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1983 Pontiac FirebirdProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 4 owner complaints about the 1983 Pontiac Firebird, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints40 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage85kSeat belts, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 3, 2007. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1983 Pontiac Firebird has problems

4 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts30
Parking brake20

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

1983 Pontiac Firebird recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Parking brake: conventional

Recall 91V-055 · Apr 11, 1991 · 179,036 vehicles

Risk. PARKING BRAKES WILL NOT COMPLETELY HOLD A PARKED VEHICLEWHEN PARKED ON A SLOPE, CAUSING UNINTENDED VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHICH COULD RESULTIN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Pontiac.

Best & worst years

1983 vs. every other Firebird year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Firebird median. How we score

'67'68'69'70'71'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
5 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1983 Pontiac Firebird, and the recalls they led to.

  1. REAR DISC BRAKESC90001 · closed Jul 31, 1991
    No recall
  2. REAR BRAKE FAILUREEA86019 · closed Jul 22, 1988
    No recall
  3. REAR DISC BRAKESEA88036 · closed Aug 30, 1991
    No recall
  4. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE85016 · closed Mar 22, 1985
    Led to recall 85V-034
  5. FRAME CRACKINGPE88070 · closed Sep 22, 1988
    No recall
In owners' words

What Firebird owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE FRONT SEAT BELTS IN MY FIREBIRD HAVE FAILED AND THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER HAS PARTS AVAILABLE. THEY WERE SUBJECT TO A RECALL, 85V169000, IN 1985. *AK
Complaint 10195249 · Jul 3, 2007
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AFTER BEING EXTENDED AND THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 85V169000, 91V055000 REGARDING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING AND PARKING BRAKE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALLS;…
Complaint 10148755 · Jan 26, 2006 · 70,000 miles
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AFTER BEING EXTENDED AND THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 85V169000, 91V055000 REGARDING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING AND PARKING BRAKE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE…
Complaint 10148753 · Jan 26, 2006 · 100,000 miles

Own a 1983 Firebird?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.