Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1980 Firebird.
The 1980 Pontiac Firebird registers a single owner complaint focused on steering and suspension, backed by three factory recalls. That minimal footprint sits apart from the model's later complaint arc, which spans 1990 to 2002 and ranges from a low of ten reports in 1990 to a high of ninety-five in 1995. Since the 1980 year precedes this tracking period, its solitary complaint and recall count serve as the key reliability markers for the vintage, hinting at a relatively trouble-free entry compared with the escalation that followed.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 196.9 in |
| Overall width | 72.8 in |
| Overall height | 49.2 in |
| Wheelbase | 108.3 in |
| Curb weight | 3380 lb |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Firebird of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Turbo Trans Am Coupe 4.9L Turbo V8 | 8.20 sec | 16.70 sec | 210 hp | RWD |
| 1979 | Trans Am Coupe 6.6L V8 | 6.70 sec | 15.30 sec | 220 hp | RWD |
| 1982 | Trans Am Coupe 5.0L V8 | 10.60 sec | 17.50 sec | 165 hp | RWD |
| 1977 | Trans Am Coupe 6.6L V8 | 9.30 sec | 16.90 sec | 200 hp | RWD |
| 1983 | Trans Am Coupe 5.0L V8 | 8.50 sec | 16.44 sec | 165 hp | RWD |
| 1976 | Trans Am 455 Coupe 7.5L V8 | 7.00 sec | 15.60 sec | 200 hp | RWD |
| 1987 | Formula Coupe 5.0L V8 | 6.30 sec | 14.90 sec | 190 hp | RWD |
| 1987 | Formula Coupe 5.0L V8 | 7.40 sec | 15.30 sec | 190 hp | RWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 1980 Pontiac Firebird shows a very low volume of federal activity, with only one complaint recorded in the Steering and Suspension area. This is significantly lower than the activity seen in the provided 1990-2002 record, where complaints trended upward to a peak of 95 in 1995. During that later period, Technical Service Bulletins also increased dramatically from 3 in 1990 to 347 by 2002. The 1980 model falls well before this arc of increasing issues and reports zero crash or fire complaints. The data does not specify the root cause of the single steering and suspension complaint. Given the minimal reported issues compared to the later years provided, this is a good year to buy.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
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… Remedy: 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.
VEHICLES MAY FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS". PLACARD ON REAR EDGE OF LEFT DOOR MAY SHOW AN INCORRECT VEHICLE CAPACITY WEIGHT INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT FIGURE OF… Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL THE CORRECT LABEL FREE OF CHARGE TO OWNER.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.