52 of the
2,133 complaints filed about the Pontiac Vibe
are about the braking system —
2% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2009.
I been trying to get the recalls to be fix but both the dealers and GM haven’t been able to help due to parts discontinued, I been trying to get this issued resolve for a year or so. I need help please, they just keep saying that all recalls on this vehicle don’t have the parts for it and don’t know what else to do.
NHTSA complaint #11597438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2009 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the vehicle speed control (VSC), ABS, and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who was unable to duplicate the failure; however, the independent mechanic replaced the heat shield. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
NHTSA complaint #11478986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUMMARY: COULD NOT STOP CAR USING BRAKE PEDAL. NEEDED TO USE PARK BRAKE TO STOP CAR. LATER DISCOVERED LEAK IN L. REAR BRAKE PIPE, NEAR END OF IT. HOWEVER, MY CAR HAS A SPLIT SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM. (ONE HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT FOR BRAKES IN L. REAR AND R. FRONT; AND, ANOTHER CIRCUIT FOR BRAKES IN R. REAR AND L. FRONT.) SO, MY CAR HAD ONE FAILED CIRCUIT, DUE TO LEAK IN L. REAR BRAKE PIPE; AND, ONE GOOD CIRCUIT FOR BRAKES IN R. REAR AND L. FRONT. BUT, GOOD HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT FAILED TO STOP CAR. THEREFORE, CAR FAILED TO PERFORM AS SPECIFIED BY THE ELECTRONIC CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 49, CHAPTER V, PART 571, SECTION 571.135, PARAGRAPH S7.10, HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT FAILURE. DIAGNOSTIC NOTES: (A) MASTER CYLINDER, BOTH FRONT CALIPERS, AND BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS APPEAR TO WORK CORRECTLY, (B) NO FLUID LEAKS ANYWHERE EXCEPT IN L. REAR BRAKE PIPE, AND (C) BRAKES IN GOOD HYDRAULIC CIRCUIT ARE WITHIN SPECIFICATION LIMITS. REFER TO ATTACHED PHOTOS AND DOCUMENTS.
NHTSA complaint #11302139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT STOP, VEHICLE ATTEMPTED ACCELERATING. MUCH PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED TO KEEP CAR FROM MOVING. AFTER SHUTTING OFF ENGINE AND RESTART, SEEMED OK. THIRD AND MOST SIGNIFICANT OCCURANCE. *LN
NHTSA complaint #11282495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I BOUGHT A 2010 PONTIAC VIBE AND 3 MONTHS LATER THE FRONT END OF THE CAR STARTED SHAKING REAL BAD SO I CALLED UP KOEHNE AUTO TO TELL THEM AND THEY WOULDN'T AS MUCH AS TALE IT FOR A TEST DRIVE TO SEE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. THEY KEPT ON LOOKING AT THE FRONT END AND KEPT TELLING ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES THAT THE TIRES WERE BALD SO THEY PUT $500 DOLLARS WORTH OF TIRES ON THE CAR AND THEN I WENT BACK TO THEM AND TOLD THEM THAT THE PROBLEM WASN'T STILL FIXED SO I WENT TO MY PRIVATE MECHANIC AND HE LOOKED AT IT AND FOUND OUR THE BEARRINGS AND THE STABLIZER BAR WAS SHOT AND IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND THEY STILL ASSISTED OVER AT KOEHNE AUTO THAT IT WAS THE TIRES BEING BALED SO I DECIDED NOT TO PAY THE WHOLE AMOUNT OF THE CAR PAYMENT BECAUSE I WAS NOT GOING TO HAVE MY FAMILY OF BEING IN JEOPARDY OF BEING KILLED. I ASKED THEM TO LOWER THE CAR PAYMENT TO 250 BECAUSE OF ALL THE REPAIRS I HAD TO PAY FOR BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT GO GOOD FOR THE REPAIRS. SO I STOPPED MAKING PAYMENTS IN OCTOBET RECIEVED ONE LETTER ABOUT THEM THREATIING TO REPO THE CAR JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND THEY DIDN'T COME TO REPO IT UNTIL 3 MONTHS LATER ON MARCH9TH AT 6 OR 7:30 IN THE EVENING. I PAID OVER 5 GRAND BEFORE I HAD STOPPED MY PAYMENTS. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIRS PLUS THE HIGH CAR PAYMENT.OF 442.54 I FOUND OUT THERE ARE 6 RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE AND THEY DIDNT ALERT ME UNTIL A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE THE CAR WAS REPODE. I WOULD LIKE MY MONEY BACK FROM ALL OF THE REPAIRS I MADE PLUS THE MONEY I PAID ON THE CAR AND A NEW CAR.
NHTSA complaint #11078498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THREE TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR, THE CAR HAS ACCELERATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEEN APPLIED WITH THE CAR ROLLING IN IDLE, OR NEAR IDLE. THE LAST TIME WAS THIS PAST WEEK. IN TWO INSTANCES, IT IS KNOWN TO HAVE HAPPENED IN AN URBAN SETTING ON STREETS AND PARKING LOTS WITHIN SHOPPING CENTERS. IT WAS NECESSARY TO STOMP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR DESPITE AN ACCELERATED ENGINE W/ AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. A REVIEW BY MY MECHANIC FINDS THE ACCELERATION TO BE ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. OWNERS OF BOTH PONTIAC VIBE AND ITS SISTER, TOYOTA MATRIX, HAVE MADE SAFETY COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH DIFFERING RESPONSES PER MANUFACTURER, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR. I LEAVE THE DATE OF THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT BELOW.
NHTSA complaint #11055260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON MAY 11, 2016 WHILE DRIVING ON I -81, MY CAR WITH 86,000 MILES ON IT SUDDENLY STARTED TO WEAVE BACK & FORTH ACROSS THE INTERSTATE. I THOUGHT THE TIE ROD HAD BROKEN. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OFF THE ROAD. THEN I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT TAKEN TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP..NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON UNTIL THE GM MECHANIC PLUGGED IN HIS CODE READER. THEN LOTS OF LIGHTS LIT UP. HE SAID THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT WENT HAYWIRE AND CAUSED THE ABS SYSTEM TO FIGHT WITH THE STABILITRAK SYSTEM. ALL I KNOW IS THAT A EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FAILURE HAPPENED. IF WE HAD BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, OR ON SLICK RAINY OR SNOWY ROADS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED THIS FAILURE REMINDS ME OF THE PROBLEM TOYOTA HAD YEARS AGO WITH THEIR VEHICLES SUDDENLY ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL.. MY PONTIAC VIBE IS MADE BY TOYOTA. PLEASE INVESTIGATE TOYOTA ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNITS. THE PART THE GM DEALER REPLACED IS PART # 19205576 :SL -N - MODULE. IT'S PRICE IS $1,171.98 WORK WAS DONE AT BACHMAN - BERNARD CHEVROLET BUICK GM CADILLAC INC. 3365 EAST ANDREW JOHNSON HWY GREENEVILLE, TN 37745. PHONE # 423-639-4441. THE MECHANIC'S NAME IS [XXX] . SERVICE ADVISOR IS ..-[XXX]. R/O # 6063277. I DO NOT HAVE A SCANNER TO UPLOAD THE REPAIR INVOICE. IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL ME AT [XXX] OR CALL [XXX], OR [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10865061 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REPEATED FRONT BRAKE REPAIRS TO STOP HEAVY VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. VIBRATION IS EXTREME IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE STICK SHIFT, AND SOMETIMES THROUGHOUT THE CAR. REPAIRS WERE DONE 3 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS, AND IT KEEPS COMING BACK WITHIN A MONTH AFTER REPAIRS. I NEVER BRAKE HARD TO CAUSE THIS. TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY POPS OUT OF 5TH GEAR DURING ACCELERATION, REPORTEDLY CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE OR BROKEN SYNCHRONIZER. HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10820478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.
NHTSA complaint #10733105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 20 MPH, THE VEHICLES BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR HUB, BEARING, AND SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,089.
NHTSA complaint #10659631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VARIOUS LIGHTS COME ON IN THE DASHBOARD, I FORGET NOW EXACTLY WHICH LIGHTS, BUT I THINK IT WAS THE ABS LIGHT, THE VSC LIGHT, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT. THIS HAPPENS ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES IN A MONTH OR SO. WHEN IT HAPPENS, THE ABC, VSC, AND TRACTION CONTROL DO NOT WORK (I TESTED IT IN A SNOWY PARKING LOT). I WENT TO SALENTINE PONTIAC A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE IT IS SO INTERMITTENT, THEY ARE NOT REALLY LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, NOR KNOW IF THEY WOULD HAVE FIXED IT. I CONTACTED PONTIAC VIA E-MAIL AND PHONE, AND WAS TOLD THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, AND HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF SUCH A THING. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NOW I SEE THERE IS A RECALL INVOLVING EXACTLY THIS ISSUE, BUT IT IS APPARENTLY ONLY FOR THE PONTIAC G6. IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE VIBE PROBLEM IS NOT RELATED. I WOULD HATE TO SEE G.M. GO BROKE, BUT THE THINGS THEY HAVE BEEN DOING ARE UNCONSCIONABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10592037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I'VE HAD TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION. BUT BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SELL I DON'T WANT TO GIVE OUT TOO MUCH INFO HERE. THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES MY STEERING HAS LOCKED UP. IF NOT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD.... MY BRAKES WELL, THEY JUST HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN THAT THEY GO OUT BUT I CAN THINK OF 2 SPECIFIC INCIDENTS IF ANOTHER CAR WAS COMING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION I WOULD HAVE BEEN HISTORY. ONE THING THAT I'VE HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR MANY TIMES IS THAT LAMP LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD. I TAKE IT IN. THEY FIX IT. IM NOT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND ITS ON AGAIN. MY CAR IS A 2007, GARAGE KEPT, LEATHER SEATS, SUN ROOF, SIRIUS FM, AND JUST TURNED 40K. ITS MY BABY. I HATE TO PART WITH IT BUT ITS A DEATH TRAP.
NHTSA complaint #10576523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN DRIVING MY 2007 PONTIAC VIBE IT MAKES A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT END AND IT IS CONTINUOUS WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING JUST ROARING GOING DOWN THE ROAD. I HAVE HAD MY ROTORS CHANGED, BRAKES CHANGED, BRAKE CALIPERS CHANGED, WHEEL BEARINGS CHANGED, AND NEW BRAKE LINES INSTALLED, AND MY AXLES AND SUSPENSION CHECKED OUT AND THE NOISE STILL WANT GO AWAY. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM. BECAUSE I FEEL AS IF IT IS A HAZARD ABOUT TO HAPPEN. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10568916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE PROBLEM EXPERIENCED RESULTED IN A CRASH, ALTHOUGH THE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY AND IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES (SEEMS LIKE A HYDRAULIC ISSUE?). THE ENGINE DOESN'T CUT OFF. YOU CAN RESTART THE VEHICLE AND STEERING FEEL IS RESTORED. WHEN POWER IS LOST TO THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO STEER. NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED, BUT OCCASIONALLY, WHEN COMING TO A STOP WITH THE FOOT ON THE CLUTCH, THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLS, AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU LOSE ALL POWER. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD A SLOW SPEED CRASH WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING THIS WEEK WHERE THIS VERY INFREQUENT, INTERMITTENT PROBLEM OCCURRED. THIS IS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT PURCHASED JULY 31, 2002. THE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ONLY A FEW TIMES OVER THE ALMOST 90,000 MILES BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, THE POWER STEERING FAILURE THIS TIME RESULTED IN A CRASH. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE ENGINE GENERALLY DOES NOT STALL BUT YOU ARE PUT IN A VERY SCARY SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #10524082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PERIODICALLY (ONCE OR TWICE PER MONTH) THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, TRACTION CONTROL, AND VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL WILL STOP WORKING FOR A FEW MINUTES. WHEN IT HAPPENS, THE WARNING LIGHTS ALL GO ON. I TESTED THE FUNCTION IN A SLIPPERY PARKING LOT, SO KNOW THE VARIOUS FEATURES STOP WORKING WHEN THESE LIGHTS GO ON. I LOOKED IN THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS EVERYTHING FROM A BAD GAS CAP TO A CONNECTOR ON THE BRAKE SENSOR TO A CRACKED COMPUTER CIRCUIT BOARD. I ASKED MY DEALER AT THE TIME ABOUT IT, AND THEY SAID REALISTICALLY IF IT ONLY HAPPENS FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN MIGHT NOT HAPPEN FOR A MONTH, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING IT NOR EVEN IF THEY WOULD HAVE FIXED IT. I CALLED PONTIAC AND THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND LET THEM LOOK AT IT. I DON'T WANT TO RUN UP HUNDREDS OR EVEN A THOUSAND DOLLARS LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM THAT ONLY OCCURS A FEW TIMES PER YEAR. BUT IF SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, I THINK IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. IT OBVIOUSLY IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN BRAKES AND VSC DON'T WORK PROPERLY, EVEN FOR A MINUTE OR SO PER MONTH. THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (SALENTINE) WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. I MENTIONED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER I NOW VISIT ([XXX])AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10512278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I STARTED HEARING A CLUNK WHILE BRAKING MY CAR AND SOON, MY CAR STARTED SHAKING WHENEVER I USED MY BRAKES. I CHECKED MY BRAKES AND THEY LOOKED GREAT AS WELL AS THE ROTORS. IT TURNS OUT IT IS THE STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #10504240 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PLASTIC FOOTREST, FRONT FLOOR, LEFT SIDE HAS CRACKED AND BROKE FREE FROM IT'S RETAINER CLIPS TWICE. THE FIRST ONE WAS REPLACED AT 15,348 MILES ON 01/29/2007. THE SECOND OCCURANCE AT APPROX. 66400 MILES ON 01/16/2013. THIS FOOTREST HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GET JAMMED BENEATH THE CLUTCH, BRAKE, AND/OR ACCELERATOR PEDALS ONCE THE PLASTIC RETAINER CLIPS FAIL AND THE PEDAL BECOMES LOOSE ON THE FLOOR. CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF THE PEDAL IS NOT IMMEDIATLEY REMOVED FROM THE FLOOR.
NHTSA complaint #10496640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS (LESS THAN 35), THERE IS A NOTICEABLE SHAKING / VIBRATION / RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM EITHER THE STEERING COLUMN OR FRONT SHOCKS, ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH SURFACES OR BUMPS. SEEMS TO BE MORE DRIVERS SIDE. LOOKS LIKE OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AS WELL AS TOYOTA MATRIX (BUILT ON SAME LINE WITH SAME COMPONENTS) I HAVE NOT YET HAD THE DEALER INSPECT THE ISSUE. SEEMS AS IF SOME COMPONENT HAS COME LOOSE.
NHTSA complaint #10489303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC SHE ENGAGED THE BRAKES BUT IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,075.
NHTSA complaint #10479365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY SOLID IN HAWAII, BUT WAS REGISTERED IN ILLINOIS AND SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V392000 (SERVICES BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST: VACUUM). THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL, BUT IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOW REGISTERED IN A STATE LISTED AS AN AFFECTED STATE ON THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.
NHTSA complaint #10449519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.