2008 Pontiac Vibe Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO WUERFLEIN CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (2527 BRIDGE AVE, ALBERT LEA, MN 56007) TO BE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. UPON RETURN OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED DESPITE THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED THE SAME DEALER BACK AND WAS INFORMED SHE HAD TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *BF *TR

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. HONOLULU BUICK GMC LOCATED AT 2945 N NIMITZ HWY, HONOLULU, HI 96819, WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF *JS

WHILE PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN CONTINUING FORWARD WITH BRAKE APPLIED EVEN LEAVING SKID MARKS UNTIL RUNNING INTO A STONE COLUMN. WOULD HAVE CRASHED INTO THE HOUSE INSTEAD THE COLUMN IF HADN'T STEERED HARD TO THE RIGHT.

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

ONE MILE INTO COMMUTE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DIDN'T RESPOND AFTER STOPPING, THEN SUDDENLY RESPONDED CAUSING CAR TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. REPEATED TWICE BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. STOPPED CAR, SHUT THE CAR OFF, CHECKED GAS CAP WAS FASTENED SECURELY. RESTARTED CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. TURNED AROUND AND PROCEEDED THE ONE MILE HOME. COASTED INTO THE PARKING GARAGE AND STOPPED THE CAR TO WAIT FOR THE GARAGE DOOR TO CLOSE. WHILE COMPLETELY STOPPED THE CAR TRIED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT ANY INPUT TO THE GAS PEDAL. THE RPM'S INCREASED AND THE CAR TRIED TO DRIVE FORWARD. THE RPM'S DIDN'T DECREASE UNTIL THE CAR WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL. THE SUDDEN RPM INCREASE WHILE STOPPED CAUSED THE TIRES TO SQUEAL AGAINST THE SMOOTH PAVEMENT IN THE PARKING GARAGE. SHUT THE CAR OFF, PLACED IN PARK, RESTARTED THE CAR AND PULLED INTO MY PARKING SPOT. THE NEXT DAY STARTED THE CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. DROVE THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES TO THE DEALER WITHOUT INCIDENT. DEALER INITIALLY REFUSED TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THE ORDER AND AFTER INSISTING ON HAVING A COPY THE SERVICE MANAGER NEGLECTED TO INDICATE ON THE WORK ORDER THAT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT INPUT TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. DEALER REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR UNDER WARRANTY AND ARGUED THAT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITHOUT INPUT OR RANDOM INCREASED RPM VIOLATES THE 8/80K EPA WARRANTY OR MODERN SAFETY STANDARDS. CONTACTED GM WARRANTY WHO ALSO REFUSED TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT COST UNDER EPA OR SAFETY WARRANTY. *TR

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

MY 3 YEAR OLD SON RIDES IN A CARSEAT THAT IS INSTALLED USING THE LATCH SYSTEM, 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. *TR

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.

POWER STEERING WOULD RANDOMLY QUIT WHILE DRIVING. NEEDED TO REPLACE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE.

I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT, HOWEVER WHEN THE STREETS ARE WET, MY ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND THE POWER STEERING GOES OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE THIS WEEK AND HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THE ROAD BECAUSE I COULD NOT STEER. I TOOK THE CAR TO RON NORRIS DEALERSHIP IN TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I WOULD HATE TO GET HURT MYSELF OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE. WHAT CAN I DO? *TR

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

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

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

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

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.

ONE MILE INTO COMMUTE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DIDN'T RESPOND AFTER STOPPING, THEN SUDDENLY RESPONDED CAUSING CAR TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. REPEATED TWICE BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. STOPPED CAR, SHUT THE CAR OFF, CHECKED GAS CAP WAS FASTENED SECURELY. RESTARTED CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. TURNED AROUND AND PROCEEDED THE ONE MILE HOME. COASTED INTO THE PARKING GARAGE AND STOPPED THE CAR TO WAIT FOR THE GARAGE DOOR TO CLOSE. WHILE COMPLETELY STOPPED THE CAR TRIED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT ANY INPUT TO THE GAS PEDAL. THE RPM'S INCREASED AND THE CAR TRIED TO DRIVE FORWARD. THE RPM'S DIDN'T DECREASE UNTIL THE CAR WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL. THE SUDDEN RPM INCREASE WHILE STOPPED CAUSED THE TIRES TO SQUEAL AGAINST THE SMOOTH PAVEMENT IN THE PARKING GARAGE. SHUT THE CAR OFF, PLACED IN PARK, RESTARTED THE CAR AND PULLED INTO MY PARKING SPOT. THE NEXT DAY STARTED THE CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. DROVE THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES TO THE DEALER WITHOUT INCIDENT. DEALER INITIALLY REFUSED TO PROVIDE A COPY OF THE ORDER AND AFTER INSISTING ON HAVING A COPY THE SERVICE MANAGER NEGLECTED TO INDICATE ON THE WORK ORDER THAT THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT INPUT TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. DEALER REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR UNDER WARRANTY AND ARGUED THAT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITHOUT INPUT OR RANDOM INCREASED RPM VIOLATES THE 8/80K EPA WARRANTY OR MODERN SAFETY STANDARDS. CONTACTED GM WARRANTY WHO ALSO REFUSED TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT COST UNDER EPA OR SAFETY WARRANTY. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SWAY BAR LINK FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD AN INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND A WELDER INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND BOTH FOUND THAT COMPONENT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY WELDED ONTO THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 12/30/10 *BF UPDATED 01/10/11*JB