2004 Pontiac VIBE problems and owner complaints

HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC VIBE GT AND JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH AT 67 000 KM. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST CAR WE'VE OWNED WITH A STANDARD TRANSMISSION, OUR PREVIOUS CAR WAS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE WHICH HAD 200 000 KM ON THE ORIGINAL CLUTCH WHEN WE SOLD IT. WE BOUGHT THE 100 000 KM POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, BUT WERE TOLD THAT THE CLUTCH IS NOT COVERED. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT MYSELF. WE BOUGHT A NEW CAR SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PERFORMING MAJOR REPAIRS ON IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140207 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY CAR I NOTICED THAT MY PASSENGER WINDOW WAS LOOSE. WHEN I ROLLED THE WINDOW DOWN IT WOULD SHAKE. WHEN I WAS GOING TO SHUT THE PASSENGER DOOR I HAD TO MAKE SURE THE WINDOW WAS UP SO THAT IT WOULDN'T BREAK. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT FIXED. NOW RECENTLY I HEARD A SMALL NOISE IN THE DRIVER WINDOW WHEN I ROLL THE WINDOW UP AND DOWN. NOT POPPING, BUT MAYBE LIKE A SHIFTING OR LIKE IT WAS GOING TO POP. SURE ENOUGH MY WINDOW WAS SHATTERED. I WAS GETTING OUT AND ROLLED UP THE WINDOW WHEN I NOTICED THE WINDOW SOUNDED…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10160242 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER THE CONSUMER REMOVED HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SLOWLY DECELERATED. *AK THE ENGINE IDLE WAS SLOW TO RETURN TO NORMAL WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS RELEASED. THE PROBLEM COULD CAUSE AND ACCIDENT AND RESULTED IN AN EXTENSIVE USE OF THE BRAKES. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND STATED THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FEATURE AND NOT A FAILURE. THE DEALER INSTALLED AN EVENT RECORDER ON THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044928 at NHTSA ↗

MY PONTIAC VIBE 2004 WITH SUN ROOF PACKAGE FIRST OF ALL THE FLOORING IN THE CAR HAD MILDEWED AND MOLDED. THE CARPET WAS REPLACED AFTER MANY TIMES GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED AT. THE FLOORING IN THE CAR IS WET ONCE AGAIN NOT FROM MOON ROOF THIS TIME BUT POSSIBLE AIR CONDITIONING TUBING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE DAMAGED. THE CAR STILL HAS A VERY STRONG ODOR OF MOLD IN IT THAT WILL NOT DECREASE. I AM AFRAID THAT THERE MAY BE HARMFUL MOLD SPORES THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY GROWN FROM THE LAST TIME IT WAS SATURATED WITH WATER…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10105620 at NHTSA ↗

THE OEM BATTERY IN MY 2004 PONTIAC VIBE IS OF INSUFFICIENT CAPACITY FOR WINTER STARTUPS. PONTIAC INSTALLED A 310 CCA BATTERY, WHICH IS HAVING DIFFICULTY CRANKING THE ENGINE WHEN ATTEMTPTING TO START IT AT LOW TEMPERATURES (BELOW 15 DEGREES F). I HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING MY CAR AT -5DEGREES F THIS WEEK (IT TOOK 4 ATTEMPTS; I HAD ALL ACCESSORIES TURNED OFF, I.E. RADIO, FAN, LIGHTS. MY CAR IS LESS THAN 2 MONTHS OLD). THERE ARE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF SUCH NEAR FAILURES OF THE 310 CCA BATTERY ON THE 2003/2004 PONTIAC VIBE MODELS, ALONG WITH REPORTS …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056182 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD MANY DIFFERENT PROBLEMS AND SAFETY DEFECTS. THE FIRST PROBLEM STARTED JUST SEVEN DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. WHILE PRESSING ON THE BRAKES THEY SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE FALLING APART. THE NEXT PROBLEM CONCERNED THE ENGINE. AT TIMES THERE WAS NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK VERY BADLY. ALSO, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE THIRD PROBLEM INVOLVED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED THE RADIO MADE A CRACKING SOUND, AND THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE INTE…

Owner-reported narrative. 130 miles reported. Look up ODI 10144499 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH POWER WINDOWS. WHILE SHE WAS ROLLING UP THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW HEARD A POPPING SOUND. THE WINDOW FORMED A CRACK AND SHATTERED. ALSO, THE CONTACT COMPLAINT THAT THE STEERING WHEELWAS VERY LOOSE. SHE FELT THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE HAD TO KEEP TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL AT ALL TIMES TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING. UPON INSPECTION BY A SERVICE DEALER, THEY FOUND THAT THE BRACKET UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFTED. THE DEALER WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140343 at NHTSA ↗

AN '04 PONTIAC VIBE WELL MAINTAINED STALLED ON THE INTERSTATE LOSING COMPLETE POWER MOMENTARILY WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING, AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS (APPROXIMATELY 20-30 SECONDS) WOULD START BACK ON WHILE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BECAUSE OF A FUSIBLE WIRE LINK SHORTED, MELTING THE FUSE BLOCK AND DAMAGING THE BATTERY WHICH ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 67,405 miles reported. Look up ODI 10228299 at NHTSA ↗

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE AIRBAG 6 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE HEARD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SINCE THEN. WHAT IS YOUR AGENCY DOING TO FORCE GM TO STOP STALLING ON THESE NEEDED SAFETY REPAIRS. DOES YOUR AGENCY EVEN CARE?

Owner-reported narrative. 96,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10761791 at NHTSA ↗

MY 18 YR SON WAS DRIVING OUR 2004 PONTIAC VIBE HOME IN RUSH HOUR BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC ON A CURVY, MOUNTAINOUS, TWO LANE ROAD ON STATE ROUTE 4 IN (NEAR WHITE ROCK) IN THE LOS ALAMOS NM AREA AROUND 4PM. HE WAS DRIVING UNDER 55 MPH AND AS HE ROUNDED ONE OF THE CURVES, HE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD AND IT RAN STRAIGHT OFF THE ROAD(TO THE RIGHT), INSTEAD OF TURNING, OVER HEAVY BRUSH AND SEVERAL IRON FENCE POSTS. HE HAS ALWAYS CLAIMED THE CAR BRAKES AND STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THE MANY ADULT WITNESSES CONFIRMED THE CAR "SUDDEN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10321495 at NHTSA ↗

NEW TO ME PURCHASE. FIRST TIME I FILLED THE FUEL TANK I GET A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 127,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10955463 at NHTSA ↗