50 of the 340 complaints about the 2003 Pontiac Vibe are about the transmission — 15% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 65,000 miles.
50
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE OVERDRIVE FEATURE FAILED TO DISENGAGE ON COMMAND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
NHTSA complaint #10713135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE ABOVE 30 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,334.
NHTSA complaint #10680584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL, WORKING VERY HARD TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEARS. IT APPEARS TO BE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY THAT IS THE DEFECTIVE PART. CAR ISN'T DRIVABLE DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO PICK UP AND GO. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS HAVE APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD.
NHTSA complaint #10680579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. AFTER ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,000.
NHTSA complaint #10626603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
2003 PONTIAC VIBE 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. BEARINGS FAILED RESULTING IN GRINDING NOISE. MECHANIC SAYS THIS COULD'VE RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC LOCK-UP OF TRANSMISSION LEADING TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. PLEASE DON'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO BE KILLED BEFORE INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE ENDEMIC TO PONTIAC VIBE AND TOYOTA MATRIX 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10585610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
JUST LEAVING FOR A TRIP FROM MICHIGAN TO TENN. DRIVING 70 MPH ON I-75 SOUTH WHEN COMING DOWN A STEEP OVER PASS, I HEARD RATTLING IN MY ENGINE AND THUMPING. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SPOT ON I-75 WITH MANY TRUCKS TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED COMING DOWN FROM THIS OVERPASS. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, IT WAS A FLAT TIRE. WHEN I BARELY COASTED TO A SEMI-SAFE SPOT MY DAUGHTER GOT OUT AND SAID THE TIRE IS NOT FLAT. I SHIFTED MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION 6 SPEED VIBE GT INTO 1ST GEAR LET OFF THE CLUTCH ONLY TO FIND IT DIDN'T RESPOND. UPSET BECAUSE I HAD JUST BECOME UNEMPLOYED 3 MOS PRIOR AND VOLUNTARILY RETURNED MY 2012 CHEVY SONIC BACK TO THE CREDIT UNION. WITHDREW WHAT I HAD IN MY 401K TO PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE TO ENSURE TRANSPORTATION THAT WAS PAID IN FULL ONLY 6 WEEKS AGO. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITH THIS YEAR PONTIAC VIBE. I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED INSTEAD OF ALLOWING THE CONSUMER TO ABSORB THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WHICH IS AN OBVIOUS FLAW AT THE MANUFACTURER LEVEL.
NHTSA complaint #10543404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 225,000 MILES ON IT. 3 TIMES AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000, 140,000, AND 215,000 MILES, MY CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD GOING DOWNHILL AT 40MPH. THE SECOND TIME I HAD JUST MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN AT @ 20MPH TO GET ON THE FREEWAY, THE THIRD TIME I WAS GOING STRAIGHT DOWN A CITY STREET AT 10MPH. IN EACH CASE, THE CAR JUST STOPS WHILE DRIVING AND I LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR CAN BE STARTED UP AFTER WITHOUT A PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC BELIEVES IT IS A COMPUTER ISSUE, OUTSIDE OF THAT, HE CAN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING ELSE. NO ERROR GETS LOGGED ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE CAR. THIS CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED OVER THE YEARS VERY WELL. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I DRIVE A LOT OF FREEWAY MILES AND IF THIS OCCURS WHILE I AM IN TRAFFIC I AM SURE A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR.
NHTSA complaint #10511590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE COMING A STOP, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
NHTSA complaint #10500634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHILE LEAVING A STOPLIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION BROKE AND LOCKED UP BOTH FRONT WHEELS/AXLES COMPLETELY STOPPING THE CAR AND MAKING IT NOT MOVABLE EXCEPT BY A WRECKER TRUCK.
NHTSA complaint #10428756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2003 PONTIAC VIBE 5-SPEED. TRANSMISSION BEARINGS FAILED, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO GRIND ITSELF UP AND STRAND THE CAR. FLUID CHANGED EVERY 30K MILES. FIRST TRANSMISSION DIED AT 70K MILES AND THE SECOND ONE NOW DIED AT 110K MILES. THIRD TRANSMISSION GETTING INSTALLED TO CORRECT A FAULTY DESIGN. BUYING A BRAND NEW ONE THIS TIME AND IT HAS COST ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SO FAR.
NHTSA complaint #10419423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 12/01/10. *LJ UPDATED 12/13/10
NHTSA complaint #10352304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONTACT NOTICED A RATTLING SOUND FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. SECONDS LATER, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 49,000.
NHTSA complaint #10330887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD, HUMMING NOISE WHICH SEEMED TO COME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 02V074002 (POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY) AS HE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 134,800.
NHTSA complaint #10324005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 PONTIAC VIBE. HAS A TOYOTA ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. MY WIFE AND CHILD WERE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY QUIT PULLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADWAY,WITH NO WARNING. THE COMPLETE FAILURE LEFT THEM STRANDED IN A HEAVY TRAFFIC FLOW LOCATION WHERE A COLLISION WAS PROBABLE. NEITHER WERE INJURED AND A COLLISION WAS AVOIDED. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE WEB I FOUND A LOT OF SIMILAR STORIES REPORTED IN REGARD TO THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA TRANSMISSIONS.
NHTSA complaint #10312685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
A SLIGHT NOISE WAS DETECTED IN THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE WORSENED OVER THE COURSE OF A 800-MILE TRIP. THE NOSE WAS A RHYTHMIC SOUND THAT WAS DETECTABLE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN GEAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE MECHANICS WERE FAMILIAR WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON THIS MODEL YEAR CAR WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. UPON INSPECTION, THEY FOUND A CLUSTER SHAFT BEARING WAS DESTROYED. WE WERE LUCKY AND HAD STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR SOON ENOUGH THAT THERE WAS NO COLLATERAL DAMAGE IN THE TRANSMISSION. HAD WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT IS LIKELY THE BEARING WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY DESTROYED SENDING BALLS AND FRAGMENTS INTO THE TRANSMISSION. ULTIMATELY, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH, IN A WORST CASE SITUATION, COULD HAVE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SEIZE. HAD THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, A CRASH WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY. ONCE THE DAMAGED CLUSTER SHAFT BEARING WAS FOUND IN OUR TRANSMISSION, IT WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW PART. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REASSEMBLED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE.
NHTSA complaint #10303868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
GRINDING NOISE BEGAN TO OCCUR UNDER VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATION IN ONLINE FORUMS, MANY OTHER TOYOTA MATRIX AND PONTIAC VIBE OWNERS HAD THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE RESULTING IN TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE MAIN SHAFT BEARING.
NHTSA complaint #10303912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HAD A CODE P0770 SHOW UP. NEEDS NEW SHIFTER SOLENOID. COST IS VARIABLE BUT UPWARDS OF $2,000. HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON INTERNET, LOTS OF OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEMS ON THE '03 VIBE.
NHTSA complaint #10300135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2003 PONTIAC VIBE (5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION) RESULTED IN DIFFICULT VEHICLE CONTROL WHILE PULLING TO THE SIDE OF I-95. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED AS DUE TO FAULTY BEARING IN TRANSMISSION. CORRELATES WITH MANY REPORTS IN ONLINE FORUMS OF SAME VEHICLE HAVING TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 100,00 +/- 20,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10298821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
PONTIAC VIBE WITH ABOUT 80,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED CAUSING THE FRONT WHEELS TO LOCK AND THE CAR TO LOOSE CONTROL TEMPORARILY. LUCKILY NO INJURIES DUE TO LACK OF SPEED AND TRAFFIC SITUATION. I MADE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO GENERAL MOTORS, AND THEY MADE NO OFFER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE LOCAL GM DEALER WANTED $3500 TO DO THE REPAIR. I DID NOT HAVE THAT MONEY, SO I OPTED TO BY A USED TRANSMISSION AND HAVE A LOCAL SHOP INSTALL IT FOR A TOTAL OF $1300. I DO NOT HAVE THE BROKEN TRANSMISSION ANYMORE. I NOW HAVE ABOUT 140,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SEIZED AGAIN. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. MY CONCERN IS THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED AS A RESULT OF ON OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS SEIZING AND CAUSING THE CAR TO LOOSE CONTROL INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE HEARD OF MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUES. PLEASE ACT BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT.
NHTSA complaint #10297464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 PONTIAC VIBE ON THE FREEWAY THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION FROZE UP CAUSING SUDDEN DECELERATION AND THE ENGINE TO DIE. I BRIEFLY LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BEFORE GETTING THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION AND DESCRIBED IT AS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE ISSUE IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2003 TRANSMISSIONS MADE BY TOYOTA IN PONTIAC VIBES AND MATRIX.
NHTSA complaint #10293400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE JUST STOPPED RUNNING IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. BY SEARCHING THE WEB THERE APPEARS TO BE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THESE TRANSMISSION FAILURES 2003 PONTIAC VIBE, AWD.
NHTSA complaint #10289657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2003 5 SPEED TRANS WENT OUT AT 103,000 MILES AFTER I WAS TOLD WAS DUE TO FAULTY BEARINGS.
NHTSA complaint #10267697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANS WENT OUT AGAIN, THIS TIME AFTER 55,000 MILES. CURRENTLY 158,000 MILES ON CAR AND HAVE TO REPLACE WITH A 3RD TRANS.
NHTSA complaint #10267699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WITH NO ADVANCE WARNING, MANUAL TRANSMISSION CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE JERKED TO STOP AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. MECHANIC FOUND A BROKEN TRANSMISSION DRUM REQUIRING COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10241996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WE HAVE A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE WITH THE STANDARD 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED (BY MYSELF, NOT THE DEALER). TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AT ROUGHLY 82,000 MILES. YES, THIS REALLY RUINED OUR CHRISTMAS IN 2006 AS IT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS EVE WITH MY WIFE AND (THEN) 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. YES, IT REALLY STUNK THAT IT WAS JUST ENOUGH OUT OF WARRANTY TO NOT GIVE US ANY PROTECTION. HERE'S A FUNNY THING, THOUGH, THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING. WHEN WE WENT TO GET THE CAR AFTER BEING REPAIRED (AT A LITTLE COUNTRY GARAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE) THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT HE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THE PREVIOUS MONTH WITH ANOTHER PONTIAC VIBE WITH THE 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION. STRANGE COINCIDENCE IN A TOWN WHERE THE POPULATION IS LESS THAN 2000, I THINK. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES? WE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $3000 AND STILL HAVE THE OLD ONE- THINKING THAT IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL A RECALL WAS PLACED ON THIS FAULTY TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10234324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MY 2003 PONTIAC VIBE (TOYOTA MATRIX SISTER VEHICLE) TRANMISSION FAILED. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM RELATED TO A DEFECTIVE OUTPUT BEARING IN MANY/ALL 2003/2004 VIBE/MATRIX VEHICLES EQUIPED WITH 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THIS IS NOT IS NOT A HIGH VOLUMN VEHICLE OR COMMON CONFIGURATION BUT DISCUSSIONS ON THE INTERNET LEAD ME TO BELIEVE TOYOTA AND GM ARE IGNORING A MAJOR (EXPENSIVE) VEHICLE RECALL INCIDENT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE.
NHTSA complaint #10232465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WE WERE DRIVING TO MY PARENTS HOME FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. ON THE INTERSTATE, IN FIFTH GEAR, AT A SPEED OF 65 TO 70 MILES/HR, THE CAR STARTED MAKING A HIGH WHINING SOUND WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A CLUNK AND GRINDING NOISE. WE PULLED OVER. NOTHING WAS VISIBLE. WE LIMPED TO THE EXIT AND HAD THE CAR TOWED. UPON INSPECTION, THE REAR PINION SHAFT BEARING HAD FAILED IN THE TRANSMISSION, RUINING THE REAR CASE ASSEMBLY, PINION SHAFT AND BOTH FIFTH GEARS. BOTH FIFTH GEARS HAD BROKEN TEETH AND WERE REPLACED. THE INITIAL REPLACEMENT SET OF 5TH GEARS WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ( THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF 5TH GEAR). THE SECOND REPLACEMENT SET WAS INSTALLED AND FOUND TO BE THE WRONG RATIO AND HAD TO BE REORDERED. THE THIRD SET OF REPLACEMENT FIFTH GEARS WAS INSTALLED ON FEB. 12TH 2008 AND SEEMS TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY AS OF TODAY. THE WHOLE PROCESS TOOK 7 WEEKS TO COMPLETE.
NHTSA complaint #10218736 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2003 PONTIAC VIBE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. SHE WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE A USED TRANSMISSION WILL COST HER ABOUT $2,000.
NHTSA complaint #10217156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MY 2003 PONTIAC VIBE MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 58,000 MILES. THE CAR STARTED MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE. TWO BLOCKS LATER IT CAME TO A DEAD STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AND COULD NOT BE PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEM IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY. PONTIAC WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM. THIS IS THE SAME CAR AS A TOYOTA MATRIX. THERE ARE MANY, MANY INCIDENTS OF BOTH MATRIXES AND VIBES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURES AT LOW MILEAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10206640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
CLUTCH ON 2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT BURNED OUT AT 52,000 MILES. PARTS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER 2 WEEKS AT DEALER FOR REPAIRS, I PICKED THE CAR UP AND IT WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. RETURNED CAR TO DEALER. THE SECOND CLUTCH THEY INSTALLED IN CAR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE THIRD CLUTCH WAS OK, BUT CAR IS STILL NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. CALLED PONTIAC ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID I SHOULD CHECK WITH THE DEALER ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSIONS. THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAD NO FACTORY WARNING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. CLEARLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH FLY WHEELS.
NHTSA complaint #10177592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.