Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Pontiac Firebird, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic27
- Air bags7
- Vehicle speed control5
- Visibility5
- Steering5
- Exterior lighting5
- Structure4
- Suspension3
- Unknown or other3
- Power train2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 5 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 1998 Firebird vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 2 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Pontiac Firebird failed the safety check 1.54% of the time — 10% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 88,310 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
5 cars built in 1998 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 7 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
5 of these cars first registered in 1998 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 123,000 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
1 1998 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
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 11.5–13.0 L/100 km (about 18–20 mpg US), CO₂ 265–299 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firebird · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 13.8 | 8.6 | 11.5 |
| Firebird · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 8.9 | 11.7 |
| Firebird · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 14.8 | 10.1 | 12.7 |
| Firebird · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 15.6 | 9.8 | 13.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1998 Pontiac Firebird.
| 1998170 26 Aug 1998 | Emissions NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 5.7 LITRE ENGINES. THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION (EGR) VALVE COULD FAIL DUE TO INTERNAL CORROSION. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHIC… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1998 Pontiac Firebird.
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 1998 Pontiac Firebird: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634815 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A HARSH 1-2 UPSHIFT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR SERVICE ENGINE SOON INDICATOR IS ILLUMINATED AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1870 SET. *TT |
| 634788 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A MILD TO SEVERE ENGINE PING (COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS SPARK KNOCK) USUALLY WORSE DURING ACCELERATION AND / OR AN ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP. *TT |
| 634723 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A MILD TO SEVERE ENGINE PING (SPARK KNOCK) DURING ACCELERATION AND / OR ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0332 SET. *TT |
| 634617 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE FUEL CAP TETHER IS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. *TT |
| 632306 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A BUZZ OR RATTLE SOUND FROM THE DOOR PANEL OR REAR QUARTER PANEL TRIM SPEAKER LOCATIONS. *TT |
| 629751 | CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS OF SMOKE IN LENS, WATER IN LENS, CRACKS IN THE LENS, FOG OR MOISTURE IN THE LENS. *TT |
| 629457 | SUBJECT REGARDING CLUTCH PEDAL RETURN SPRING BREAKS OR SCRAPING NOISE WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL APPLIED (REPLACE CLUTCH PEDAL RETURN SPRING) *JG |
| 628879 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE REAR FLOOR OR THE TRUNK IS WET. *TT |
| 627839 | INFORMATION REGARDING HARSH 1-2 UPSHIFT, SERVICE ENGINE SOON, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, OR CEL ILLUMINATED, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1870 SET. (1996-2000 CHEVROLET AND GMC LIGHT DUTY TRUCK MODELS) *YH |
| 624061 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE WINDOW MOTOR IS NOISY GOING UP OR DOWN. *TT |
| 622930 | SOME OWNERS WITH VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE JANUARY 15,1999 MAY COMMENT ON A HARSH 1-2 UPSHIFT AND MAY ALSO HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. *ET |
| 619742 | THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN STATES THAT TECHNICIANS MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN REMOVING THE CONNECTORS FROM THE PARK / NEUTRAL POSITION SWITCH, USUALLY WHEN TRYING TO REMOVE THE SWITCH DURING TRANSMISSION SERVICE. *TT |
| 619720 | THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS INFORMATION ON VARIOUS WINDNOISE / WATER LEAK CONDITIONS. *TT |
| 619715 | SUBJECT ORDERING REFERENCE TABLE FOR ORDERING THE NEW VALVE BODY, SPACER PLATE AND GASKET KIT. *TT |
| 619373 | INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE NEW CONTROL VALVE BODY, SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS FOR THE 4L60-E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TT |
| 619187 | THIS BULLETIN IS TO INFORM DEALERS OF THE RELEASE OF A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER BOLT FOR CERTAIN TRANSMISSIONS. *TT |
| 619040 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION WHERE EITHER THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT QUARTER TRIM PANEL PULLS AWAY AND WILL NOT STAY ATTACHED TO THE DUAL LOCK. *TT |
| 618141 | A NO REVERSE, NO SECOND GEAR, OR NO FOURTH GEAR CONDITION. *TT UPDATED *EH |
| 618066 | INFORMATION REGARDING WINDOW MOTOR NOISE. *JB |
| 617730 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT WHEN THE REAR HATCH IS OPENED, WATER RUNS OUT OF ONE OR BOTH FRONT LOWER CORNERS. *TT |
| 616357 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT REAR QUARTER TRIM GAPS TO THE B-PILLAR. *TT |
| 615084 | ON SOME CONVERTIBLE MODELS, THE CONVERTIBLE TOP MECHANISM BINDS OR STOPS WHEN HALFWAY OPEN OR CLOSED. *TT |
| 611913 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A SQUEAK / CHIRP NOISE COMING FROM THE ACCESSORY DRIVE SERPENTINE BELT ON VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO VIN BREAKPOINT Y2107225. *TT |
| 6089988 | SOME VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO VIN BREAKPOINT Y2102472 MAY EXHIBIT A SQUEALING TYPE NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES DURING A LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKE APPLY. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)