Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1988 Pontiac Firebird, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Seat belts4
- Steering2
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Electrical system1
- Structure1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1988 Pontiac Firebird failed the safety check 0.85% of the time — 17% less often than the average 1988 passenger car (1.01%). Median odometer at inspection: 93,883 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
23 first registered in 1988 are on Dutch roads; 70% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde4
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast3
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling2
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af2
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse2
- Zitplaats of rugleuning ondeugdelijk bevestigd2
- Remvertraging bedrijfsrem slecht (< 50% awet)1
- Dim-, grootlicht werkt niet (goed)1
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
9 cars built in 1988 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 22 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
39 of these cars first registered in 1988 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 148,000 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
3 1988 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% 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
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 1988 Pontiac Firebird.
| 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… |
| 1990081 6 Jun 1990 | Fuel System NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.8.L V6 ENGINES. THE FUEL FEED HOSES MAY PULL OUT OF THE CRIMPED COUPLING AT THE ENGINE END OF THE HOSE ASSEMBLY. THIS COULD RE… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
FUEL FEED HOSES MAY PULL OUT OF THE CRIMPED COUPLING AT THE ENGINE END OF THE HOSE ASSEMBLY.
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.
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
Service bulletins
What Pontiac told its dealers about the 1988 Pontiac Firebird: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10006297 | NO SERIAL DATA COMMUNICATIONS USING THE TECH 1 WITH A 1986 OR NEWER CAMARO, FIREBIRD OR CORVETTE WITH A 5.0 OR 5.7 LITRE ENGINE. SIT BULLETIN 1450640. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
THROTTLE STICKING
THROTTLE STICKING
REAR AXLE SHAFT FAILURE
REAR DISC BRAKES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation