Comments: 1-15, 16-17
I have had numerous problems with my vehicle. To begin, with only 100 miles on this car the aluminum wheel cracked under the cold weather and had to be replaced at the cost of $350 for a used one. At 12,000 miles the car lost power steering and the steering unit had to be replaced. The ignition was replaced twice at 18,000 miles and again at 35,000 miles. At around 40,000 miles the brakes started squeaking constantly, even when not pressing on the brakes. This squeaking could also be heard when steering to the left. I have had this problem fixed several times by having the rotors turned, but they are now worn down so much that they need to be replaced. Replacement of the rotors is not an option at $900 each.
The majority of my problems have occurred in the last 15,000 miles. At 60,000 miles the A/C compressor had to be replaced for $850. The alternator went out at 70,000 miles and was replaced. At 71,000 miles the A/C compressor bracket broke causing the belt to break. Also around this time the headlights (they pop up and down) started making horrible grinding noises. It's because the motors need to be replaced. This is also very expensive at around $500 per headlight. Needless to say, I did not replace the headlight motors, and now the headlights are stuck in the "on" position. At 72,000 miles the door locks became jammed in the "unlock" position for a couple of weeks, until I finally gave in to a mechanic. In addition, the hatch no longer stays up by itself, and the stereo display is no longer visible. This also has to be completely replaced for approximately $600. Aftermarket stereos are also pricey because it is manufactured as a double-din stereo. The passenger speaker cuts out constantly, but that is the least of my problems.
Just recently (in the last 500 miles) I have noticed that my car is leaking/burning 1 quart of oil per week. The brakes are still squeaky prompting attention from everyone I drive by. The right windshield wiper hasn't been functioning. Also, a normal wiper blade is about $3 to replace. Pontiac came up with the great idea to make the Firebird have a special wiper blade costing $15. Don't even ask about the cup holders, or should I say cup-spillers. There is only one and it dumps directly into the shifter anytime you break.
I know I have forgotten some things. But let me just end here by saying that this is quite possibly America's worst vehicle ever.
I don't have anything nice to say about this car. Don't buy one. This is not a reliable form of transportation. However, it might make a good yard display.
OK, that's a huge list of problems, which is very rare for this car. You must have a rebuilt car or something as Firebirds/Trans Ams are reliable cars. I wouldn't judge American muscle based of your vehicle. If you take a look at other people's comments on this vehicle, you will notice they are all very pleased with their vehicles, as am I. I have a 95 and have had only minor problems with it. It too bad you have had such problems.
Now if you had a Mustang... well then I wouldn't be surprised at all...
I bought this car brand new. It had 6 miles on it when I test drove it. Funny you mention the Mustang. We also own a 93 Cobra which has had zero problems. I may have gotten a lemon with my Firebird, but I would never buy another Pontiac. I have spent more money repairing this vehicle than the price I paid for it ($15,000).
Just a note for your headlight problem, the grinding noise, I had this same problem, there is a way to fix it for free, if you are interested, let me know and I will send you the info on how to do this, I had the same thing happen to my 96 ta.
Rwfromm@hotmail.com.
I too own a 1996 Pontiac Firebird with 146000+ miles on it. I haven't had any problem with it in 2 years. The motor had to be replaced for the headlight at 70,000 miles, and the a/c compressor gave out at 130,000 miles. As you can see these are a lot of miles and those are respectable figures, if you consider an eight year old car with that many miles and that fact that these are the ONLY two problems I have ever had with this car. I just you just happen to have gotten a dud. It happens. You should not go around condemning American cars just because of that reason.
My wife bought her 1996 Pontiac Firebird brand new at the dealer. I have to say it has been OK. The engine and transmission are really good. No problems there. We have had issues with the A/C compressor, and the Spark Plug Wires that were recalled. That and the O2 sensors are expensive to change out. We also had problems with the lighs not working properly - luckily we had the extended warranty and they dealer took care of it (it was a HUGE hassle). Now the car is running fairly OK. It revs up sporadically in the mornings and our "check engine" light is constantly on. I've replaced the EGR valve, put new spark plugs and wires in it. Replaced the 02 sensors (again). And flushed the radiator and changed the oil. So far nothing has worked and am unable to get the Check Engine light to turn off. I took it to a Tune up shop where they sprayed water on the fuel injectors to test for leaks. They told me the front right Fuel Injector was leaking - so I bought a brand new one and had it replaced. I took it back to the Tune up place and they told me it was still leaking because they sprayed water on it and it was making a "hissing" noise that I heard also. They told me to take it back to the guy that fixed it, but I don't think that is the problem. I'm giving up on this car & am not buying Pontiacs or any other american car.
I have a '96 convertible with V6. Aside from multiple replacement of headlight motors (which are so common in 4th gen Firebirds that several websites exist showing how to replace them!) my most recent issue is a window motor failure and serious oil leaks. After 120,000, had to replace water pump and alternator. Gas gauge is questionable after dropping below 1/2 tank. Air conditioning failed at 122,000 and a re-charge did not help. Otherwise, a good looking, good performing car.
Hmmm $900 a piece for rotors? $500 a piece for headlight motors? The mustang has had zero problems and your firebird is a lemon?!? Hmmm, I wonder if you could make it anymore obvious that you work for Ford and you are getting paid to write this garbage. Nice life.
Agreed that claiming rotors cost $900 each is ridiculous, but if the reviewer worked for Ford and was just trying to denigrate Pontiac, I don't think he/she would have picked a nine year old example of a model that went out of production three years ago...
I myself own two 1996 pontiac firebirds. One red, one purple. And I have put a lot of miles on them, driving back and forth to work, and many, many cross country drives and trips. The red one had a complete tune up at 100,000 miles (replace spark plugs, wires, etc.) and has always ran great. I have never had any problems with it. The purple one had to have a new water pump at around 92,000 miles, and last summer I had to fix a leak in the A/C compressor (140,000 miles). And recently in the past week I've noticed one of the O2 sensors needs to be replaced, we're at a little over 160,000 miles now. Other than that I haven't had any problems. I change the oil every 3,000 miles, keep my tires rotated, keep the cars greased and lubricating, and I change all the fluids at least once per year (transmission, radiator, differential, etc.). So I myself have been very pleased and happy with both vehicles. My only problem is now that they've been discontinued, what can I buy that I can depend on like I have these two beautiful birds?
I HAVE A 95 fIREBIRD AND I PUT A NEW ENGINE IN IT AT 192000 MILES. I just had to replace the alternator... but other than scheduled maintenaince it has been great.
I would have to agree that the fourth gen Firebird is a pile. I bought one for my daughter, and the car is literally non-functional below 32 degrees. The shifter hangs up in Park, and the only way to get it out is by lifting the console and forcing the park locking mechanism down. When I press the button on the side, it won't fully push the locking mechanism far enough to get past the notch it needs to clear. The shifter itself is like something out of an mechanical engineers wet dream.
As a lifelong GM man, it pains me to say that the engineering going into this car borders on lunacy. Problem Two; there is a relay (I believe) that is associated with the idiotic "antitheft" system that in cold weather will not work. The interior lights blink spastically and the door bells chime along with it. If you wait long enough, oh say about 45 minutes, the relay appears to warm up enough to finally function. I replaced both relays last spring, after being stranded repeated by this problem last winter. As for whether or not this is a "muscle car", believe me it is not. I owned a Yenko Nova, a 769 440 Roadrunner, and a slough of Chevelles in my day, and those were muscle cars. These things are over-glorified grocery getters. OK well, that's my two cents.
I own a Firebird. Bought it for $1700. Had problems with the hatch not unlocking, and my headlights grinding. Other than that it's been a great car, but the cup holders are stupid.
I too have a 1996 Firebird. There are two of us now talking about problems that appeared well after purchase, so I think the "dud" comment is unfair. In my case, almost everything under the hood has had to be replaced. I wasn't careful about maintenance the first few years, when it had almost no problems. Also, I have never driven it very hard, nor have I driven it much during the past 12+ years.
I have a 96 with almost no problems..
Sure the headlight motors go out just like they did with my 85..
My AC is cold and the car rockets off of a start..
At 200000 miles it's a champ. I can still dust a Corvette at the raceway. It's all in how you take care of a car, and not the car.
Yeah the cup holder sucks, but if you're not putting out the horse power, it's your fault and not the car. Sure mine is suped up, but I'm working mine harder than to school and back every day.
A V6 Firebird is NOT a muscle car! A Trans Am, now that is a rocket!