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1999 Pontiac Firebird

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 14 of 47 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Visibility complaints

6 reports
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64,172 miles · Oct 7, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON (STEADY AND FLASHING). ALL IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY, PATH LOCK SENSOR AND IGNITION CYLINDER, REMOTE ALARMS AND KEYS, SPARK PLUG WIRES, CLEAN FUEL INJECTORS, REPLACE SERPENTINE BELT AND UPGRADED MY GAS OCTANE IN A V6. AND NOW THE STUPID SERVICE ENGINE…

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MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON (STEADY AND FLASHING). ALL IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY, PATH LOCK SENSOR AND IGNITION CYLINDER, REMOTE ALARMS AND KEYS, SPARK PLUG WIRES, CLEAN FUEL INJECTORS, REPLACE SERPENTINE BELT AND UPGRADED MY GAS OCTANE IN A V6. AND NOW THE STUPID SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS ON AGAIN AND THE ENGINE IS HESITATING AND THE BEARINGS ON PULLEYS ARE MAKING A NOISE (AFTER REPLACING THE SERPENTINE BELT). I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR ALL OF IT SO FAR. I AM GOING TONIGHT TO READ THE CODE FOR WHAT IS WRONG NOW!!!!! ALSO I HAD PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, MY RADIO VOLUME KNOB HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY, AND MY LOW TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON EVERY TIME I HIT A PUDDLE OF WATER. THIS CAR IS A LEMON. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10093781

34,000 miles · Jun 17, 2004
Visibility

WINDOWS FREEZING UP, SPORADIC, INCONSISTENT. POWER WINDOW EVENTUALLY FAILED COMPLETELY AT 35,000 MILES. BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW REGULATORS NEED REPLACING. THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW, DRIVEN OFF THE SHOW-ROOM FLOOR, STORED IN SEMI-HEATED STORAGE THROUGHOUT COLD MONTHS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO…

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WINDOWS FREEZING UP, SPORADIC, INCONSISTENT. POWER WINDOW EVENTUALLY FAILED COMPLETELY AT 35,000 MILES. BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW REGULATORS NEED REPLACING. THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW, DRIVEN OFF THE SHOW-ROOM FLOOR, STORED IN SEMI-HEATED STORAGE THROUGHOUT COLD MONTHS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO CORRECT FAILURES, BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO COST OVER $600.00, AND I AM WAITING FOR GM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DEFECT. I FEEL THAT IT IS TOO IRONIC THAT BOTH REGULATORS WENT AT THE SAME TIME. THIS SHOWS POOR QUALITY FOR AN EXPENSIVE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10078406

27,000 miles · Mar 17, 2003
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

I HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TWICE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE. I HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR AT 37500 MILES (WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 37000). THE MOTOR IN DRIVER SIDE DOOR WENT BAD FOR NO REASON. HAD TO REPLACE REAR SEAL AND PINS 4 TIMES OR MORE. I BELIEVED FOR A LONG TIME THAT IT WAS JUST ME BUT AFTER READIN…

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I HAD TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TWICE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE. I HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR AT 37500 MILES (WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 37000). THE MOTOR IN DRIVER SIDE DOOR WENT BAD FOR NO REASON. HAD TO REPLACE REAR SEAL AND PINS 4 TIMES OR MORE. I BELIEVED FOR A LONG TIME THAT IT WAS JUST ME BUT AFTER READING THROUGH THE OTHER COMPLAINTS, I REALIZE IT'S THE CAR! I HAVE ALSO HAD SEVERAL OF THE SAME BRAKE PROBLEMS MENTIONED BY OTHERS ON THIS SITE. PURCHASED NEW, DROVE IT OFF THE PONTIAC LOT. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10010587

Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 2001
Visibility

BOTH POWER WINDOW MOTORS WILL FREEZE WHEN ROLLING UP OR DOWN. THE MOTOR WILL HAVE TO REST AND COOL OFF BEFORE THE WINDOW WILL CONTINUE TO WORK, ONLY TO FREEZE AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES BETWEEN BOTH WINDOWS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #754100

Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 2001
Visibility

DOCUMENT NUMBER 766918 IN THE GM DATABASE ON THIS ISSUE. "DISTORTION IN OUTER SURFACE OF VEHICLE GLASS" THE WINDSHIELD HAS AN "ORANGE PEEL " EFFECT THAT IMPAIRS SAFE VISON THROUGH IT. PONTIAC CLAIMS THAT THIS IS DUE TO OWNER NEGLIGENCE AND THAT DETERGENTS WITH HYDROCHLORIC ACID HAVE BEEN USED TO CAUSE THIS. I HAVE NEVER USE…

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DOCUMENT NUMBER 766918 IN THE GM DATABASE ON THIS ISSUE. "DISTORTION IN OUTER SURFACE OF VEHICLE GLASS" THE WINDSHIELD HAS AN "ORANGE PEEL " EFFECT THAT IMPAIRS SAFE VISON THROUGH IT. PONTIAC CLAIMS THAT THIS IS DUE TO OWNER NEGLIGENCE AND THAT DETERGENTS WITH HYDROCHLORIC ACID HAVE BEEN USED TO CAUSE THIS. I HAVE NEVER USED A DETERGENT ON THIS CAR CONTAINING IT. PONTIAC STANDS FIRM ON NOT COVERING THIS PROBLEM THROUGH THEIR 3/36000 BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #744285

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainVisibility

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #715964

Official recalls

1

99V239000 · Power Train:clutch Assembly

Aug 27, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECT RETAINING RING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS MAY NOT ALLOW THE CLUTCH SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, RESULTING IN UNINTENTIONAL VEHICLE MOVEMENT, INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES, ENGINE STALLS, AND DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER WITH A NEW CYLINDER.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.