2003 Pontiac Vibe Interior & seats Problems

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE EXPRESSWAY (DURING RUSH HOUR) AT AROUND 65 MPH THERE WAS A SUDDEN EXTREMELY LOUD NOISE. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THIS WAS AND LOOKED AROUND THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUNROOF HAD COMPLETELY SHATTERED. IT BEING MICHIGAN AND IN THE 30'S IT HAS BEEN CLOSED THE ENTIRE SEASON. I WAS NOT DRIVING NEAR OR UNDER AN OVERPASS AT THE TIME SO I DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING WAS DROPPED ON IT. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE I DISCOVERED I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD THIS HAPPENED TO THEM. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SAFETY RECALL (07273) WITH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS AS THEY WOULD SUDDENLY BREAK AS WELL. THIS SERVICE WAS COMPLETED. COULD THIS BE RELATED? *TR

NHTSA ID

10393503

Incident

Mar 28, 2011

Mileage

117,625 mi

MARCH 12, 2011 THE MAIN HOOD LATCH FAILED TO MAINTAIN A LATCH LOCK ON A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE WHILE VEHICLE WAS MERGING ON A HIGHWAY AND THE SAFETY CATCH FAILED TO "CATCH" AND THE HOOD OPENED. THIS ACTION PREVENTED THE DRIVER FROM SEEING THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A SAFE STOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10389963

Incident

Mar 12, 2011

Mileage

112,040 mi

2003 PONTIAC VIBE. POWER DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK ON THEIR OWN AND CANNOT BE OVER-RIDDEN EITHER MANUALLY OR WITH KEY FOB. A PERSON INSIDE THE VEHICLE CANNOT EXIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10372006

Incident

Dec 21, 2010

Mileage

140,000 mi

AN OVERLY SENSITIVE AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR TURNS ON THE HEADLIGHTS AND DIMS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY ON A BRIGHT SUNSHINE DAY IF THE SHADOW FROM THE A-PILLAR FALLS ACROSS THE SENSOR. THE DIMMING OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY LEADS TO AN INABILITY TO READ THE INSTRUMENTS ON A BRIGHT SUNSHINE DAY, THUS CREATING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. FROM MY RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM, THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE 2003 PONTIAC VIBE AND ITS SISTER CAR, THE 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. TOYOTA HAS A TSB ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM (EL007-02), GM DOES NOT HAVE ONE FOR THE VIBE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10259099

Incident

Jan 10, 2004

Mileage

200 mi

I AM WONDERING IF THERE WAS A COMPLAINT ON ANY OTHER VIBES 2003. AS I WAS ON A TRIP TO KY. I WENT TO OPEN MY BACK DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND HEARD SOMETHING FALL INSIDE BETWEEN THE DOOR PANEL,I CANT OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE BUT CAN OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE. I ALREADY RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE BOLTS ON THE FRONT DOOR OF MY VIBE AND WAS WONDERING IF THIS WILL END UP BEING AN ISSUES AND IF IT WILL BE COVER UNDER THE RECALL NOTICE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO TY, MISS MAHADY *TR

NHTSA ID

10230845

Incident

Jun 7, 2008

I OWN A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT. THERE IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH THE VISIBILITY OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, DURING SUNNY TIMES WEARING SUNGLASSES AND DURING MORNING AND EVENING HOURS WHEN THE LIGHT SENSOR TURNS ON THE HEADLIGHTS AND DIMS THE PANEL LIGHTS. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO READ READILY AVAILABLE INFORMATION SUCH AS SPEED! I CAN'T AVOID DRIVING MY CAR IN CERTAIN LIGHTNING CONDITIONS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10162123

Incident

Aug 30, 2003

I OWN A PONTIAC VIBE, PURCHASED NEW IN 2003. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE I NOTICED HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO READ THE RED LIGHTED INSTRUMENT PANEL ON SUNNY DAYS. THE SPEEDOMETER NUMBERS AND ODOMETER READINGS ARE SOMETIMES WASHED OUT ON SUNNY DAYS. I RECENTLY TOOK A FOUR THOUSAND MILE TRIP THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST, AND WAS VERY CONCERNED OVER MY INABILITY AT TIMES TO READ HOW FAST I WAS GOING ON THE SPEEDOMETER, AND HOW FAR I WAS FROM MY DESTINATION DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY READING THE ODOMETER. TRYING TO READ THIS INFORMATION GOING AT SPEEDS UP TO 75 MILES AN HOUR WAS VERY NERVE-WRACKING AND DANGEROUS. THE SERVICE PERSONNEL AT MY LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO INCREASE THE LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, ADDING, NOBODY ELSE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS. I HAVE SEEN, HOWEVER ON ONE WEBSITE, SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TROUBLESOME DASHBOARD DESIGN. I AM CURRENTLY STUCK WITH THE VEHICLE AND AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT. IT IS A NICE CAR, BUT PONTIAC NEED TO REDESIGN THIS INSTRUMENT PANEL BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. IT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL, AND UNSATISFACTORY INSTRUMENTATION I HAVE SEEN ON A CAR, AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 56 YEARS. BY THE WAY, I PASS MY ILLINOIS DRIVER'S LICENSE VISION TEST WITHOUT THE NEED OF GLASSES. THANKS FOR READING THIS. SINCERELY:*JB

NHTSA ID

10158738

Incident

May 30, 2006

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WERE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH DURING BRIGHT SUNNY DAYS. THE GAUGES WERE DIGITAL AND UNABLE TO BE READ. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THERE WAS NO REPAIR AVAILABLE SINCE THIS IS HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. *JB UPDATED 2/28/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10148010

Incident

Jan 18, 2006

Mileage

17,700 mi

HELLO MY NAME IS [XXX], I BOUGHT A 2003 PONITAC VIBE IN DEC OF 02 SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE MINOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP SO MANY TIMES NOW I THINK THAT THEY THINK I WORK THERE. SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS CAR I HAVE HAD THREE HUB CAPS REPLACED DUE TO THEM TURNING A YELLOW COLOR (FROM SILVER). THE PASSENGER SEAT STARTED TO TEAR IN THE SEAMS..(I WEIGH 150 LB I DON'T THINK IM TOO HEAVY) THE SEAL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WARPED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, NOW THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT IS STARTING TO TEAR AT THE SEAMS AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED, THE ENGINE IS STARTING TO CHIRP LIKE I HAVE FRIGGIN CRICKETS IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR.....I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON WITH THIS THING BUT ITS DOWN RIGHT ANNOYING! I LOVE THE CAR ITS GREAT BUT THE CONSTANT TRIPS TO THE DEALER AND ON TOP OF THAT THEY NEVER ONCE HAVE OFFERED TO LOAN ME A CAR WHILE THEY FIXED THE DEFECTS IN THEIR PRODUCTS . THIS HAS BEEN AN INCONVENIENCE TO ME AND MY FAMILY. I WANT TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS NOTICED THESE TYPES OF DEFECTS IN THEIR VIBE OR IF I GOT HE LEMON OF THE BUNCH. PLEASE RESPOND. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10032619

Incident

Aug 11, 2003