1985 Pontiac Firebird
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 1985 Pontiac Firebird is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 1 on record.
1985 Pontiac Firebird at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
1985 Pontiac Firebird recalls 6
CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451 THROUGH A72571 SEQUENTIALLY. THE DATE CODE AND PART NUMBER APPEAR ON THE FILTER HOUSING. FRAM RACING HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS NOT BEARING A DATE CODE IN THIS RANGE ARE…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE C…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILS TO OPERATE AND DO NOT WORK AFTER BRAKE PAD WEAR.
Fix: REPLACE NONFUNCTIONING PARKING BRAKE ADJUSTERS.
PLASTIC COMPONENTS OF SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES DO NOT CONTAIN AN ULTRA VIOLET STABILIZER, AND EXPOSURE TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT AND ELEVATED INTERIOR TEMPERATURES COULD WEAKEN THE PLASTIC COMPONENTS.
Fix: REPLACE OR REPAIR SEAT BELT BUCKLE.
DISLOCATION OF A SPRING COVER WILL NOT ALLOW THE SHOULDER BELT TO RETRACT AFTER BEING EXTENDED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: ALTHOUGH INERTIAL FEATURE THAT LOCKS THE LAP BELT AND SHOULDER BELT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT ARE NOT AFFECTED, IF SLACK IS MORE THAN RECOMMENDED IN OWNERS MANUAL, INJURIES TO UPPER BODY AND HEAD WOULD BE INCREASED IN AN ACCIDENT.
Fix: INSTALL RETAINING SPRINGS ON SPRING COVER OF FRONT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR AND, WHEN REQUIRED, RETRACTORS WILL BE REPLACED.
THE HUB AREA OF THE WHEELS MAY NOT BE STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND THUS SUBJECT TO FRACTURE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THE WHEELS COULD SEPARATE FROM THE CAR CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Fix: INSTALL NEW FRONT AND REAR TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLIES.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
1985 Pontiac Firebird common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
1985 Pontiac Firebird MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 11 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 1985 Pontiac Firebird costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.