Other / unspecifiedSteeringSuspension
Filed Jul 30, 2023
The steering rack and intermediate shaft in the steering wheel Go bad and what happens is it makes having an alignment impossible Not only that but the vehicle clunks with every turn [XXX] Being a Pontiac it was a joint venture between Toyota And GM Thus Affecting many Toyota Corolla Prius and matrix As Toyota got a recall Pontiac did not INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- NHTSA ID
- 11535337
- Incident
- Jul 30, 2023
Other / unspecified
Filed Dec 12, 2011
OUR AWD 2009 PONTIAC VIBE CAME WITH FACTORY CHROME WHEELS. AFTER ONE WINTER, THE WHEELS BEGAN TO CORRODE AROUND THE OUTSIDE PERIMETER. GM AGREED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR WHEELS, AND THEY DID. SOON AFTER REPLACEMENT, AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING INTO OUR GARAGE, ONE WHEEL DELAMINATED (I.E., THE CHROME COVERING SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE ALUMINUM UNDERWHEEL). UPON INSPECTION, IT LOOKED AS IF THE CHROME LAYER HAD BEEN GLUED TO THE UNDERWHEEL. WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER, CHROME COVERING AND GLUE FRAGMENTS IN HAND. THE DEALER REPLACED THIS DEFECTIVE WHEEL WITH ANOTHER; SOON AFTER (50 MILES?), THE SECOND REPLACEMENT WHEEL DID THE SAME THING. IT HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED. (THE CHROME PARTS ARE STAMPED "TOYOTA.") NOTE THREE THINGS: ONE, THE WHEELS ON THIS CAR ARE NOT INEXPENSIVE STEEL WITH WHEEL COVERS. INSTEAD, THEY ARE ONE-PIECE CHROME WHEELS, RATHER EXPENSIVE IF I SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THEM MYSELF. SECOND, WE HAD NOT ABUSED THE CAR. WE DROVE, IN EACH CASE, ABOUT 50 MILES ON GOOD PAVEMENT IN GOOD WEATHER BEFORE FAILURE. FINALLY, THE CHROME COMPONENT DELAMINATED IN A "SAFE" AREA--IN BOTH CASES, AS WE SLOWLY DROVE INTO OUR GARAGE. WHAT IF THIS DELAMINATION HAD HAPPENED WHILE WE DROVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND THE CHROME COMPONENT HAD SPUN OFF INTO A CROWD, OR ANOTHER CAR? THERE IS ONE OTHER PROBLEM YOU SHOULD KNOW. WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE STARTING THIS CAR. IN BRIEF, THE PROBLEM WAS APPARENTLY DIFFICULT FOR THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE, BUT IT WAS A "CRACKED STEERING LOCK," ALSO A PART STAMPED "TOYOTA." THIS PROBLEM PRECIPITATED SEVERAL PHONE CALLS FOR HELP, PUSHING IT FROM THE SIDE IN AN ATTEMPT TO UNLOCK THE STEERING COLUMN/KEY, AND A VISIT FROM THE TOW TRUCK. WE WERE ABLE TO ROCK THE CAR OURSELVES AND ENABLE STARTING; UNFORTUNATELY, WE DENTED THE FRONT FENDER, WHICH WAS AN UNREIMBURSED BODY REPAIR AT THE DEALER'S ($800). PLEASE PUBLICIZE THESE VIBE PROBLEMS AND DANGERS, AND WORK FOR FIXES. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10439392
- Incident
- Nov 1, 2011
- Mileage
- 30,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Nov 30, 2011
BOTH REAR HUB AND WHEEL BEARINGS COMPONENTS HAVE RUSTED AND WORN OUT CLOSE TO FAILURE; REAR WHEEL NOISE WAS EXCESSIVE. ACTUAL FAILURE WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN REAR WHEELS LOCKING UP. *KB
- NHTSA ID
- 10437790
- Incident
- Nov 29, 2011
- Mileage
- 64,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Jan 29, 2011
INSIDE DOOR HANDLE BREAKS OFF EASILY. WHEN TAKEN FOR REPAIR, REPAIRMAN LAUGHED, STATING THIS IS THE CAR THIS MONTH WITH BROKEN INTERIOR HANDLES. PART IS ON BACKORDER. SAFETY ISSUE, AS MUST OPEN WINDOW TO OPEN DOOR TO EXIT VEHICLE. IN EMERGENCY, THIS COULD PROVE TO BE FATAL IF UNABLE TO EXIT VEHICLE QUICKLY. *LN
- NHTSA ID
- 10379565
- Incident
- Jan 23, 2009
- Mileage
- 45,201 mi
BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Sep 12, 2010
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
- NHTSA ID
- 10355049
- Incident
- Aug 19, 2010
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Jul 28, 2010
2009 PONTIAC VIBE. CONSUMER SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STEER CORRECTLY AND IT VIBRATED ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH IT HAD NO SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THREE OF THE RIMS WERE DAMAGED. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10345529
- Incident
- Jun 9, 2010
EngineOther / unspecified
Filed Jun 26, 2010
THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION SYSTEM CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS WERE COMING ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE FIRST REPAIR WAS REPLACEMENT OF THE PCM (COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS EVERYTHING) DUE TO A SHORT. WITHIN 2 DAYS THE WARNING LIGHTS AGAIN CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF SEARCHING FOR THE PROBLEM THE DEALER PERFORMING THE REPAIRS OBTAINED INFO ON SIMILAR REPORTED CLAIMS FROM THE GM COMPANY. IT WAS FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS AN OXYGEN SENSOR THAT GOES BAD AND DOES NOT SET OFF A WARNING AS IT SHOULD, AND THIS AGAIN CAUSED THE PCM TO AGAIN SHORT OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT FINDING THE PROBLEMS AND DOING THE REPAIRS; BUT NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE A CAR I JUST BOUGHT 2 MONTHS AGO, FOR FEAR THAT THE COMPUTER WILL AGAIN BURN OUT AND I WILL LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE! *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10340189
- Incident
- Jun 21, 2010
- Mileage
- 42,013 mi
Driver assistanceOther / unspecified
Filed Apr 13, 2010
RECALL # 10038 FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL I RECEIVED THIS RECALL NOTICE FOR MY 2009 PONTIAC VIBE BACK IN FEBRUARY 2010. IT INSTRUCTS ME TO REMOVE MY FLOOR MAT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF INTERFERING WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL LEADING TO CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY, OR DEATH. I HAVE YET TO BE NOTIFIED BY G.M. OF ANY REMEDY THAT IS AVAILABLE. I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE USE OF A DRIVER SIDE FLOOR MAT! WHEN WILL THIS BE RESOLVED? *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10325328
- Incident
- Feb 26, 2010
Driver assistanceOther / unspecified
Filed Mar 17, 2010
VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 2008. I OWN A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE WHICH IS NOW INCLUDED IN TOYOTA'S RECALL. RECALL # 10018: ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING AND RECALL # 10038: FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10320448
- Incident
- Feb 1, 2010
Other / unspecified
Filed Feb 7, 2009
CENTER WHEEL CAPS (EMBLEMS) ARE POPPING OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE FOR A FRONT END PROBLEM A BOOMING SOUND. THEY REPLACED THE R FRONT SHOCK AND ASSEMBLY. THE CAP HAD COME OFF. THE DEALER WROTE IT OFF TO KIDS AND THEFT. AFTER SOME COMPLAINING THEY REPLACED IT. ONE WEEK LATER THE R FRONT CAP WAS MISSING ONCE MORE. I HAD TO BUY A REPLACEMENT. 2 WEEKS LATER I WATCHED MY WIFE PULL INTO OUR DRIVE WAY AND OBSERVED THE CAP COME OFF AND ROLL INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S YARD. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM KIDS ARE JUST TAKING THEM. NOW MY VIBE ROLLS WITHOUT THE CENTER CAPS. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THEM EVERY MONTH OR 2. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10257805
- Incident
- Jul 9, 2008
- Mileage
- 4,000 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Nov 12, 2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE EMBLEMS IN THE CENTER OF THE RIMS SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED OFF EIGHT TIMES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT SOMEONE STOLE THE EMBLEMS. HE REPLACED THE EMBLEMS, BUT THEY WERE MISSING AGAIN SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT SOMETHING IN THE WHEELS WAS POSSIBLY FLEXING AND CAUSING TOO MUCH STRESS, WHICH INEVITABLY CAUSES THE EMBLEMS TO DETACH. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARS A THUD SOUND WHENEVER HE DRIVES OVER A BUMP. THE NOISE COULD POSSIBLY BE FROM THE EMBLEMS POPPING OFF. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,500.
- NHTSA ID
- 10248589
- Incident
- Jun 11, 2008
- Mileage
- 300 mi
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.