1995 PONTIAC FIREBIRD Complaints

WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE INTO DRIVE, THE CAR FAILS TO PROCEED, BUT JUST SITS STILL FOR ABOUT 4 SECONDS BEFOR IT STARTS TO MOVE FOREWARD. THIS IS SCARY BECAUSE I HAVE HAD NEAR-ACCIDENTS WITH THIS PROBLEM WHEN AN APPROACHING VEHICLE IS COMING UP ON ME FROM THE REAR ON THE ROADS I HAVE BACKED OUT ONTO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MARSHALL PONTIAC IN CLINTON, IN FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXHISTS REGARDLESS. THIS CREATES ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WHEN THE ROADS ARE SLICK. WHEN THE CAR STARTS TO MOVE FOREWARD, IT ACCELERATES AND CAUSES TIRE SLIPPAGE AND LOSS OF TRACTION. ABOUT THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM NOW....WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SHUT OFF, THEY DROP INTO PLACE, BUT THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT MAKES A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE FOR ABOUT 15-20 SECONDS. THE DRIVING LIGHTS CANNOT BE TURNED ON WITHOUT THE HEADLIGHTS POPPING UP (EVEN THOUGH THE HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT LIT). I FIND MYSELF SHUTTING OFF MY HEADLIGHTS BEFORE I REACH A POPULATED AREA TO AVOID EMBARRASMENT OF THE NOISE. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS, I REALIZE. IT CAN BE HEARD A BLOCK AWAY. I HAVE TALKED TO ABOUT 5 OTHER FIREBIRD AND TRANS AM OWNERS IN JUST MY AREA THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE SHIFT FROM R TO DRIVE. WHEN THEY HAD THE HEADLIGHT MOTOR REPLACED, THEY EVENTUALLY EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM ONCE AGAIN WITH THE REPLACEMENT MOTOR/MODULE. NOW ABOUT THE IGNITION....THE CAR TAKES THREE, SOMETIMES FOUR TRYS TO START. THIS WAS QUITE A PROBLEM FOR ME WHEN I WAS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION NEEDING TO RUSH MY DAUGHTER TO THE HOSPITAL AS SHE CUT OFF HER THUMB RECENTLY. WE LOST VALUABLE TIME TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO START WHILE SHE WAS LOSING ALOT OF BLOOD. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY FRUSTRATING. MARSHALL PONTIAC IN CLINTON, IN HAS REPLACED HEADLIGHT MOTORS ON THESE 90 MODEL FIREBIRD AND TRANS AMS IN THE PAST WITHOUT INFORMING THE OWNER THAT OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IF THIS IS A PROB. LOCALLY, WHAT ARE THE NAT'NL NUMBERS?

WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE GOT STUCK IN OPEN POSITION, CAUSING VEHICLE TO RACE AND ACCLERATE. BRAKING SYSTEM COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. HAD TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.

DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE #29, AIR PUMP FUSE AND WIRING ARE NOT ADEQUATE TO PREVENT FUSE FROM BLOWING. FUSE BLOWS AFTER ENGINE GOES INTO CLOSED LOOP OPERATION. AIR PUMP DOES NOT WORK AFTER THIS, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO APPEAR.

DURING INITIAL 3 YR/36,000 MILES WARRANTY PERIOD THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP 5 OR MORE TIMES FOR THE IGINITION PROBLEM. IT INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. THE TOTAL IGNITION AND KEYS, CLUTCH SWITCH WERE REPLACED, AND EVENTUALLY I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED WHEN THE SECURITY MODULE WAS REPLACED AT AROUND 37,000 MILES. IN THE LAST 2 DAYS THE IGINITION HAS FAILED APPROXIMATELY 20 TIMES, AND WORKED CORRECTLY ABOUT 10 TIMES. I HAVE NOT YET TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER. I WAS HOPING TO FIND IT WAS A RECURRENT PROBLEM THAT YOU HAD A RECORD ON, AND I COULD FINALLY GET IT RESOLVED. HOWEVER, I DIDN'T FIND THIS IN THE DATA BASE. ALSO, THE BACKUP LIGHTS WERE FIXED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND HAVE FAILED AGAIN. THE ORIGNAL FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE SWITCH ON THE TRANSMISION. I AM ASSUMING THAT IS THE FAILURE AGAIN. THE BULBS ARE OKAY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED LOSING POWER AND VEHICLE STALLED. PULLED OVER AND RAISED THE HOOD, AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A NEARBY DRIVER HELPED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

VEHICLE IGNITION SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURED IN A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS (FROM A STOP, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHILE IN CRUISE, WHILE ACCELERATING, ETC.). DASH INDICATIONS ARE A

WHILE TRAVELLING AT 55 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN CRASH DUE TO THE REAR AXLE BREAKING IN HALF. FRONTAL IMPACT AND REAR IMPACT INTO A CEMENT WALL, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DEALER CONTACTED AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

IE 97060; THERE IS A FUEL LEAKAGE SOMEWHERE AND A SMELL OF GASOLINE. WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL HARD ONE CAN SMELL THE GAS MORE. DEALER CONTACTED AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FUEL SMELL, AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT VEHICLE STARTED SPINNING AROUND, THEN LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A COLLISION/INJURIES. NO PRIOR INDICATION THAT INCIDENT WOULD OCCUR. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE CAR WAS TOTALLED AND NO REPAIIRS DONE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BECAME SLUGGISH. SMOKE THEN CAME FROM VENTILATION VENTS IN VEHICLE, WHICH THEN RESULTED IN A FIRE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CAUSE OF FIRE UNKNOWN. *AK