHAFT FAILURE

C90001·SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1990-02-21 → 1991-07-31

REAR DISC BRAKES

EA90001·SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1989-10-03 → 1990-07-10

SAFETY BUCKLE BREAKAGE

Led to recall90V105000

PE89148·SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1989-08-01 → 1989-10-03

SAFETY BELT BUCKLE BREAKAG

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