IllustrationI HAVE A 94 PONTIAC FIREBIRD 3.4 THAT IS GIVING ME A VATS PROBLEM. THE SECURITY LIGHT DOES NOT BLINK BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START FOR ANYTHING. *TR
1994 Pontiac Firebird
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Firebird years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 59 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports10 fire reports9 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
5 reportsIT TAKES 3 TIMES BEFORE I START MY CAR SO WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT? *AK
DISC BRAKES MISSING BACKPLATE ALLOWING RAIN TO SOAK BRAKES RESULTING IN DRASTICALLY REDUCED BRAKING POWER. GM SAYS IT IS AN UNFORTUNATE SIDE EFFECT OF SUCH A HIGH PERFORMANCE BRAKING SYSTEM. CONDENSATION IN DISTRIBUTOR CAUSES SPUTTERING. DEALER OFFERED $1000 RETROFIT TO A VENTED DISTRUBUTOR. KNOWN BIG PROBLEM WITH OPTITRONIC…
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DISC BRAKES MISSING BACKPLATE ALLOWING RAIN TO SOAK BRAKES RESULTING IN DRASTICALLY REDUCED BRAKING POWER. GM SAYS IT IS AN UNFORTUNATE SIDE EFFECT OF SUCH A HIGH PERFORMANCE BRAKING SYSTEM. CONDENSATION IN DISTRIBUTOR CAUSES SPUTTERING. DEALER OFFERED $1000 RETROFIT TO A VENTED DISTRUBUTOR. KNOWN BIG PROBLEM WITH OPTITRONIC IGNITION. GENERAL MOTORS REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY.
CLUTCH KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN GEAR ,IT WILL FREEZE ,WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT,CANNOT MOVE. HAS BEEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES. FIRST FOUR TIMES DEALER DID NOTHING ,FIFTH TIME, DEALER REPLACED WHOLE CLUTCH SYSTEM. OUT OF WARRANTY. DEALER HAS ALSO REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER DUE TO IT NOT ENGAGING, HOWEVER THIS DID NOT HELP TRANSMISSION PRO…
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CLUTCH KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN GEAR ,IT WILL FREEZE ,WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT,CANNOT MOVE. HAS BEEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES. FIRST FOUR TIMES DEALER DID NOTHING ,FIFTH TIME, DEALER REPLACED WHOLE CLUTCH SYSTEM. OUT OF WARRANTY. DEALER HAS ALSO REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER DUE TO IT NOT ENGAGING, HOWEVER THIS DID NOT HELP TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, IN REVERSE AND SECOND GEAR, TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR, DEALER REPLACED SHIFT BOOTS AND SAW THAT THE SHIFT CONTROL WAS BINDING, THERE WAS A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE CLUTCH. GLOVE BOX LIGHT STAYS ON, CIGARETTE LIGHTER INOPERABLE, AND CASSETTE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. VEHICLE IDLES ROUGH AND ALMOST STALLS AT TIMES. TRUNK RELEASE BROKE INSIDE OF THE DECKLID. *SLC
UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, FUEL LEAK, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. *AK
Official recalls
193V199000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Dec 1, 1993
THE FUEL LINES ON THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MISROUTED AND MAY CONTACT THE "AIR" CHECK VALVE. THE HIGH TEMPERATURES FROM THE "AIR" CHECK VALVE COULD ALLOW IT TO MELT THROUGH AND DAMAGE A FUEL LINE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FUEL LINE WHICH HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY THE HEAT OF THE"AIR" CHECK VALVE MAY LEAK FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHERE IT COULDRESULT IN A FIRE IF EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy: REROUTE ANY MISROUTED FUEL LINES TO THE PROPER POSITION, AND REPLACE ANY FUEL LINE BUNDLE WHERE THE OUTER SHELL HAS BEEN MELTED THROUGH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA97024 · Fuel Tube Retaining Clip Failure
Opened Nov 13, 1997 · Closed Sep 29, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
MOST OF THE REPORTS REVIEWED IN THIS INVESTIGATION ARE FIRE INCIDENTS IN WHICH FUEL LEAKAGE HAS BEEN ALLEGED AS THE CAUSE OR THE AREA OF ORIGIN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT.THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP WAS A FACTOR IN ANY OF THESE FIRE INCIDENTS AND NHTSA TESTING INDICATES THATBROKEN OR DISLODGED RETENTION CLIP DOES NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE TOWARD THE LEFT SECONDARY AIR INJECTION CHECK VALVE.FAILURE OF THE CLIP PLACES THE FUEL LINE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY IN THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS THE 1993 MODEL YEAR LTI VEHICLES.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE97036 · Fuel Tub Retaining Clip Failure
Opened Jul 24, 1997 · Closed Nov 13, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
OWNERS HAVE REPORTED FAILURES OF THE FUEL TUBE RETENTION CLIP THAT ATTACHES TO THE PLASTIC THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER.ACCORDING TO GM, THE SUBJECT RETENTION CLIP (P/N 12048089) WAS IMPLEMENTED IN PRODUCTION ON OCTOBER 12, 1993, TO ADDRESS A CONCERN WITH INCORRECT ASSEMBLY PLANT FUEL LINE ROUTING.MIS-ROUTED FUEL TUBES MAY FAIL FROM CONTACT WITH A HOT AIR CHECK VALVE, CREATING A FIRE HAZARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.GM MAINTAINS THAT NO PROBLEMS SHOULD OCCUR IF THE CLIP IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND ISN'T MISHANDLED DURING SUBSEQUENT SERVICE OPERATIONS.SOME OWNERS HAVE ALLEGED TO ODI THAT THE SUBJECT CLIP BECOMES BRITTLE OVER TIME AND MAY ALSO PULL FREE OF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE COVER ATTACHMENT HOLE.