2003 PONTIAC VIBE Complaints

I READ ARTICLE IN THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER REGARDING THE PONTIAC VIBE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW POPPING AND NOT GOING DOWN AND SHATTERING. THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I TOOK THE CAR INTO A PONTIAC DEALER BUT THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY OTHER PRIOR COMPLAINTS? THEY DID CALL IN A GLASS GUY WHO REPLACED THE WINDOW AND I PAID FOR IT? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE ROLLING THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DOWN, THE GLASS FELL COMPLETELY OFF TRACK. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CATCH IT BEFORE IT SHATTERED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDOW WITH SASH CLIPS AND REPLACED THE WINDOW CHANNEL WITH WEATHER STRIPS. THE DEALER AGREED THAT THE REPAIR SHOULD PREVENT THIS FAILURE FROM RECURRING. THE CONTACT READ ABOUT THE WINDOW FAILURE IN A NEWSPAPER ON FEBRUARY 22, 2008. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,484 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

DRIVER SIDE WINDOW BECAME STUCK AND SHATTERED WHEN TRYING TO GET IT BACK INTO POSITION. *TR

BEGAN NOTICING STRONG GAS SMELL IN GARAGE, TOOK CAR TO SHOP TO CHECK WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A GAS LINE LEAKING AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TANK WAS FULL OF RUST AND ROTTING. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE TANK WITH A USED TANK AND TOOK THE ROTTING TANK HOME WITH THE THOUGHT OF PLACING A COMPLAINT WITH GM. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THE ROTTING WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL ON A TANK THAT WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. GM REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE TANK AND OFFERED OIL CHANGES, SAYING THIS COULD HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE WINTER CONDITIONS THAT WE DRIVE IN. MY 2 YEAR OLDER AZTEK SITS NEXT TO IT IN THE GARAGE AND TANK LOOKS MUCH BETTER. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING TO MY PARENTS HOME FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. ON THE INTERSTATE, IN FIFTH GEAR, AT A SPEED OF 65 TO 70 MILES/HR, THE CAR STARTED MAKING A HIGH WHINING SOUND WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A CLUNK AND GRINDING NOISE. WE PULLED OVER. NOTHING WAS VISIBLE. WE LIMPED TO THE EXIT AND HAD THE CAR TOWED. UPON INSPECTION, THE REAR PINION SHAFT BEARING HAD FAILED IN THE TRANSMISSION, RUINING THE REAR CASE ASSEMBLY, PINION SHAFT AND BOTH FIFTH GEARS. BOTH FIFTH GEARS HAD BROKEN TEETH AND WERE REPLACED. THE INITIAL REPLACEMENT SET OF 5TH GEARS WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ( THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF 5TH GEAR). THE SECOND REPLACEMENT SET WAS INSTALLED AND FOUND TO BE THE WRONG RATIO AND HAD TO BE REORDERED. THE THIRD SET OF REPLACEMENT FIFTH GEARS WAS INSTALLED ON FEB. 12TH 2008 AND SEEMS TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY AS OF TODAY. THE WHOLE PROCESS TOOK 7 WEEKS TO COMPLETE. *TR

2003 PONTIAC VIBE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. SHE WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE A USED TRANSMISSION WILL COST HER ABOUT $2,000. *KB

1. DRIVER WINDOW MAKES CRACKING/BREAKING NOISE WHEN WINDOW IS BEING ROLLED DOWN. WHEN CLOSING THE DRIVER DOOR, WINDOW SHAKES INSIDE DOOR PANEL. 12/5/07 2. AWFUL SMELL WHEN CAR IS STOPPED COMPLETELY. (SMELLS LIKE A STINK BOMB WENT OFF IN THE CAR). SINCE 2/05. *TR

2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT UPON DECELERATION VEHICLE JERKS TO THE RIGHT AND SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY! VERY HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE. IF GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED EVEN SLIGHTLY OR CLUTCH PEDAL PRESSED IN PROBLEM GOES AWAY. AS SOON AS CLUTCH IS RELEASED VIOLENT SHUDDER RETURNS. THIS ONLY HAPPENS AFTER DRIVING APPROX 15 TO 20 MILES AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL VEHICLE IS STOPPED FOR A FEW MINUTES. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT PONTIAC DEALER FOR 1 WEEK NO DIAGNOSIS OR PROBLEM FOUND YET. CAR DOES STOP FOR DEALER I HAVE RODE WITH THEM TO SHOW THEM WHAT IT DOES. DEALER SAYS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BUT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACTS SPOUSE PRESSED THE AUTOMATIC BUTTON TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WINDOW. WHEN SHE PRESSED THE BUTTON TO CLOSE IT, THE WINDOW SHATTERED. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDOW BEGAN TO MAKE AN UNUSUAL NOISE AFTER THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS REPLACED. A GLASS COMPANY MADE ADJUSTMENTS, BUT THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. UPDATED 01-10-08. *KB UPDATED 12/31/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHEN THE CONTACT PRESSED THE BUTTON TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW, IT MADE A POPPING NOISE. HE STATED THAT THE WINDOW COULD POSSIBLY CRACK AND BREAK WHILE DRIVING, WHICH HE CONSIDERED TO BE A SAFETY DEFECT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DID NOT WORK AND WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT NOW BELIEVES THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN PART OF THE DEFECT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW WINDOW MECHANISM; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR