1999 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Recalls, Complaints & Safety

LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAN NOT TURN VEHICLE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CLUTCH SYSTEM DISENGAGED WHENEVER THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE UNINTENTIONAL VEHICLE MOVEMENT, INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES AND DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V239000 (POWER TRAIN: CLUTCH ASSEMBLY). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 PONTIAC FIRE BIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CLUTCH SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE WHEN BEING DEPRESSED. THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V239000 (POWER TRAIN: CLUTCH ASSEMBLY) BUT THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,200. UPDATED 10/27/11*BF UPDATED 11/16/11*JB

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1999 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. WHILE LOOKING UP RECALLS ON WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV, I CAME UPON A RECALL FOR MY CAR (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 99V239000). I CALLED THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER, AND INQUIRED ABOUT SPECIFICS. THE SERVICE EMPLOYEE CHECKED MY VIN, THEN TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE HAD NO RECALLS SHOWING FOR IT. MY VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT IS STATED IN THE RECALL. WITH ONLY 56,000 MILES ON IT, THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION, COSMETICALLY AND MECHANICALLY OTHERWISE. THE RECALL STATES THAT A 'POTENTIAL' 69 VEHICLES WERE AFFECTED. DOES THE WORD 'POTENTIAL' MEAN AN AVERAGE OR POSSIBLY MORE? *TR

WHEN STARTING THE CAR COLD, AND IDLING THE CAR... HEADLIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL OPERATION IS NORMAL. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE CAR (NOT IDLING) THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO DARK WITHOUT WARNING (THE HEADLAMP DOORS REMAIN OPEN), AND THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILS TO OPERATE. EVERY 6 TO 10 SECONDS, THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROCEEDS TO PULSE AFTER THIS OCCURS, UNLESS THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED FROM LOW BEAM POSITION TO PARKING LIGHT POSITION. THE PULSING THEN STOPS, BUT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT LIT AND IF TURNED OFF... THE DOORS WILL NOT LIFT UP AGAIN AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT LIGHT. AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, THE CAR SEEMS TO "RESET" ITSELF AND THE LIGHTS AND SIGNALS WILL BECOME OPERATIONAL FOR ANOTHER 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THIS CREATES AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. THE CAUSE IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN. I PLAN TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER, NORRIS AUTO MALL FOR EVALUATION. *NM

THE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN WITH NO NOTICE AT ALL, THE ENGINE JUST DIES. I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM OFF AND ON FOR OVER A YEAR AND MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP FOR WEEKS OR MORE AND I'M TOLD THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT SO I GO AND GET IT AND IT DIES ON ME. ONCE THIS HAPPENED WITHIN MINUTES. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AFTER I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP, I WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT AND I DROVE IT FOR A WEEK , BEFORE IT DIED ON ME AFTER THEY HAD IT FOR 2 WEEKS AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS AT THE MOMENT STATING THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG SO THEY RESET THE TROUBLE CODES IN THE COMPUTER AND WAIT TO SEE IF IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT HAS DIED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND THAT'S VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS IN MY OPINION. AFTER THE VEHICLE SITS FOR A WHILE IT USUALLY STARTS BACK UP, AND DRIVES AS IF NOTHING HAS EVER HAPPENED TO IT UNTIL IT DIES AGAIN BUT ONE NEVER KNOWS WHEN EVERYTHING WILL JUST GO DEAD. IT DOES TURN OVER BUT HAS NO IGNITION AND AFTER ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES OF INTERMITTENT CRANKING IT WILL START BACK UP. THEY CHANGED A CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND THAT LASTED FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS AND THEN THEY CHANGED IT IN MARCH OF 2005 AND THAT LASTED FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND HERE WE ARE AGAIN WITH THE VEHICLE DOING BASICALLY THE SAME THING BUT I'M TOLD ITS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. THE 10 FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THE PAST YEAR TO YEAR AND A HALF. THERE ARE SITES ON THE INTERNET WHERE THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM IS BEING DISCUSSED ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES. THE DATE OF OCT 20 2005 IS THE LAST TIME THAT THIS PROBLEM APPEARED, AND THEY HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SINCE THE 24TH OF OCT. IT WAS TAKEN TO THEM ON THE 24TH BECAUSE THAT'S THE EARLIEST THAT THEY COULD LOOK AT IT SO I WAS TOLD. *JB

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

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

WHEN MAKING A U TURN STEERING LOCKED UP AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD TO STOP AND PLACE GEAR SHIFT IN PARK AND THEN MOVE BACK TO DRIVE BEFORE THE WHEEL WOULD TURN. THE ENGINE DID NOT DIE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED IN THE 1 1/2 THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. ALYSE ECKER. *AK

ON MY 1999 PONTIAC FIREBIRD THE DRIVER'S PASSENGER DOOR PANELS ARE CRACKING SINCE NEW WINDOW MOTORS WERE INSTALLED ALSO HAVE TALKED TO 5 OTHER PEOPLE DRIVING FIREBIRDS WHOSE DOOR PANELS ARE CRACKING ALSO. THE CRACKS OR 2-4 INCHES LONG AND ARE OCCURRING ABOUT 6 TO 8 INCHES FROM DOOR JAM SAME SPOT ON DRIVER AN PASSENGER DOORS ALSO SAME ON THE OTHERS I HAVE SPOKE WITH. *LA

THE AIR INLETS ON THE BREATHER FOR ENGINE AIR INTAKE ARE POSITIONED AT THE FRONT CENTER OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR. THE ANGLE OF THE RADIATOR IN RELATION TO THE ROAD SURFACE PROVIDES A CHUTE FOR WATER TO TRAVEL DIRECTLY TO THE AIR INLETS AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE INTAKE AND INTERNAL ENGINE AREAS. THERE IS ALSO A RESEVOIR JUST BEHIND THE AIR FILTER TO CATCH ANY FLUIDS PRIOR TO ENGINE INTAKE. WHY? WATER IS NOT COMPRESSIBLE, SO DISASTER IS WAITING TO HAPPEN WHEN IT IS INTRODUCED INTO A CYLINDER. WHY ISN'T THE AIR BREATHER ASSEMBLY LOCATED ELSEWHERE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO ROAD WATER INDUCTION. POOR ENGINEERING IS A RESPONSIBILITY THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO ADDRESS, NOT THE CONSUMER. *JB

THE MOTOR THAT OPERATED THE POWER HEAD LIGHTS FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO DOWN. *PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT FOUR ORIGINAL RIMS ARE CORRODED FROM INSIDE OUT WHICH MAKES UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. DEALER STATED HE NEVER HEARD SOMETHING LIKE THIS. *AK

DEALER HAD TO REPLACE IN MARCH AND IN JUNE THE TURN SIGNAL LENS. ONCE AGAIN NEEDS TO REPLACE THE LENS. *AK

THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 99 V 239 000, REGARDING THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB SCC

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED. *JB SCC

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

THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND ENGINE WAS OFF WHEN THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A FENCE.*JB

Crash

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES/ROTOR AND EXCESSIVE BRAKE NOISE WHEN BRAKING AT ALL TIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS/HOT WEATHER. 6/17/99, TOOK CAR INTO DEALER FOR EXCESSIVE BRAKE NOISE, THEY GAVE ME BULLETIN #88-5-13 DATED 9/88, SAID NOISE WAS NORMAL IT WILL GO AWAY WITH TIME. TOOK CAR IN AGA IN ON 7/30/99 FOR SAME PROBLEM, NOTHING WAS DONE, DEALER SAID I HAD TO GIVE BRAKES SOME TIME TO WEAR DOWN, THEN IT WILL GO AWAY. AGAIN, ON 09/08/99, WITH 4,477 MILES, BRAKE NOISE WAS WAY EXCESSIVE, THEY REPLACED THE PADS AND REFACED THE ROTORS. AGAIN ON 7/6/00 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY REMOVED PADS AND INSTALLED BRAKE QUIET AND NEW PADS. ON 8/01/00, TOOK CAR IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AND CLAIMED THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED CAR HAD 8,544 MILES AT THE TIME. SUMMER OF 2001, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT IGNORED IT, I WAS TIRED OF RUNNING TO DEALER WITH THIS PROBLEM EVERY YEAR. ON 7/12/02, CAR HAD 20,926 MILES. I TOOK CAR INTO DEALER AGAIN, THIS TIME BRAKE PEDAL WAS PULSATING, SQUEALING OVER EXCESSIVELY AND STEARING WHEEL WAS SHAKING SEVERELY, WHEN I WAS BRAKING TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN, CAUSING ME TO STOP BEYOND THE SIGN. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO INCOMING TRAFFIC, OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT. DEALER REPLACED FRONT ROTORS FOR THE 3RD TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE WARPED AGAIN. THIS CAR IS ONLY DRIVEN 6MOS. EACH YEAR. IT IS STORED BEFORE WINTER , FROM MID OCTOBER UNTIL MID APRIL EVERY YEAR. I WAS TOLD THAT GM WILL NOT EXTEND WARRANTIES ON CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM. WHEN MY 5 YR. WARRANTY EXPIRES, I WILL BE STUCK WITH A YEARLY BILL OF REPLACING ROTORS ON THIS CAR, WHICH DOESN'T COME CHEAP. GM SHOULD GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSING THESE ROTORS TO WARP, AND FIX IT ONCE AND FOR ALL. THE FIREBIRD I OWNED PREVIOUSLY, I PURCHASED IT NEW IN 1994, I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTOR ON THIS CAR FOR THE SIX YEARS I OWNED IT, THE ONLY THING I HAD TO REPLACE WAS THE PADS. I HAVE HAD EXCELLENT SERVICE FROM THE DEALER. DT

CARS ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY GO TO FULL THROTTLE ON ITS OWN. RPMS WOULD RACE FOR A MOMENT THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. DEALER SAID IT WAS CARBON BUILD UP. WE HAD HUNTER CHEVROLET IN HENDERSONVILLE, NC PERFORM THE 30,000 MILE SERVICE MAINTENANCE 10/30/01 WHICH INCLUDED CLEANING OUT THE THROTTLE BODY. ON 11/3/01 WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN, THE THROTTLE AGAIN WENT TO FULL THROTTLE CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF CAR AND CRASHING. DID $7,500.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE. GOT THE CAR BACK IN JANUARY 2002 AND ON 2/13/02 THE CAR AGAIN WENT TO FULL THROTTLE ON ITS OWN CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WRECKING IT AGAIN.*AK

Crash

WHENEVER TURN SIGNAL IS IN USE IT FAILS TO FLASH, IT WOULD REMAIN SOLID. VEHICLE WAS REARENDED DUE TO RIGHT SIGNAL NOT BLINKING. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER AND MECHANIC REPLACED TWO BULBS. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK *SLC

Crash

WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS EXECUTED IT WILL NOT BLINK, IT JUST STAYS LIT UP INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. OTHER VEHICLES ARE UNABLE TO TELL THAT I AM TURNING.*AK

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

GAS GAUGE NEEDLE JUMPS AROUND ALL THE TIME AND IT IS HARD TO TELL HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

CLUTCH DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN IT IS DEPRESSED. THIS MAKES VEHICLE DIFFICULT IN SHIFTING. ALSO, ENGINE STALLS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. CONSUMER REFERRED TO RECALL# 99V239000. CONTACT DEALER ,AND DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON VEHICLE.*AK

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.

WARPED BRAKE ROTORS CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHAKE. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR VEHICLE THREE TIMES. *AK

I HAVE TAKEN IN MY CAR THREE TIMES WITH IN FEB/00 TO 12/00 PUTNUM HAS ONLY CHANGED MY BRAKES AND I ALSO HAVE ROTOR PROBLEMS AND I FEEL ABS PROBLEMS. THEY ARE SAYING I HAVE TO PAY FOR THEM TO BE FIXED AND THE REASON WHY MY ROTORS ARE WORPED IS THE BREAKS GET HOT SO THEY SAY. I AM NOT FEELING GOOD ABOUT THIS DUE TO WHEN DRIVING MY CAR AND BREAKING MY CAR SHAKES REALLY BAD. I JUST WENT THROUGH A STOP SIGN TODAY AFTER APPLYING MY BRAKESTHEY DID NOT WORK CORRECTLY. I HOPE TO GET THIS BREAKING PROBLEM IN CONTROL BEFORE I OR SOMEONE ELSE GETS HURT. OTHER WISE I AM VERY HAPPY WITH MY TRANSAM. PUTNUM HAS BEEN GOOD TO OTHER THEN THIS PROBLEM CAN WE FIX THIS? THANKS SO MUCH. *AK