2009 Pontiac VIBE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
527 owner complaints analyzed
9 distinct recall campaigns
55,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 196 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 352 of 527 complaints (66.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 56 | 10.6% |
| Steering behavior | 39 | 7.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 16 | 3.0% |
| Engine operation | 12 | 2.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 1.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 352 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 39 |
| Steering | 33 |
| Engine | 29 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | 19 |
| Electrical System | 16 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 9 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 |
Air Bags: 352; Vehicle Speed Control: 39; Steering: 33; Engine: 29; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 19; Electrical System: 16; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 9; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 58 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 35 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 25 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 33 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 33 |
| 150,000 and above | 12 |
Under 25,000: 58; 25,000 to 49,999: 35; 50,000 to 74,999: 25; 75,000 to 99,999: 33; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 12
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (58). 331 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 67 |
| 2011 | 13 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 25 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2016 | 68 |
| 2017 | 259 |
| 2018 | 27 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2008: 1; 2009: 5; 2010: 67; 2011: 13; 2012: 9; 2013: 5; 2014: 25; 2015: 22; 2016: 68; 2017: 259; 2018: 27; 2019: 10; 2020: 6; 2022: 1; 2023: 6; 2024: 2; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 56 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 39 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10301884 · 2010-01-22 (January 22, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL AFTER THE CLAMP FELL OFF OF THE HOSE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE WHY THE CLAMP CAME OFF OF THE HOSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10301884 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10302591 · 2010-01-27 (January 27, 2010)
CAR HAS THE ACCELERATOR PROBLEM AND THE BRAKE PROBLEM THE ODOMETER READS THAT THE CAR IS TRAVELING 50 MPH AND THE CAR IS REALLY DOING 42 MPH, THE PASSENGER SEATBELT TURNS OFF WITH PASSENGER. *CN
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10302591 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10281564 · 2009-08-24 (August 24, 2009)
2009 PONTIAC VIBE, WHICH IS MECHANICALLY IDENTICAL TO TOYOTA MATRIX, WHICH IN TURN IS BASED ON TOYOTA COROLLA. ALL THREE VEHICLES HAVE REALLY LIGHT STEERING (TOO MUCH BOOST FROM ELECTRIC POWER STEERING) THAT IT BECOMES VERY UNSTABLE AND DANGEROUS WHEN THE SPEED IS OVER 50MPH. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO REPORTED THIS PROBLEM ON TOYOTA COROLLA BUT I THINK NHTSA SHOULD BE AWARE THAT TOYOTA MATRIX AND PONTIAC VIBE SHARE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10281564 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10311371 · 2010-02-17 (February 17, 2010)
WANDERING STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF MY 2009 PONTIAC VIBE VERSUS STABLE STEERING OF MY 2006 PONTIAC VIBE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311371 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10306833 · 2010-02-05 (February 5, 2010)
EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP AT A MODERATE SPEED. THE SINGLE OCCURRENCE HAPPENED WHEN GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION BUMP, ON A VERY COLD AND RAINY DAY. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, SLOWING DOWN THROUGH THE INTERSECTION (APPROX. 35 MPH) AND HIT THE BUMP. THE BRAKE PEDAL IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO APPARENT BRAKING. I BELIEVE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT TURNED ON DURING THE BRAKE LOSS, BUT IT HAPPENED SO FAST I CAN'T SAY IT DID FOR CERTAIN. A MOMENT LATER I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND PRESSED IT AND THE BRA…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306833 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10313380 · 2010-02-23 (February 23, 2010)
OUR 2009 PONTIAC VIBE SUDDENLY ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE WHILE DRIVING UP HILL THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. MY LEFT FOOT WAS FIRMLY ON THE FLOOR BLOCK LOCATED NEXT TO THE DRIVERSIDE KICK PAN. MY RIGHT FOOT WAS COVERING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING DOWN (APPROX. 30 MPH.)AS I ROLLED UP THE HILL AND WAS IDLING NORMALLY. SHORTLY BEFORE ENTERING THE INTERSECTION THE THROTTLE ADVANCED SUBSTANTIALLY. THE RPM RAISED TO APPROX. 2500,BUT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT DOWN SHIFT. I WAS EASILY ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. S…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,903 miles reported. Look up ODI 10313380 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10257618 · 2009-02-05 (February 5, 2009)
CAR IS STALLING ON INITIAL ACCELERATION FROM STOP OFTEN - ESPECIALLY IN WARM WEATHER AND CITY TYPE DRIVING.. OCCASIONALLY STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. OCCASIONALLY INCREASES RPM'S RANDOMLY. THESE INSTANCES HAVE CAUSED MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES WHEN NAVIGATING TRAFFIC. BELOW DOES NOT OFFER OPTION TO STATE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE PURCHASE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10257618 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10295360 · 2009-12-11 (December 11, 2009)
THE CONTACT HAS A 2006 PONTIAC VIBE THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS PROBLEMS AS THE TOYOTA CORROLLA. THE PONTIAC STALLED WHILE DRIVING AND THE THE OWNER HAD TO WAIT 45 MINUTES BEFORE IT COULD RESTART. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN THAT THE DEALER SAYS THAT IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THERE WAS 32000 MILES WHEN IT HAPPENED AND 35000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAD SAT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND THEN STOPPED AFTER DRIVING FOR 15 MINUTES AT 35 MILES HOUR.
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10295360 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10320572 · 2010-03-17 (March 17, 2010)
WE PURCHASED A NEW 2009 PONTIAC VIBE (TOYOTA, MATRIX PLATFORM) IN APRIL 2008. WE DROVE IT FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS AND ACCUMULATED A LITTLE OVER 20K MILES. IN EARLY MARCH, WE RETURNED FROM A SIX OR SEVEN HOUR TRIP AND WERE GOING THROUGH A LOCAL CAR WASH WHEN SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, THE ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED UNDER MY FOOT AND THE ENGINE INCREASED IN RPM'S AND THE VEHICLE LAUNCHED FORWARD NEARLY HITTING THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF US IN THE QUEUE. IN FEBRUARY, WE HAD RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICES FROM GMC, BUT THE LOCAL DEALER HAD NOT RECEIVED THE REPAI…
Owner-reported narrative. 20,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10320572 at NHTSA ↗