I thought it would be good to start a thread where people share their experiences in a more general sense.

I have a 1984 white 4 cylinder automatic, and it is far from a finished project. I have already encountered problems/failures that are common:

Headlight motor
Fuel Pump
headliner
GM stereo works intermittently
windshield washer pump
rear view mirror loose
Torque strut
Cracked Dash
Warped shift console

What else should be expected from a Fiero?
What do you look for when buying one?

My 87 GT
1)seat boulster repair
2)headliner replacement
3)pass. side headlight motor
4)temp guage sending unit
5)new 4x10 speakers (old ones crackled)
6)drivers side dew wipe (just cause I got in a accident and wanted it replaces while in the shop)

88 Coupe
1) water pump
2) drivers seat boulster repair
3) driver side door latch replaced
4) oil pressure sending unit
and now a little more cause of a boo-boo...

The 13-16 year old coolant system. Every rubber hose, radiator and heater core are potential problems.

If you have an '84 you can bet on electrical problems up to the wazoo...

Yep, I have had a few problems with my '85 SE 2.5:

• headliner ragged
  
• passenger-side headlight motor failed (twice)
  
• dew wipes cracked
  
• coolant reservoir cracked
  
• washer pump failed
  
• radiator leak
  
• starter (failed because incorrectly shimmed by Pep Boys)
  
• radio works intermittently
  
• console edges curled
  
• air conditioning failed for previous owner, who removed compressor
  
• engine torque strut (dogbone) sloppy
  
• driver's door panel warped around mirror control
  
• crankshaft (timing cover) seal leak (twice)
  
• valve cover gasket leak
  
• brakes inadequate for hard use
  
• . . . and maybe I've forgotten a few
  

Most of these are classic problems. I have repaired most of them, and have parts to repair a few others.

It seems that passenger-side headlight motors fail more often driver-side. Is this true? And why?

It's still a riot to drive!

On the v6 fiero I would say the number one failure is cracked exhaust manifolds followed by the cracked EGR tube. I had both. There is the cracked dash corner were everyone that gets in and out of the car hits it with their knee. I have seen this cracked dash corner on almost all fiero’s. Probably next would be the manual shift cables freezing in the winter. I have a five speed.

I had an 87 coupe with the four and I always had problems with the DIS ignition coils failing. The next most frequent problem with the four cylinder was fuel problems of all kinds. My head gasket blew because one head bolt broke. My heater core failed also spewing coolant into the interior. That was a mess!

I don't mind the fiero's poor reliability because I don't rely on them for my everyday transportation and they are thirteen and fourteen years old. I love driving my formula though.

- worn/torn bolster on drivers seat
- oil pressure sending unit (V6)
- EGR tube and other vacuum-related problems
- cracked exhaust manifold (V6)
- rusty battery tray
- separation/lifting away of the plastic on the top of the center console

Now I remember a few more:

• driver's seat worn
  
• motor mounts squashed
  
• sail panels cracked
  
• shocks and struts soft
  
• dash speakers deteriorated
  

My biggest Fiero problem is not having enough space to own two or three of them.

I'm with you Chadman. I think the biggest problem with Fieros is that I only have room for two of them.
The second biggest problem is that many of them were given to kids that did not care about them as "first cars."
When I got my 1984 Fiero, the carpets had stains from coca-cola that was spilled and never cleaned up. By contrast, the car was professionally serviced most of it's life. Unfortunately, mom babied the car but the kid could not drive. The rear view mirrors, fenders, and quarter panels are all damaged from "minor collisions" with various objects.
Biggest problem with Fieros: People believe they are only worth $100-500, so they don't take care of them anymore. It's sad to see a waxed Ford Escort next to a faded and dirty Fiero. But this sight can be seen all over San Jose, CA. Mom gets a new econo-bomb and the kid gets the Fiero.
I strongly disagree with the notion that a Fiero makes a good first car. I would recommend the Ford Escort instead. It's a sad contradiction that most Fieros have come to symbolize.
And it is up to us to rescue them before it's too late!

Oddly enough, I have never seen a Fiero with a cracked dash vent except in the junkyard.
Every Fiero I have seen though does have the rusted battery tray. And like everyone mentioned for the V6 Fiero, cracked manifolds and something in the EGR system would have to be the most common problems.

------------------
Jeff
'88 GT t-top 3.4
Baltimore, MD

84's - rods break

also with mine

head light motors
damn squirls eating my f*ucking EMC wires heh
trunk rusting on sides
roof fades (paint)

thats all i can think of

Kyle

what has been wrong with my 88GT:
Tach erratic-tried new filter, no good
Headlight drive units-new bushings fixed them
Trunk release switch broken-looking for replacement

That's about it.

quote Originally posted by WampusCat: what has been wrong with my 88GT: Tach erratic-tried new filter, no good...

Don't think anyone mentioned this, yet.
Ignition module in the distributor. Replaced mine when the tach got flaky, before it stranded me. (Use GM Delco replacement only, and be sure to use the heat-sink compound.)
Also the coil.
Right side steering-rack bushing is a common wear point.

Too many of the above mentioned Fiero problems would be the same problems of any 13-17 year old car. After that many years of use, just about anything in a car will need replacement. Especially if the car has had any hard use.

What kind of shape is a 15 year old Mustang, Camaro or Honda with 100-150000 miles on it?

I think the most common problem with the Fiero is a bad, nasty, evil, neglectful owner.
Lets be honest, how people here saved their Fiero from one of those(I DID)?
Think of all the poor Fieros that burst into flames due to a neglectful owner.

Old Lar,
I agree that none of these problems are uncommon for a car when it is 13 to 17 years old. Though still new to me, I love my 17 year old Fiero.
I hoped this thread would give the "new guys" like me a chance to see what problems we have to look forward to.
For example, when my 1984 4cyl died suddenly I had no idea it was a fuel pump. It was unexpected. Afterwards, I searched the Forum database and found out that this was a very common problem. It was a huge relief to read that others had experienced the same thing as me.
It seemed like making a list of the most common problems would be of benefit to all of us. As you said, these kinds of problems are to be expected in a 17 year old car. That's the main problem with teenagers, they don't always cooperate.

Unintelligible rambling deleted.
Sorry.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 01-02-2001).]

Raydar --

I often enjoy your unintelligible rambling.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

AND --

I think my head gasket is going.

87 GT Auto V6 140k+
to date:
Alternator siezed (belt broke)
Headlight motors failed
Heater core sprung a leak
Dash corner is cracked
Headliner coming loose, not really noticable though
Starter is on the way out
slight EGR problems (affecting throttle/idle)

and not a common problem, but interesting nonetheless, it blew a pulg out of the #6 cylinder. (the plug failed, blew the core out of it, left the metal end still in the block)

--
g

Well Lucky, come on back to the shop and we can replace some more parts -- that's what Larry (Old Lar) and I have basically done (right Larry?) - we just keep on replacing the worn out parts until we have a new car again.........

Believe me -- we see a lot of common problems here in the shop from working on Fieros all day every day (kinda surprised that nobody mentioned the distributor o-ring!)

By the way, it was great meeting you and welcome to the Forum!

Chad, you just need a bigger garage!! sheesh.....we can get 10 or 12 of 'em in this garage!! (of course, then you would need a business license, a tax ID, a..........never mind...........