Tl* the contact owns a cosco safety seat light and comfy safety seat (na), model number: ic-108bvn (na). The seat was manufactured on november 6, 2013. The safety seat was being utilized in a 1996 pontiac firebird. The contact stated that the bottom left latch became difficult to release when removing the child seat. The contact stated that a screwdriver was needed to depress the latch in order to release the child seat. The failure recurred constantly. The child was in the safety seat at the time of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN and purchase date were unknown.
The worst 1996 Pontiac Firebird problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes12
- Electrical8
- Transmission7
- Engine6
- Fuel system2
- Seats2
- Acceleration1
- Airbags1
- Lights1
- Locks1
- Suspension1
- Visibility1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1996 Pontiac Firebird
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
Fuel tube retaining clip failure
Most of the reports reviewed in this investigation are fire incidents in which fuel leakage has been alleged as the cause or the area of origin is consistent with the alleged defect.there is no evidence that the subject clip was a factor in any of these fire incidents and the federal safety agency testing indicates thatbroken or dislodged retention clip does not result in significant movement of the fuel line bundle toward the left secondary air injection check valve.failure of the clip places the fuel line bundle assembly in the same configuration as the 1993 model year lti vehicles.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that no safety-related defect exists.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
EA97024
Fuel tub retaining clip failure
Owners have reported failures of the fuel tube retention clip that attaches to the plastic throttle linkage cover.according to gm, the subject retention clip (p/n 12048089) was implemented in production on october 12, 1993, to address a concern with incorrect assembly plant fuel line routing.mis-routed fuel tubes may fail from contact with a hot air check valve, creating a fire hazard in the engine compartment.gm maintains that no problems should occur if the clip is properly installed and isn't mishandled during subsequent service operations.some owners have alleged to odi that the subject clip becomes brittle over time and may also pull free of the throttle linkage cover attachment hole.
PE97036
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Pontiac Firebird 52
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Fuel system, gasoline
- This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy...
- Equipment
- This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- Rear suspension clunk noise
- Intermittent chuggle or fishbite on light acceleration or a highway speeds with no diagnostic trouble...
1996 Pontiac Firebird fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6‑cyl | RWD | 17 | 26-28 | 20 |
| 5.7L 8‑cyl | RWD | 15 | 23-24 | 18 |
What 1996 Pontiac Firebird owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
1996 pontiac firebird seat back collapsed into the back seat. Consumer states that he violently turned the wheel to the left on the highway to avoid and accident when his seat collapsed into the rear seat causing him to lose control. *kb the consumer was rear ended, because when the seat broke, he could not see the road and instinctively applied the brakes. The consumer stated the seat will not lock in any position. The consumer stated it wasn't the first time the seat failed.
The plastic gears that drive the headlight pods on my 1996 pontiac firebird have failed. Retraction of the headlight causes loud grinding noises. Occaisionally, one or other of the headlight pods does not rasie when the headlights are turned on. It can only be a matter of time before the pods no longer operate at all. This is unacceptable given the low mileage of the vehicle. The problem is well known among firebird owners and some enterprising soul has even come up with a "fix". Note this fix requires the disassembly of parts that were never intended to be taken apart. Http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/headlightfix/index.htm gm charge over $200 dollars for the pod drive motor. That is simply extortion.
This is the second time I've had to replace the mirror on the drivers side of this car. The mirror breaks off of the controls which makes it flop around. You can't use it to drive with, nor can you get it to stay still. You can't replace just the mirror either. You have to buy the whole piece (casing and mirror) then you have to have it painted. Grrrrrrrrrr!
While driving at 65 MPH flames were coming from vehicle. Dealer notified. *ak *ts
The spark plug wires go bad which causes the vehicle to misfire. This has happened at least ten times. The manufacturer has a safety campaign for this problem for up to 70,000 miles or seven years. The consumer stated the dealer fixed one time at no cost. The other times the consumer had to pay the expenses.
While placing key inside of ignition switch vehicle will not start. Dealership is aware of problem.
When cold or damp outside engine idle will race and stick at 2500 to 3000 RPM. Vehicle has manual transmission - 5 speed. Sometimes (ocassionally) turning off the vehicle and restarting solves the problem, most times no. Could be dangerous in the winter causing excess torque to rear wheels.
Ongoing problem with fuel odor/vapor getting into vehicle vehicle been in dealer shop on four occasions, and still unable to locate cause. Feel free to provide any further details on this matter.
While driving car started hesitating and engine light came on due to a defective water pump. Vehicle has had 3 water pumps previously. Problem still exists.
Compare the 1996 Pontiac Firebird
Other model years
Questions about the 1996 Pontiac Firebird
Is the 1996 Pontiac Firebird reliable?
Owners have filed 41 complaints about the 1996 Pontiac Firebird, 1.7 times a typical Firebird model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Pontiac Firebird?
Brakes, with 12 complaints. Next is electrical (8).
How many recalls does the 1996 Pontiac Firebird have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Pontiac Firebird have bad brakes?
The Pontiac Firebird model years with the most brakes complaints are 1998 (28 complaints), 1999 (17 complaints) and 1995 (15 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1996 Pontiac Firebird get?
Official estimates for the 1996 Pontiac Firebird range from 18 to 20 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.8L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 17 city and 26-28 highway.
VIN decoder
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