Pontiac Vibe 2008
Model Vibe made in 2008 by Pontiac got 36 consumer complains, 2 investigations there is 1 recall as well as 8 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to air bags, engine and engine cooling and power train. Technical service bulletines regarding seat belts. The car had one investigation (engine and engine cooling). There was one recall concerning engine and engine cooling . The car has one 1.8 engine.
Model 2008
| Engine [L] | Cylinders | Transmission | Drive | Estimate MPG (city/highway/combined) | Unadjusted MPG (city/highway/combined) | Fuel | Fuel cost | Class | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 | 4 | Lockup/automatic, 4 gears | F | 25/31/27 | 31.7/43.8/36.2002 | Regular | 1554 | SMALL STATION WAGONS | 4-Jun-07 |
| 1.8 | 4 | Manual, 5 gears | F | 26/33/29 | 33.5/46.6/38.3516 | Regular | 1449 | SMALL STATION WAGONS | 4-Jun-07 |
Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | ||||||||||||||||
| 10V387000 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | from 04/26/2004 to 01/02/2008 | V (Vehicle) | 161754 | 02/08/2011 | ODI | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 08/26/2010 | 08/31/2010 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Gm is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 pontiac vibe vehicles. the engine control module (ecm) for the subject models equipped with the 1zz-fe (lv6) engine and two-wheel drive may have been improperly manufactured. there is a possibility that a crack may develop at certain solder points or on varistors on the circuit board. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | There are a variety of warnings and consequences associated with the defect. the engine warning lamp could be illuminated, harsh shifting could result, the engine may not start, or the engine could shut off while the vehicle is being driven. an engine shutoff while the vehicle is being driven increases the risk of a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will inspect the production number of the ecm and replace the ecm if necessary. this service will be performed free of charge. the safety recall is expected to begin on or about january 14, 2011. owners may contact gm at 1-800-620-7668. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Gm's safety recall no. is 10282.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | |||||
| 09-09-40-001A | 02/01/2011 | 10038294 | Ready | 06/14/2011 | |
| 09-09-40-001A | 02/01/2011 | 10038294 | Gm: there are seat belt problems: difficulty latching and unlatching buckle. buckle release button is sticking. seat belt warning light illuminated. likely caused by sticky beverages that are spilled into the buckle assembly. *rm | 06/14/2011 | |
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT - RETRACTOR | |||||
| 05-09-40-002E | 10/01/2010 | 10037184 | Ready | 05/11/2011 | |
| 05-09-40-002E | 10/01/2010 | 10037184 | Gm: service bulletin explaining when the safety belts are supposed to lock. *rm | 05/11/2011 | |
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT - WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES | |||||
| 09-09-40-001A | 02/01/2011 | 10038294 | Gm: there are seat belt problems: difficulty latching and unlatching buckle. buckle release button is sticking. seat belt warning light illuminated. likely caused by sticky beverages that are spilled into the buckle assembly. *rm | 06/14/2011 | |
| 09-09-40-001A | 02/01/2011 | 10038294 | Ready | 06/14/2011 | |
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT - WEBBING | |||||
| 05-09-40-002E | 10/01/2010 | 10037184 | Gm: service bulletin explaining when the safety belts are supposed to lock. *rm | 05/11/2011 | |
| 05-09-40-002E | 10/01/2010 | 10037184 | Ready | 05/11/2011 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | ||||||
| EA10006 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 08/18/2010 | 09/16/2010 | Engine Stall | 10V387000 | |
| On august 26, 2010, toyota submitted a defect information report to the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) regarding problems with engine control modules that could result in engine stall while driving in certain model year (my) 2005 through 2008 toyota corolla, corolla matrix and pontiac vibe vehicles equipped with the 1zz-fe engine and two-wheel drive and manufactured between april 19, 2004 and january 2, 2008.toyota's report indicated that cracks may develop at certain solder point or on varistors on the ecms.according to toyota, such cracks generally resulted in engine warning lamp illumination, harsh shifting or engine no-start.in some cases, if the cracking occurs on particular solder points or varistors, the engine could stop while the vehicle is being driven.toyota will notify owners of subject vehicles that they should return their vehicles to a toyota or pontiac dealer.dealers will be instructed to inspect the production number of the ecm for each vehicle and replace the ecm if necessary.on november 30, 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe09-054) to investigate alleged engine stall while driving in model year (my) 2006 toyota corolla and corolla matrix vehicles.in its response to odi's information request, submitted on march 2, 2010, toyota indicated that it had identified two possible conditions with ecms used in my 2005 through 2007 toyota corolla and matrix vehicles:1) cracks forming between the ic and the board caused by an improperly cured conformal coating applied to the circuit boards after the soldering process is completed; and 2) cracks occurring in a variable resistor (varistor) due to overheating.during the manufacturing process a glass coating is created on the surface of the varistor.between march and august 2010, toyota began collecting ecms from the field to further investigate failure modes that may result in engine stall.toyota also conducted durability testing on ecms collected from in-use vehicles to assess whether the problems may be a continuing trend. in addition, they conducted durability testing in order to assess whether this problem was a continuing trend.toyota found that 4 of 32 collected ecms malfunctioned after thermal shock testing.toyota also confirmed that cracking could develop at solder points on the ecm circuit board that could lead to engine stall while driving and that this trend was likely to continue.the manufacturer failure data in this resume is limited to my 2005 through 2007 toyota corolla and corolla matrix vehicles.based on toyota's recall, this engineering analysis has been closed. | ||||||
| EA10006 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 08/18/2010 | 09/16/2010 | Engine Stall | 10V384000 | |
| On august 26, 2010, toyota submitted a defect information report to the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) regarding problems with engine control modules that could result in engine stall while driving in certain model year (my) 2005 through 2008 toyota corolla, corolla matrix and pontiac vibe vehicles equipped with the 1zz-fe engine and two-wheel drive and manufactured between april 19, 2004 and january 2, 2008.toyota's report indicated that cracks may develop at certain solder point or on varistors on the ecms.according to toyota, such cracks generally resulted in engine warning lamp illumination, harsh shifting or engine no-start.in some cases, if the cracking occurs on particular solder points or varistors, the engine could stop while the vehicle is being driven.toyota will notify owners of subject vehicles that they should return their vehicles to a toyota or pontiac dealer.dealers will be instructed to inspect the production number of the ecm for each vehicle and replace the ecm if necessary.on november 30, 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe09-054) to investigate alleged engine stall while driving in model year (my) 2006 toyota corolla and corolla matrix vehicles.in its response to odi's information request, submitted on march 2, 2010, toyota indicated that it had identified two possible conditions with ecms used in my 2005 through 2007 toyota corolla and matrix vehicles:1) cracks forming between the ic and the board caused by an improperly cured conformal coating applied to the circuit boards after the soldering process is completed; and 2) cracks occurring in a variable resistor (varistor) due to overheating.during the manufacturing process a glass coating is created on the surface of the varistor.between march and august 2010, toyota began collecting ecms from the field to further investigate failure modes that may result in engine stall.toyota also conducted durability testing on ecms collected from in-use vehicles to assess whether the problems may be a continuing trend. in addition, they conducted durability testing in order to assess whether this problem was a continuing trend.toyota found that 4 of 32 collected ecms malfunctioned after thermal shock testing.toyota also confirmed that cracking could develop at solder points on the ecm circuit board that could lead to engine stall while driving and that this trend was likely to continue.the manufacturer failure data in this resume is limited to my 2005 through 2007 toyota corolla and corolla matrix vehicles.based on toyota's recall, this engineering analysis has been closed. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 02/18/2009 | 50000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. while driving 50 mph, the contact was involved in a head on crash with a semi truck. the air bags failed to deploy. prior to the crash, the vehicle was taken to the dealer on four occasions regarding the abs. when the vehicle was retrieved, the contact heard a squeaky noise and took the vehicle back to the dealer. new brakes pads were placed on the vehicle at that time. after the crash, the vehicle was towed and taken in for a diagnostic. a police report was filed. the contact sustained major injuries to the knees and head, including a broken wrist and back pains. the failure and current mileages were 50,000. | |||
| 04/22/2008 | 2000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. on april 22, 2008, while driving 35 mph, the contact's vehicle was struck on the front passenger door by another vehicle. the driver's side seat belt failed to restrain the contact, causing her to strike and injure her head against the dashboard. the passenger received injuries to her legs. the insurance company investigation discovered that the driver's side seat belt bolt failed, which caused the seat belt to fail. the insurance company declared the vehicle to be destroyed. the front driver and passenger side air bags failed to deploy. the failure mileage was 2,000. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 07/05/2011 | 1 | ||
| 2008 pontiac vibe. consumer writes in regards to safety recall concerning engine stalling while driving *tgw the consumer stated he took the vehicle to a repair facility thinking the vehicle would be repaired. however, they informed him, the vehicle needed a new part and they would call him once the part arrived. the consumer stated he never heard from them again. the consumer stated he called for over a month, only to be transferred several times to different people within the company. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 30000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. the contact was driving approximately 65 mph, and suddenly there was a reduction in the engine power. also, when at a complete stop the engine would stall with the warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and then moments later the engine would restart. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number 10v387000 (engine and engine cooling). the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they stated the part did not require replacement and refused to repair the vehicle, even though the contact experienced the consequence mentioned in the recall. the contact planned to notify the manufacturer of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 30,000. js | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 03/29/2008 | 3000 | 1 | 12/14/2007 |
| Description of malfunction: engine accelerated when brake was applied. this condition occurred once, but could have cause an accident. on saturday 3/29/08 (no rain; temp 35 deg f) , i was driving on a winding rural road and going around 30 mph. the cruise control was off. i started braking since i was going down a slight grade and getting close to a red traffic light. suddenly the car started speeding up, even with my foot on the brake. i noticed that the idle was around 3,000 rpm. i manually threw the automatic gear shift into neutral and the car started racing to around 4500 rpm. i stopped the vehicle, turned off the key, put the car into park, and applied the parking brake. i put my 4 ways on and checked under the hood. of course, everything looked in order and i could not locate the throttle. i shut the hood and got back into the car. i pushed the accelerator pedal three times down to the floor. i waited a minute and then started the car. the idle was back to normal and the car ran normal. i took it to the dealer to get checked out on wednesday 4/2/08. no trouble found. no other occurrences of this nature to report. this condition is extremely unsafe; needs to be corrected asap. my vibe only has 3,000 miles and was purchased new from a dealer in december, 2007. based upon your site's complaints that i have reviewed, there are other pontiac vibes, toyota matrixs and toyota corollas that have experienced this condition. fortunately there aren't that many that have reported this condition, there are enough that support the fact that something is wrong and needs to be fixed before someone gets hurt. i understand that these models do not have a cable that connects the gas pedal to the throttle. these cars have an electronic throttle. there appears to be an electrical malfunction that is occurring. there must be a computer malfunction, wiring connector problem, a sensor or throttle actuator that is malfunctioning. *tr | |||
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 02/03/2011 | 40000 | 2 | |
| Feb 3, 2011 was the first occurrence. i put the car in reverse then pulled forward, turning the wheel to the right to give myself room to back up and turn my car so i could pull out onto a busy street going forward rather than backing out into traffic. i was going very slowly and applied the brakes when the car suddenly accelerated very fast. it ran up an 18 rock wall, pushing the brake did nothing, i turned the wheel to the right to avoid a tree while still trying to brake. the brake finally held. a tire was destroyed, it was replaced and taken to my mechanic who found no further damage and no reason for the acceleration. after leaving the mechanic i noticed that it seemed a bit jerky. two days later i turned the car on while sitting in a parking lot with my foot on the brake, i was still in park so the car did not move, but it did accelerate. it seemed ok after that, monday when i returned to town i discussed it with my mechanic and noticed a report on bloomberg about the issue with toyota acceleration problems and that the problem was also with 2009 and 2010 pontiac vibes.. i checked this site and found 2 complaints about my same issue with the 2008 pontiac vibe. *tr | |||
| SEAT BELTS | |||
| 03/11/2011 | 47063 | ||
| My 3 year old son rides in a carseat that is installed using the latch sytstem, 2 days ago he got the car's seatbelt and managed to get it wrapped around his neck when he let go of the seatbelt the seatbelt locked. when i realized what had happened i was able to pull over and after attempting to get the seatbelt to unlock without any success the seatbelt had to be cut to get it from around his neck. my son luckily came through without any permanent injury. | |||
| 04/22/2008 | 2000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. on april 22, 2008, while driving 35 mph, the contact's vehicle was struck on the front passenger door by another vehicle. the driver's side seat belt failed to restrain the contact, causing her to strike and injure her head against the dashboard. the passenger received injuries to her legs. the insurance company investigation discovered that the driver's side seat belt bolt failed, which caused the seat belt to fail. the insurance company declared the vehicle to be destroyed. the front driver and passenger side air bags failed to deploy. the failure mileage was 2,000. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 02/18/2009 | 50000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. while driving 50 mph, the contact was involved in a head on crash with a semi truck. the air bags failed to deploy. prior to the crash, the vehicle was taken to the dealer on four occasions regarding the abs. when the vehicle was retrieved, the contact heard a squeaky noise and took the vehicle back to the dealer. new brakes pads were placed on the vehicle at that time. after the crash, the vehicle was towed and taken in for a diagnostic. a police report was filed. the contact sustained major injuries to the knees and head, including a broken wrist and back pains. the failure and current mileages were 50,000. | |||
| STRUCTURE | |||
| 02/09/2008 | 1 | ||
| We rented a 2008 pontiac vibe on 2-9-08 from the ft. lauderdale airport and we were driving about 115 miles to islamorada fl. about 1 mile from our destination we heard a tremendous noise from the back seat area that sounded like an explosion. we noticed that the window in the back had shattered. we had no idea why it had shattered. since that time we have read news accounts about certain pontiac vibes experiencing spontaneous shattering of passenger door windows. just wanted to pass this along in the name of safety. *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 09/04/2010 | 60000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. the contact stated that the sway bar link broke off. the contact had a certified mechanic and a welder looked at the vehicle and found that component was not welded onto the vehicle properly. the contact stated that vehicle has never been in an accident. the vin was not available at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileages was 60000.rl | |||
| TIRES - PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS | |||
| 09/02/2009 | 230980 | 1 | |
| Tire pressure monitor devices on our 2008 pontiac vibe (with 23000 mile) had to be broken off to replace two tires needed on the vehicle. pontiac would not cover the replacement of the tpms (eventhough the vehicle was under the 36,000 mile/3yr warranty) because that claim i had changed the valve covers on the valve stems with steel caps. neither i nor the previous owner had replaced the valve covers but the vehicle came from the pontiac dealership that way. *tr | |||
| TIRES - VALVE | |||
| 04/11/2008 | 38900 | 3 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. while driving 55 mph, the contact noticed a vibration in the steering wheel. he pulled the vehicle over and noticed that the front passenger side tire was flat. the tire was taken to the dealer and they stated that the valve stem was faulty. the contact does not know the manufacturer of the valve stem. the current and failure mileages were 38,900. updated 09/15/08 *bf the consumer has experienced 3 valve stem failures. updated 09/17/08. *jb | |||
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | |||
| 02/03/2011 | 40000 | ||
| Feb 3, 2011 was the first occurrence. i put the car in reverse then pulled forward, turning the wheel to the right to give myself room to back up and turn my car so i could pull out onto a busy street going forward rather than backing out into traffic. i was going very slowly and applied the brakes when the car suddenly accelerated very fast. it ran up an 18 rock wall, pushing the brake did nothing, i turned the wheel to the right to avoid a tree while still trying to brake. the brake finally held. a tire was destroyed, it was replaced and taken to my mechanic who found no further damage and no reason for the acceleration. after leaving the mechanic i noticed that it seemed a bit jerky. two days later i turned the car on while sitting in a parking lot with my foot on the brake, i was still in park so the car did not move, but it did accelerate. it seemed ok after that, monday when i returned to town i discussed it with my mechanic and noticed a report on bloomberg about the issue with toyota acceleration problems and that the problem was also with 2009 and 2010 pontiac vibes.. i checked this site and found 2 complaints about my same issue with the 2008 pontiac vibe. | |||
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | |||
| 02/03/2011 | 40000 | 2 | |
| Feb 3, 2011 was the first occurrence. i put the car in reverse then pulled forward, turning the wheel to the right to give myself room to back up and turn my car so i could pull out onto a busy street going forward rather than backing out into traffic. i was going very slowly and applied the brakes when the car suddenly accelerated very fast. it ran up an 18 rock wall, pushing the brake did nothing, i turned the wheel to the right to avoid a tree while still trying to brake. the brake finally held. a tire was destroyed, it was replaced and taken to my mechanic who found no further damage and no reason for the acceleration. after leaving the mechanic i noticed that it seemed a bit jerky. two days later i turned the car on while sitting in a parking lot with my foot on the brake, i was still in park so the car did not move, but it did accelerate. it seemed ok after that, monday when i returned to town i discussed it with my mechanic and noticed a report on bloomberg about the issue with toyota acceleration problems and that the problem was also with 2009 and 2010 pontiac vibes.. i checked this site and found 2 complaints about my same issue with the 2008 pontiac vibe. *tr | |||
| 02/03/2011 | 40000 | ||
| Feb 3, 2011 was the first occurrence. i put the car in reverse then pulled forward, turning the wheel to the right to give myself room to back up and turn my car so i could pull out onto a busy street going forward rather than backing out into traffic. i was going very slowly and applied the brakes when the car suddenly accelerated very fast. it ran up an 18 rock wall, pushing the brake did nothing, i turned the wheel to the right to avoid a tree while still trying to brake. the brake finally held. a tire was destroyed, it was replaced and taken to my mechanic who found no further damage and no reason for the acceleration. after leaving the mechanic i noticed that it seemed a bit jerky. two days later i turned the car on while sitting in a parking lot with my foot on the brake, i was still in park so the car did not move, but it did accelerate. it seemed ok after that, monday when i returned to town i discussed it with my mechanic and noticed a report on bloomberg about the issue with toyota acceleration problems and that the problem was also with 2009 and 2010 pontiac vibes.. i checked this site and found 2 complaints about my same issue with the 2008 pontiac vibe. | |||
| 03/09/2010 | 18500 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. the contact stated that while driving down the road the contact stated that she went for 2 miles without touching the accelerator. she also stated that when the brakes are depressed to slow the vehicle down they make a loud clunking noise. she stated that while going up a hill on her driveway the vehicle was traveling about 20mph on it's own. the vehicle has not been repaired. she stated that the vehicle has been in and out of the garage for various issues. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 18,500. rd | |||
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - ACCELERATOR PEDAL | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2008 pontiac vibe accelerated without warning. consumer slammed on the brakes but it didn't stop the vehicle. *kb the consumer stated the vehicle finally resumed normal operation. the consumer discovered there was a recall, but when she went to the dealer, she was informed only the 2009 and 2010 vehicles were being repaired under the recall. *jb | |||
| VISIBILITY - GLASS, SIDE/REAR | |||
| 02/09/2008 | 1 | ||
| We rented a 2008 pontiac vibe on 2-9-08 from the ft. lauderdale airport and we were driving about 115 miles to islamorada fl. about 1 mile from our destination we heard a tremendous noise from the back seat area that sounded like an explosion. we noticed that the window in the back had shattered. we had no idea why it had shattered. since that time we have read news accounts about certain pontiac vibes experiencing spontaneous shattering of passenger door windows. just wanted to pass this along in the name of safety. *tr | |||
Car dealers selling
| State | City | Zip | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZ | PHOENIX | 85014 | Coulter Cadillac, Inc. | 2641188 |
| CO | Castle Rock | 80104 | Medved Chevrolet South, Inc. | |
| KY | Florence | 41042 | JEFF WYLER ALEXANDRIA, INC. | 5258001 |
| MO | Carthage | 64836 | Village Chevrolet-Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac-Gmc | 358-3333 |
| OH | Cincinnati | 45251 | Joseph Buick-Pontiac-Gmc Truck, Inc. | 741-1000 |
| OK | Tulsa | Bob Hurley Buick, Pontiac, Gmc, Llc | 4469696 | |
| SC | Columbia | 29210 | Hampton Automotive Inc. | |
| SC | MYRTLE BEACH | 29577 | Neil Johnson Buick-Gmc, Inc. | 4484426 |
| WA | Bremerton | 98312 | Haselwood Buick-Pontiac Company | 4731628 |
| WI | MADISON | 53718 | Zimbrick, Inc. | 441-1122 |
| ID | KELLOG | DAVE SMITH MOTORS | 800-635-8000 | |
| PA | IRWIN | 15642 | HAMILTON PONTIAC | 724-863-8200 |