1985 Pontiac FIERO: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
11 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
97,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1985 model year. Data snapshot: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 11 complaints (45.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 9.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 9.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 2 |
| Parking Brake:Conventional | 2 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 2; Parking Brake:Conventional: 2; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 9 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 2 |
| 1996 | 3 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
1995: 2; 1996: 3; 2000: 1; 2001: 2; 2002: 1; 2008: 2
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10009192 · 2002-05-02 (May 2, 2002)
I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO PONTIAC'S PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN #88-C-24 WHICH I CURRENTLY HAVE A COPY OF SAME. THE RECALL ADDRESSES COOLANT LEAKS, OIL LEAKS, AND IMPROPER SEALING OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT LID ALLOWING FOR PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FRONT (LEFT) EXHAUST MANIFOLD. MY MANIFOLD IS CRACKED DUE TO SUCH DECK LID FAILURE. IN CONTACTING PONTIAC(GM), THEY ALSO STATE THAT EITHER MY VEHICLE HAS ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THE RECALL(NO RECALL CAMPAIGN STICKER ARE ATTACHED TO MY CAR), OR THAT THE DOCUMENT I POSSESS IS FRAUDULENT. PONTIAC WILL …
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009192 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10221399 · 2008-03-17 (March 17, 2008)
VEHICLE HAS EXHAUST LEAK. PER VIN # RECALL 88C24 APPLIES TO VEHICLE, I'VE READ THE RECALL INFO, AND THERE ARE NO UPDATED PARTS INSTALLED. IVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY CAN NOT CHECK FOR RECALLS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. I'VE CONTACTED PONTIAC THEY SAY THERE IS NO OPEN RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. YET PER THE INFO IT DOES APPLIY AND WAS NOT DONE, PONTIAC COULD NOT TELL ME IF IT WAS DONE PER THERE RECORDS. I'VE GOT A FILE # AT PONTIAC 71-611369143
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10221399 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10235825 · 2008-07-26 (July 26, 2008)
GM WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECALLS ON MY CAR. I HAVE CALLED GM CUSTOMER CARE AT LEAST 4 TIMES AND THEY WON'T HELP ME. IT HAS NOT BEEN THROUGH ANY OF THE 2 IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALLS APPLICABLE TO IT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10235825 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 749182 · 2001-07-25 (July 25, 2001)
PONTIAC REFUSES TO PERFORM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 91V055000. THEIR POSITION IS THE RECALL HAS ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE 1990, WELL BEFORE THE RECALL DATE, AND THE RECALL HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED. SMAIL AUTOMOTIVE REFUSES TO INSPECT THE CAR TO VERIFY THAT REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED. THEY ARE RELYING ON INACCURATE INFORMATION FROM THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEM. I WOULD LIKE PONTIAC TO PROVIDE PROOF THAT THE RECALL HAS BEEN PERFORMED. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN TO A GENERAL MOTORS SERVICE DEPARTMENT SINCE I'VE OWNED …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 749182 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 800463 · 1996-08-05 (August 5, 1996)
THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT FIX EVERYTHING STATED IN HIS RECALL LETTER. *AK CONSUMER STATES RECALL LETTER STATES THAT THE BRAKE PADS NEED TO BE REPLACED WHENT THE CABLES, ETC ARE REPLACED, HOWEVER DEALER DID NOT PERFORM THIS, SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO REPLACE, CONSUMER REFUSES TO DRIVE VEHICLE, RECALL 86-C-16, REGARDING EMERGENCY BRAKE. *SLC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 800463 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 875713 · 2000-11-29 (November 29, 2000)
CONSUMER STARTED CAR AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A CAR WITHOUT A MUFFLER. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE RECALL CAMPAIN HAD EXPIRED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 875713 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 896309 · 2001-09-13 (September 13, 2001)
RECALLS 89 V 232 000/ENGINE AND 90 V 104 000/ENGINE: VEHICLE HAD AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE TRAVELING 15-20 MPH. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 896309 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 961750 · 1995-03-10 (March 10, 1995)
REPLACED LEAKING EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 961750 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
89V232000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
Reported: 1989-12-28 (December 28, 1989)
DUE TO AN INTERACTION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ENVIRONMENT AND MAINTENANCE OR SERVICE RELATED FACTORS, THERE IS A RISK OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES.
Consequence: AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE CAN SPREAD TO THE PASSENGERCOMPARTMENT AND INJURE OCCUPANTS.
Remedy: CORRECT OR INSTALL NEW ENGINE COMPONENTS TO PREVENT UNREASONABLE FIRE RISK.
NHTSA campaign record ↗90V104000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
Reported: 1990-04-23 (April 23, 1990)
PCV GROMMET OIL LEAKS, TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LEAKS, PISTON CONNECTING ROD FAILURES BREAKING THROUGH ENGINE WALL CAUSING OIL SPILLAGE, FUEL RAIL LEAKS, COOLANT LEAKS, ROCKER COVER OIL LEAKS, AND MAINTENANCE OR SERVICE RELATED FACTORS, COULD CAUSE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES.
Consequence: AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE CAN SPREAD TO THE PASSENGERCOMPARTMENT AND INJURE OCCUPANTS.
Remedy: CORRECT OR INSTALL NEW COMPONENTS TO PREVENT UNREASONABLE FIRE RISK.
NHTSA campaign record ↗91V055000 · Parking Brake:Conventional
Reported: 1991-04-11 (April 11, 1991)
PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILS TO OPERATE AND DO NOT WORK AFTER BRAKE PAD WEAR.
Consequence: PARKING BRAKES WILL NOT COMPLETELY HOLD A PARKED VEHICLEWHEN PARKED ON A SLOPE, CAUSING UNINTENDED VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHICH COULD RESULTIN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE NONFUNCTIONING PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTERS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗