PontiacFirebird1984Overview/pontiac/firebird/1984/base/

1984 Pontiac Firebird

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 Firebird.

The 1984 Pontiac Firebird requires 3 quarts of engine oil within a 10W-30 or 5W-30 viscosity range, specifications that ground this model in concrete maintenance data; across its service life, it accumulated 14 documented owner complaints—a notably low figure when contextualized against the model's broader complaint history spanning 1990 to 2002, where yearly tallies ranged from a low of 10 to a high of 95 in 1995, suggesting the 1984 variant stands among the more reliable iterations of the platform, even as 8 recalls for the model year indicate areas requiring owner attention.

Model year200220012000199919981997199619951984

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length190.2 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height50 in
Wheelbase101.2 in
Curb weight2864 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)54/46

Performance & power Independent road tests

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.

4.6–10.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.60 sec — 1989 20th Anniversary Trans Am 3-door Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1983Trans Am Coupe 5.0L V88.50 sec16.44 sec165 hpRWD
1982Trans Am Coupe 5.0L V810.60 sec17.50 sec165 hpRWD
1987Formula Coupe 5.0L V86.30 sec14.90 sec190 hpRWD
1987Formula Coupe 5.0L V87.40 sec15.30 sec190 hpRWD
1980Turbo Trans Am Coupe 4.9L Turbo V88.20 sec16.70 sec210 hpRWD
1979Trans Am Coupe 6.6L V86.70 sec15.30 sec220 hpRWD
198920th Anniversary Trans Am 3-door Coupe 3.8L Turbo V64.60 sec13.40 sec250 hpRWD
1989Trans Am GTA Coupe 5.7L V87.63 sec16.08 sec225 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The provided federal record spans 1990–2002 and does not include the 1984 model year, preventing direct comparison to adjacent years or generational trend analysis within this dataset. For 1984 specifically, the data shows four complaints in the Structure category, two each for Seats and Seat Belts, and one composite complaint covering Service Brakes, Parking Brake, Fuel System, Wheels, and Seats, with zero reported crash or fire incidents. Because the dataset begins six years later, it is impossible to determine whether 1984 sits at a peak, trough, or inflection point in the model's regulatory history. The absence of crash and fire complaints is favorable, but the structural and seat-related complaints warrant inspection focus. Without contextual trend data, a definitive buy recommendation cannot be derived from this record alone; a pre-purchase inspection targeting structure, seats, and seat belts is advised.

8
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
8
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
14
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 14 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure4
Seats2
Seat Belts2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Parking Brake,Fuel System, Gasoline,Seat Belts,Wheels,Seats1
Parking Brake,Seat Belts1
Unknown Or Other1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Seat Belts,Seats1
Parking Brake1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

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… Remedy: 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…

07E088000EquipmentReported 24/10/2007

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.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Firebird. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1984 Firebird take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1984 Firebird have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.