NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

2.8

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
51,430 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1999 Pontiac Firebird electrical problems

electrical problem

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1999 Pontiac Firebird Owner Comments

problem #4

Feb 012007

Firebird 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Medina, OH, USA

problem #3

Oct 202005

Firebird 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 56,550 miles
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.

- Alamogordo, NM, USA

problem #2

Aug 082004

Firebird 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 64,172 miles
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.

- Garland, TX, USA

problem #1

Jan 012000

Firebird 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 27,000 miles
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.

- Greer, SC, USA

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