Pontiac VIBE problems and owner complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 3 TO 5 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD ON AND NEITHER FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS PRE BRAKING PRIOR TO THE IMPACT. THE SEAT BELTS WERE WORN; HOWEVER THE SEAT BELT DID NOT SECURE THE DRIVER. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED TO THE HEAD AND BACK. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY THE PONTIAC DEALERSHIP. UPDATED 03/09/06. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149152 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN BRAKING THE ENGINE WOULD START RACING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006203 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN BRAKING MY ENGINE REVS ON OCCASION. IT IS CALLED FAT FOOT!! THE PEDALS ARE TO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AND BOTH THE BRAKE AND THE GAS CAN BE EASILY PRESSED AT THE SAME TIME. LUCKILY I AM ONE OF THE FEW THAT STILL KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND ALL I NOTICE IS MY TACH SWING UP. YES THE PEDALS NEED TO BE PLACED FARTHER APART BUT DON'T BLAME THE CAR FOR SOMETHING THAT IS YOUR FAULT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017022 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT AND AM EXPERIENCING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTICED A RATTLING/GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE GEARBOX THAT BEGAN AT APPROXIMATELY 13K MILES. THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE A GRINDING SOUND OR SOMETHING LOOSE IN THE GEARBOX ON DECELERATING OR CONSTANT SPEEDS IN FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND FORTH GEARS. WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE GRINDING/RATTLING NOISE GOES AWAY. THE NOISE CAN BE REPLICATED BY KEEPING THE ENGINE SPEED AT 1600 RPM'S I SENT A FAX TO THE SERVICE MANAGER OF PARKS AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC…

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039547 at NHTSA ↗

IN AUGUST OF 2003, WE BOUGHT A NEW, 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. IN NOVEMBER, WE HAD A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, WHILE TAKING A CURVE. THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND MADE US HIT THE SIDE WALK WITH THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. THE TWO FRONT WHEELS BURSTED AND THE ROD BROKE IN HALF. WE STARTED SPINNING UNTIL THE MOTOR, FINALLY DIED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND AT THAT TIME. OUR INJURIES ARE BEING TREATED AND OUR INSURANCE COMPANY COVERED THE VEHICLES REPAIRS. THE DAMAGE WAS MAJOR AND WE REQUESTED AN INSPECTION FROM PON…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053134 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONSUMER'S 2003 PONTIAC VIBE DRIFTED FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *NM THE VEHICLE DID NOT HANDLE PROPERLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP IT IN HE MIDDLE OF THE LANE. THE PROBLEM WOULD ALSO OCCUR ON SMOOTH LEVEL ROADWAY WITH NO WINDY CONDITIONS. THE TIRES HAD ALSO BEEN AFFECTED WITH UNEVEN WEARING OF THE INNERMOST TREAD ON EACH. *SC THE CONSUMER RECEIVED TWO EXPERT OPINIONS AND THEIR CONCLUSION WAS THE VEHICLE WAS CHAINED DOWN TOO TIGHT DURING TRANSPORT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10115577 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10500634 at NHTSA ↗

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 T…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10511590 at NHTSA ↗

CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW 40 DAYS AGO. WITH ONLY 613 MILES DRIVEN, CAR FAILED TO START. DRIVEN DURING THE DAY NO SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR ONE HOUR AND AFTER THAT TIME COULD NOT START ENGINE. BATTERY, SHIFT INTER-LOCK WIRING LOOKED FINE, BUT STARTER MOTOR HAD NO POWER. TOWED TO DEALER STILL AWAITING SERVICE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID "NEVER HAD ONE NOT START!" *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 613 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023571 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE REACHES HIGH RPMS AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.*AK WHILE PARKING, CONSUMER SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. WHILE IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO 5000 RPM'S OR SO AND STAYED AT THIS FULL THROTTLE POSITION FOR 1/2 A MINUTE. HIS FOOT WAS LIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE WHEN SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED. CONSUMER REMOVED HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND HAD THE PASSENGER TO VERIFY THE ENGINE STAYED AT FULL THROTTLE WITH FOOT ON ALL PEDALS. SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. AFTE…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,276 miles reported. Look up ODI 10042646 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER HAS PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL LINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THERE WAS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN PROBLEM ON THE PONTIAC VIBE AND THE TOYOTA MATRIX. THE FUEL FILL TUBE HOSE WAS CONNECTED TO AN OPENING INLET AT THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031585 at NHTSA ↗

BEGAN NOTICING STRONG GAS SMELL IN GARAGE, TOOK CAR TO SHOP TO CHECK WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A GAS LINE LEAKING AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TANK WAS FULL OF RUST AND ROTTING. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE TANK WITH A USED TANK AND TOOK THE ROTTING TANK HOME WITH THE THOUGHT OF PLACING A COMPLAINT WITH GM. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THE ROTTING WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL ON A TANK THAT WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. GM REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE TANK AND OFFERED OIL CHANGES, SAYING THIS COULD HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE WINTER CONDITIONS THAT WE DRIVE IN. MY 2 YEAR OLDER AZTEK SITS NEXT TO I…

Owner-reported narrative. 49,820 miles reported. Look up ODI 10218990 at NHTSA ↗