2003 Pontiac VIBE: complaints, problems and recalls

CONDENSATION BUILDS UP ON THE INSIDE OF ALL WINDOWS OF VEHICLE WHILE PARKED FOR 6 HOURS. SO MUCH SO, CONDENSATION WAS RUNNING DOWN THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS PROBLEM IS UNUSUAL AS I''VE OWNED NUMEROUS NEW VEHICLES IN THIS GEOGRAPHICAL AREA. AND NONE HAS HAD THIS AMOUNT IF ANY CONDENSATION BUILD UP ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. AS I''M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A VALID COMPLAINT. BECAUSE YES AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF RUNNING THE DEFROSTER THE CONDENSATION CLEARS. BUT I CAN''T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WENT BELOW…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000742 at NHTSA ↗

2003 PONTIAC VIBE. VEHICLE HAS A SENSOR THAT TURNS ON THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS. THESE LIGHTS ARE NOT ILLUMINATED UNTIL 15-20 SECONDS ELAPSE. I NOTED MY WIFE DRIVING AWAY WITH HEADLIGHTS BUT NO TAIL LIGHTS AFTER SHE STARTED THE CAR AFTER SUNSET. THE TAIL LIGHTS CAME ON AS SHE WAS TWO BLOCKS DOWN THE STREET. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY DANGER DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. THANKS

Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003144 at NHTSA ↗

AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS TURN ON IN DAYLIGHT - CAN'T SEE DASH. IN THE MORNING AND EVENING WHEN THE SUN IS LOW AND IN YOUR EYES, I WEAR SUNGLASSES LIKE MOST DRIVERS. THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTS COME ON AND DIM THE DASH MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. YOU CAN FIDDLE WITH THE DASH INTENSITY AND READ IT AGAIN, BUT IT IS ANNOYING TO DO THIS ALL THE TIME. THE RADIO STAYS DIM AND IS UNADJUSTABLE BY THE DASH INTENSITY LIGHTS, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. YOU HAVE TO MOVE YOUR HEAD TO FUNNY ANGLES OR REMOVE YOUR SUNGLASSES TO SEE THE RADIO. I FEEL FIDDLING WITH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005009 at NHTSA ↗

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

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

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED,THE ENGINE IDLED HIGH. *PH *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006420 at NHTSA ↗

CAR WAS PURCHASED DAY BEFORE. WHILE DRIVING ON MAR 1ST AND COMING TO STOP LIGHT WITH BRAKES APPLIED, CAR ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. ONLY HARD BRAKING PREVENTED CRASH. TWO HOURS LATER WITH WIFE IN CAR WHILE BRAKING FOR STOPPED CAR, ENGINE ROARED VIOLENTLY, ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLASHED, SMOKE POURED OUT OF BACK OF CAR FROM EXHAUST AND REAR TIRES SPINNING ONLY HARD BRAKING, PUTTING CAR IN PARK AND TURNING OFF ENGINE PREVENTED A COLLISION. CAR WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY WITH BRAKES ON.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 136 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008318 at NHTSA ↗

I NOTICED MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HANDLE WELL AT ALL IN SNOWY WEATHER. IN 4 INCHES OF SNOW I GOT STUCK THREE TIMES AND FINALLY JUST HAD TO STAY HOME. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MY DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT THIS AND IT WAS STATED TO ME THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED BY THIS, IF I HAD KNOWN THE VEHICLE HANDLES SO POORLY I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED IT.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010242 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE BRAKING CAR WILL ACCELERATE. HAVE TO BRAKE HARD AND BUT INTO NEUTRAL. ENGINE RACED AND I HAD TO TURN CAR OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES. TOOK TO DEALER SERVICE, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010827 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-03-11 (March 11, 2002)

ON CERTAIN TWO-WHEEL DRIVE (2WD) PASSENGER VEHICLES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE BOLTS THAT JOIN THE REAR BRAKE AND HUB ASSEMBLY TO THE REAR AXLE CARRIER TO BE LOOSE DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING DURING THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.

Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, ONE OR MORE OF THE FOUR BOLTS COULD COME LOOSE, CAUSING AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE REAR AXLE AREA. IN THE EVENT THAT ALL FOUR BOLTS LOOSEN COMPLETELY, SEPARATION OF THE REAR BRAKE AND HUB ASSEMBLY FROM THE REAR AXLE CARRIER COULD OCCUR, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 12, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737.

Reported: 2008-04-10 (April 10, 2008)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING 662,178 MY 2003-2004 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX AND PONTIAC VIBE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER WINDOWS. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR GLASS BOLTS MAY LOOSEN AND COME OFF, CAUSING THE DOOR GLASS TO SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOW REGULATOR. DUE TO THE COMPONENTS BECOMING LOOSE AND POSSIBLY RATTLING, AN ABNORMAL NOISE MAY BE HEARD FROM THE DRIVER AND /OR FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WHEN OPERATING THE POWER WINDOWS.

Consequence: THE DOOR GLASS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOW REGULATOR, BIND AND SHATTER DURING OPERATION OF THE POWER WINDOWS, CAUSING DRIVER DISTRACTION AND/OR INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR GLASS BOLTS WITH NEWLY DESIGNED BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 16, 2008 TO TOYOTA OWNERS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2008, FOR PONTIAC OWNERS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

Reported: 2013-01-30 (January 30, 2013)

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits. This could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

Consequence: Inadvertent deployment of the airbags or the seat belt pretensioners may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Toyota will re-notify their owners who have already had their vehicles repaired with a noise filter, but did not receive a new airbag control module, and General Motors will re-notify theirs. Dealers previously installed a supplemental harness containing an electrical filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness, free of charge. Dealers will replace the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on March 13, 2013. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for second notices. For more information, Toyota owners may call 1-800-331-4331 and Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668.

Reported: 2015-01-28 (January 28, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.

Consequence: Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. GM issued an interim notification to owners on March 27, 2015. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V-029 and 14V-147. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for one of those campaigns need to have the air bag control module replaced under this campaign.

Reported: 2015-05-13 (May 13, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag. The recall began on July 13, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-762-2737. NOTE: This recall supersedes recall 14V-312 in its entirety.

Reported: 2015-05-13 (May 13, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that were not previously included. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota began the recall on July 13, 2015. Pontiac Vibe owners may contact GM at 1-800-762-2737. GM began the recall on June 29, 2015. NOTE: This recacll supersedes recall 14V-655 in its entirety. For vehicles located in the U.S. states not listed above, please see Toyota recall 15V-285 which covers all other U.S. states.

Reported: 2018-12-12 (December 12, 2018)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for these recalls are J0A (Zone A Toyota), J0B (Zone B Toyota), J0C (Zone C Toyota), JLI (Zone A Lexus), JLJ (Zone B Lexus), and JLK (Zone C Lexus). Note: This recall includes vehicles that have had their air bag previously replaced under an earlier air bag campaign.

Reported: 2020-01-23 (January 23, 2020)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The replacement air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation in high temperature conditions, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly.

Consequence: An air bag that does not inflate properly increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the passenger air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2020. Owners may contact Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is N192278940.