Pontiac Fiero Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 102 consumer complaints across the 5 model years of the Pontiac Fiero (1984–1988) that have at least 5 complaints. 1984 has the most, with 30. Across all years, the part named most often is engine cooling (64 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Fiero model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 13 | 106,986 | 2 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
| 1987 | 15 | 133,000 | 2 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1986 | 26 | 98,000 | 3 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1985 | 18 | 97,500 | 3 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1984 | 30 | 45,550 | 3 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine cooling64 53%
- Brakes20 17%
- Electrical system15 13%
- Transmission and drivetrain6 5.0%
- Other or unknown5 4.2%
- Fuel system4 3.3%
- Engine4 3.3%
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)2 1.7%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1987: “I am both complaining and requesting help. I have a 1987 Pontiac Fiero v6 which was never taken in for recall work and as a result has severe overheating issues and will occasionally have an issue with small amounts of oil hitting the exhaust headers. Saw the recall on the NHTSA website so I tried to call general motors but they said that their computers no longer have records of cars as old as mine and therefore they couldn't help me. …”
NHTSA complaint #10621526, filed 2014-08, 133,000 miles1985: “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. …”
NHTSA complaint #10009192, filed 2002-05, 80,000 miles1984: “I purchased a 1984 Pontiac Fiero on april, 4 2003. I have read about the safety recall on this auto. From the information I have gathered, NHTSA campaign id number : 89v232000 concerning engine fire applies to this automobile. I have researched this safety recall and determined the required work has not been performed on my auto. I contacted GM customer assistance about this situation. They informed me that this recall either had already been done, or that it did not apply to my auto. By the information I have found all 1984 Fiero's were included in this recall. …”
NHTSA complaint #10033074, filed 2003-08, 40,100 milesOther Pontiac models
5,886 complaintsPontiac Grand AM
5,574 complaintsPontiac Grand Prix
5,411 complaintsPontiac Bonneville
1,966 complaintsPontiac Vibe
1,863 complaintsPontiac Sunfire
1,139 complaintsPontiac Montana
1,053 complaintsPontiac Trans Sport
963 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology