Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Pontiac Vibe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 23 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I been trying to get the recalls to be fix but both the dealers and GM haven’t been able to help due to parts discontinued, I been trying to get this issued resolve for a year or so. I need help please, they just keep saying that all recalls on this vehicle don’t have the parts for it and don’t know what else to do.
The contact owns a 2009 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the vehicle speed control (VSC), ABS, and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who was unable to duplicate the failure; however, the independent mechanic replaced the heat shield. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
AT STOP, VEHICLE ATTEMPTED ACCELERATING. MUCH PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED TO KEEP CAR FROM MOVING. AFTER SHUTTING OFF ENGINE AND RESTART, SEEMED OK. THIRD AND MOST SIGNIFICANT OCCURANCE. *LN*JB
ON MAY 11, 2016 WHILE DRIVING ON I -81, MY CAR WITH 86,000 MILES ON IT SUDDENLY STARTED TO WEAVE BACK & FORTH ACROSS THE INTERSTATE. I THOUGHT THE TIE ROD HAD BROKEN. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OFF THE ROAD. THEN I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT TAKEN TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP..NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON UNTIL THE GM MECHANIC PLUGGED IN HIS CODE READER. THEN LOTS OF LIGHTS LIT UP. HE SAID THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT WENT HAYWIRE AND CAUSED THE ABS SYSTEM TO FIGHT WITH THE STABILITRAK SYSTEM. ALL I KNOW IS THAT A EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FAILURE HAPPENED. IF WE HAD BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, OR ON SLICK RAINY OR SNOWY ROADS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED THIS FAILURE REMINDS ME OF THE PROBLEM TOYOTA HAD YEARS AGO WITH THEIR VEHICLES SUDDENLY ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL.. MY PONTIAC VIBE IS MADE BY TOYOTA. PLEASE INVESTIGATE TOYOTA ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNITS. THE PART THE GM DEALER REPLACED IS PART # 19205576 :SL -N - MODULE. IT'S PRICE IS $1,171.98 WORK WAS DONE AT BACHMAN - BERNARD CHEVROLET BUICK GM CADILLAC INC. 3365 EAST ANDREW JOHNSON HWY GREENEVILLE, TN 37745. PHONE # 423-639-4441. THE MECHANIC'S NAME IS [XXX] . SERVICE ADVISOR IS ..-[XXX]. R/O # 6063277. I DO NOT HAVE A SCANNER TO UPLOAD THE REPAIR INVOICE. IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER INFORMATION PLEASE EMAIL ME AT [XXX] OR CALL [XXX], OR [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
REPEATED FRONT BRAKE REPAIRS TO STOP HEAVY VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. VIBRATION IS EXTREME IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE STICK SHIFT, AND SOMETIMES THROUGHOUT THE CAR. REPAIRS WERE DONE 3 TIMES IN 18 MONTHS, AND IT KEEPS COMING BACK WITHIN A MONTH AFTER REPAIRS. I NEVER BRAKE HARD TO CAUSE THIS. TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY POPS OUT OF 5TH GEAR DURING ACCELERATION, REPORTEDLY CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE OR BROKEN SYNCHRONIZER. HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 20 MPH, THE VEHICLES BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR HUB, BEARING, AND SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,089.
VARIOUS LIGHTS COME ON IN THE DASHBOARD, I FORGET NOW EXACTLY WHICH LIGHTS, BUT I THINK IT WAS THE ABS LIGHT, THE VSC LIGHT, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT. THIS HAPPENS ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES IN A MONTH OR SO. WHEN IT HAPPENS, THE ABC, VSC, AND TRACTION CONTROL DO NOT WORK (I TESTED IT IN A SNOWY PARKING LOT). I WENT TO SALENTINE PONTIAC A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE IT IS SO INTERMITTENT, THEY ARE NOT REALLY LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, NOR KNOW IF THEY WOULD HAVE FIXED IT. I CONTACTED PONTIAC VIA E-MAIL AND PHONE, AND WAS TOLD THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, AND HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF SUCH A THING. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NOW I SEE THERE IS A RECALL INVOLVING EXACTLY THIS ISSUE, BUT IT IS APPARENTLY ONLY FOR THE PONTIAC G6. IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE VIBE PROBLEM IS NOT RELATED. I WOULD HATE TO SEE G.M. GO BROKE, BUT THE THINGS THEY HAVE BEEN DOING ARE UNCONSCIONABLE. *TR
PERIODICALLY (ONCE OR TWICE PER MONTH) THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, TRACTION CONTROL, AND VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL WILL STOP WORKING FOR A FEW MINUTES. WHEN IT HAPPENS, THE WARNING LIGHTS ALL GO ON. I TESTED THE FUNCTION IN A SLIPPERY PARKING LOT, SO KNOW THE VARIOUS FEATURES STOP WORKING WHEN THESE LIGHTS GO ON. I LOOKED IN THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS EVERYTHING FROM A BAD GAS CAP TO A CONNECTOR ON THE BRAKE SENSOR TO A CRACKED COMPUTER CIRCUIT BOARD. I ASKED MY DEALER AT THE TIME ABOUT IT, AND THEY SAID REALISTICALLY IF IT ONLY HAPPENS FOR A COUPLE MINUTES AND THEN MIGHT NOT HAPPEN FOR A MONTH, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING IT NOR EVEN IF THEY WOULD HAVE FIXED IT. I CALLED PONTIAC AND THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND LET THEM LOOK AT IT. I DON'T WANT TO RUN UP HUNDREDS OR EVEN A THOUSAND DOLLARS LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM THAT ONLY OCCURS A FEW TIMES PER YEAR. BUT IF SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, I THINK IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. IT OBVIOUSLY IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN BRAKES AND VSC DON'T WORK PROPERLY, EVEN FOR A MINUTE OR SO PER MONTH. THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (SALENTINE) WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. I MENTIONED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER I NOW VISIT ([XXX])AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS (LESS THAN 35), THERE IS A NOTICEABLE SHAKING / VIBRATION / RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM EITHER THE STEERING COLUMN OR FRONT SHOCKS, ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH SURFACES OR BUMPS. SEEMS TO BE MORE DRIVERS SIDE. LOOKS LIKE OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AS WELL AS TOYOTA MATRIX (BUILT ON SAME LINE WITH SAME COMPONENTS) I HAVE NOT YET HAD THE DEALER INSPECT THE ISSUE. SEEMS AS IF SOME COMPONENT HAS COME LOOSE. *TR
I OWN A 2009 VIBE . RECALL HAS BEEN COMPLETED RE: SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THEY REMOVED DRIVERS FLOOR MAT OVER A YEAR AGO. I HAD FIRST EPISODE TODAY. FORTUNATELY IT WAS AT ABOUT 10MPH. WHEN I ENGAGED THE BRAKE THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE BRAKE PULSATED LIKE THE ANTI-LOCK FEATURE HAD BEEN ACTIVATED. THE ENGINE REVVED FOR 3 TO 4 SECONDS THE CAR ACCELERATED. WHEN THE ENGINE REVVING STOPPED THE BRAKE ENGAGED PROPERLY AND THE CAR STOPPED. FORTUNATELY I WAS ON A STREET WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 25 MPH AND I HAD COASTED DOWN TO ABOUT 10-15 MPH APPROACHING THE STOP SIGN. HAD THIS BEEN A HIGH SPEED OR EMERGENCY STOP THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. PLEASE CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS AS THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I WILL ALSO BE CONTACTING THE NHTSA. THE ABOVE IS A COPY OF INFORMATION I SENT TO GENERAL MOTORS VIA THEIR PONTIAC WEB SITE. *TR
WHEN COMING TO A STOP, OCCASIONALLY THE VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FORWARD. I HAVE NOTICED THIS ON MANY, MANY OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR IN JULY 11. WHEN COMING TO A FAST STOP (SUCH AS WHEN SOMEONE PULLS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU OR SOMEONE SUDDENLY STOPS IN FRONT OF YOU -- ABS IS NOT BEING USED AS THESE ARE NOT PANIC STOPS) THE BRAKES WILL WORK AS THEY SHOULD UNTIL THE CAR IS ALMOST STOPPED AND THEN THE CAR WILL LUNGE FORWARD AND I SUDDENLY NEED TO APPLY MORE FORCE TO THE BRAKES TO MAKE THE CAR STOP. I SUSPECT THAT THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR IS USING ENGINE BRAKING TO ASSIST IN SLOWING DOWN THE CAR AND WHEN THE CAR HITS A CERTAIN SPEED (OR SOME OTHER VARIABLE) THE ENGINE BRAKING IS TURNED OFF WHICH CAUSES THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE THAT I NEED TO APPLY TO THE BRAKES TO SUDDENLY INCREASE WHICH GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CAR IS LUNGING FORWARD. REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS CAUSING THIS ISSUE TO OCCUR, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE GROWN USED TO THIS ISSUE AND NOW CAN COMPENSATE FOR IT, BUT IT IS STILL DISTRESSING WHEN IT OCCURS. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER VIBE/MATRIX OWNERS AND THEY ALL STATE THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AS IT COULD EASILY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR
DRIVER REPORTED FAILURE OF VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. WARNING LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON THE DASHBOARD. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP AND REPAIRED AT COST OF ALMOST $800 TO REPLACE THE REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY WHERE THE ABS SENSOR IS LOCATED. *TR
I WAS ABLE TO DETECT THIS BEFORE ANY ACCIDENT OCCURRED. WHILE CHECKING THE REAR BRAKES I NOTICED THAT THERE IS UNEVEN WEAR OF REAR BRAKE PADS. PASSENGER SIDE OUTER PAD IS POSITIONED IN AN ANGLE WHICH CAUSES PREMATURE WEAR OF THAT PAD WHILE ALL OTHER PADS ARE WEARING EVENLY. SUCH DEFECT (CALIPER POSITION) CAUSES ROTOR DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE WHEEL LOCK. THIS IS A SECOND VIBE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I'VE SEEN. THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR CALIPER NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED AND REPOSITIONED.
2009 VIBE HAD RECALLS DONE TO MY CAR YET IT STILL ACCELERATED UP OVER 2000 RPM AND 70 KM WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL ALSO THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ON AT SAME TIME. IN MY OPINION IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GAS PEDAL OR FLOOR MATS..THE DEALER CAME AND PICKED IT UP AS IT WOULDN'T STOP DOING IT. THEY CHANGED CAM SENSOR IT DIDN'T WORK .THEN THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE PUTTING IN NEW COMP. SYSTEM. ITS WILL BE A MONTH THIS WED. AND CAR IS STILL AT DEALERS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY FELL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AT LEAST TEN TIMES IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE DEALER THEN ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,909.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE MADE A VERY LOUD NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN MOVING FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS ON THE VEHICLE FOUR TIMES, YET THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE PADS ON THE VEHICLE WERE THE NOT THE RIGHT SIZE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 6500. UPDATED 09/27/10 *BF UPDATED 10/01/10*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS RECEIVED THREE RECALL NOTICES; NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V392000, COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM; NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V018000, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ACCELERATOR PEDAL; NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V024000, FLOOR MATS. HE HAS NEVER HAD A SAFETY ISSUE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE RECALLS. THE CONTACT HAS TRIED TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO HAVE THE REMEDIES PERFORMED, BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS FOR ANY OF THE RECALLS. THE FIRST RECALL NOTICE ARRIVED IN OCTOBER 2009 AND THE OTHERS ARRIVED IN FEBRUARY 2010. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE DEALER WILL NOT ORDER THE PARTS UNTIL HE BRINGS IT IN FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE AVAILABLITY OF THE PARTS ARE CRITICAL AND HE HAS CONCERN FOR HIS SAFETY IN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 6600.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 TO 15 MPH, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT FELT AS IF THE ABS ENGAGED. IT TOOK EXTRA EFFORT FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. SHE WAS ALMOST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED COMPLETELY. SHE CITED THE WEATHER AS COLD AND RAINY. ANOTHER DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THEY PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL FAILURE. SHE HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP OR SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO DATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,800.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE PURCHASED NEW. HE STATED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH ON A CLOUDY DAY, A DEER RAN OUT INTO THE HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF HIS VEHICLE. HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE CONTACT STRUCK THE DEER, KILLING IT INSTANTLY. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WAS MODERATE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT-END OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL CAMPAIGN ON THE SERVICE BRAKES (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V392000; COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM), HOWEVER HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO DATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1700 AND THE CURRENT WAS 12,812. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED.
EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP AT A MODERATE SPEED. THE SINGLE OCCURRENCE HAPPENED WHEN GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION BUMP, ON A VERY COLD AND RAINY DAY. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, SLOWING DOWN THROUGH THE INTERSECTION (APPROX. 35 MPH) AND HIT THE BUMP. THE BRAKE PEDAL IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO APPARENT BRAKING. I BELIEVE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT TURNED ON DURING THE BRAKE LOSS, BUT IT HAPPENED SO FAST I CAN'T SAY IT DID FOR CERTAIN. A MOMENT LATER I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND PRESSED IT AND THE BRAKES WERE BACK TO NORMAL. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR AGO, AND HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW ABOUT 20 MONTHS AGO. MAKE PONTIAC MODEL VIBE YEAR 2009 ENGINE 1.8 LITER TRANSMISSION MANUAL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL HE NOTICED THAT BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER EXAMINING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ONLY 3 INCHES APART FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 3400. UPDATED 03/04/10 *BF ON TOW OCCASIONS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL JAMMED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL OPERATING. THE BRAKE COLLAPSED AND BECAME THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE ACCELERATOR, WHICH CAUSED BOTH TO BECAME DEPRESSED. BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS WERE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER. UPDATED 05/17/10
CAR HAS THE ACCELERATOR PROBLEM AND THE BRAKE PROBLEM THE ODOMETER READS THAT THE CAR IS TRAVELING 50 MPH AND THE CAR IS REALLY DOING 42 MPH, THE PASSENGER SEATBELT TURNS OFF WITH PASSENGER. *CN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL AFTER THE CLAMP FELL OFF OF THE HOSE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE WHY THE CLAMP CAME OFF OF THE HOSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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