Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1994 Pontiac Firebird, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Fuel system, gasoline16
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Structure6
- Electrical system5
- Steering5
- Air bags4
- Power train3
- Visibility3
- Equipment2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 14 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 1994 Pontiac Firebird failed the safety check 1.02% of the time — 23% less often than the average 1994 passenger car (1.33%). Median odometer at inspection: 83,590 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
53 first registered in 1994 are on Dutch roads; 32% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen15
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde12
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm9
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld9
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt8
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse7
- Waarschuwingsinrichting antiblokkeersysteem geeft defect aan4
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm4
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
10 cars built in 1994 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 23 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
46 of these cars first registered in 1994 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 175,000 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
5 1994 cars are on the New Zealand register; 80% 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
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1994 Pontiac Firebird.
| 1993162 3 Dec 1993 | Fuel System NOTE: VEHICLE LOCATED IN ONTARIO. THE FUEL LINE COULD DEVELOP A HOLE DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE HOT AIR (AIR INJECTION REACTION) CHECK VALVE. THIS COULD RESULT IN… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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 1994 Pontiac Firebird: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636700 | SERVICE MANUAL ADVISES INCORRECT USAGE OF CONVERTIBLE TOP FLUID. *TT |
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 615073 | SOME V6 ENGINES MAY, ON A VERY INFREQUENT BASIS, HAVE AN OIL ODOR CONDITION THAT IS GENERALLY ENCOUNTERED AFTER THE ENGINE'S OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED.TYPICALLY THE ODOR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AFTER THE CHANGE OF OIL AND THEN DOES NOT REAPPEAR UNTIL THE NEXT CHANGE OF OIL. *TT |
| 603086 | SOME VEHICLES EXPERIENCE ENGINE MISS/ POOR DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOMS. *YC |
| 54419 | COMMENT THAT THE ABS LIGHT IS ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) 46 AND 86 SET AS CURRENT OR HISTORY. *YC |
| 54328 | EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT STEERING COLUMN SNAP OR CLICK NOISE WHEN TURNING. *YC |
| 54065 | COMMENTS ON INOPERATIVE POWER DOOR LOCKS (FRONT AND/OR REAR DOORS). |
| 52600 | CLN INDICATOR APPEARS ON RADIO DISPLAY AND DOES NOT TURN OFF (RESET CLN INDICATOR WITH THE EJECT BUTTON ON TAPE). *TW |
| 52570 | INOPERATIVE POWER DOOR LOCKS/POWER WINDOWS (INSTALL NEW SWITCHES). *TW |
| 52340 | RATTLE/BUZZ NOISE FROM PARK BRAKE HANDLE RELEASE BUTTON (ADD TENSION TO RELEASE BUTTON). *TW |
| 50561 | INSUFFICIENT A/C PERFORMANCE AND/OR NOISY COMPRESSOR CLUTCH DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR OF THE COMPRESSOR SHAFT SEALS. *TW |
| 45809 | VEHICLE SPEED SURGE OR SLOW RESPONSE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. *SD |
| 45804 | TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER/CHUGGLE ON TCC APPLY.*SD |
| 43041 | UNKNOWN |
| 39292 | BINDING DURING RAISING OR LOWERING OF CONVERTINBLE TOP. *TW |
| 37944 | MANUAL TRANSMISSION HOPS OUT OF GEAR. *TW |
| 37941 | DOOR GLASS RATTLE IN FULL DOWN POSITION. *TW |
| 10246631 | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules |
| 10170494 | This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock. |
| 10168979 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. E version update is to add administrative details. |
| 10165876 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. |
| 10141381 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. |
| 10017070 | REAR SUSPENSION CLUNK NOISE. *TT |
| 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
FUEL TUBE RETAINING CLIP FAILURE
FUEL TUB RETAINING CLIP FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation