Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1985 Pontiac Firebird, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Seat belts12
- Parking brake3
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Electrical system1
- Structure1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1985 Pontiac Firebird failed the safety check 0.32% of the time — 58% less often than the average 1985 passenger car (0.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 63,997 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
1 cars built in 1985 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 14 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
8 of these cars first registered in 1985 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 70,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
6 1985 cars are on the New Zealand register; 67% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 1985 Pontiac Firebird.
| 1991063 17 Apr 1991 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the parking brake system may contain a non-functional parking brake adjuster. This may result in a gradual loss of parking brake effective… |
| 1990091 19 Jun 1990 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the seat belt buckle assemblies may not latch or release due to fracture of the red push button. This would prevent a person from using hi… |
| 1988145 17 Oct 1988 | Emissions THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1105 - EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS. |
| 1986092 19 Aug 1986 | Engine Certain Camaro, Firebird, Monte Carlo and Grand Prix equipped with a 5.0L engine, and 5.7L Corvettes. High ignition coil temperatures combined with the stress … |
| 1986002 7 Jan 1986 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the front seat shoulder belt webbing may not retract into the retractor. This condition may be caused when the plastic spring cover become… |
| 1985007 10 Jan 1985 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the rear brake backing plates may develop a corrosion condition which could result in loss of rear brake fluid and loss of rear braking cap… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILS TO OPERATE AND DO NOT WORK AFTER BRAKE PAD WEAR.
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.
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
NHTSA investigations
THROTTLE STICKING
REAR AXLE SHAFT FAILURE
REAR DISC BRAKES
SAFETY BUCKLE BREAKAGE
SAFETY BELT BUCKLE BREAKAG
REAR DISC BRAKES
FRAME CRACKING
WINDSHIELD WIPERS
REAR BRAKE FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation