Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1972 Firebird.
The 1972 Pontiac Firebird stands as an early iteration of the nameplate, serving as a baseline Pontiac model before the documented fluctuations of later decades. Within the model's broader complaint history spanning 1990 to 2002, the data reveals a wide variance in reported issues, hitting a peak of 95 complaints in 1995 and dropping to a low of just 10 in 1990. For researchers, the 1972 model year sits entirely outside this specific era of recorded inconsistency, meaning its reliability profile predates the years that would eventually register as the model's highest and lowest points for reported problems.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Trans Am 455 H.O. Coupe 7.5L V8 | 5.40 sec | 13.80 sec | 335 hp | RWD |
| 1969 | Trans Am 400 Coupe 6.6L V8 | 5.80 sec | 14.37 sec | 345 hp | RWD |
| 1969 | Trans Am 400 Coupe 6.6L V8 | 6.50 sec | 14.90 sec | 345 hp | RWD |
| 1968 | Trans Am 400 H.O. Coupe 6.6L V8 | 5.50 sec | 14.20 sec | 335 hp | RWD |
| 1976 | Trans Am 455 Coupe 7.5L V8 | 7.00 sec | 15.60 sec | 200 hp | RWD |
| 1967 | Sprint Coupe 3.8L I-6 | 10.10 sec | 17.20 sec | 215 hp | RWD |
| 1977 | Trans Am Coupe 6.6L V8 | 9.30 sec | 16.90 sec | 200 hp | RWD |
| 1979 | Trans Am Coupe 6.6L V8 | 6.70 sec | 15.30 sec | 220 hp | RWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
Remedy:
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 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.