2004 PONTIAC VIBE Complaints

WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY CAR I NOTICED THAT MY PASSENGER WINDOW WAS LOOSE. WHEN I ROLLED THE WINDOW DOWN IT WOULD SHAKE. WHEN I WAS GOING TO SHUT THE PASSENGER DOOR I HAD TO MAKE SURE THE WINDOW WAS UP SO THAT IT WOULDN'T BREAK. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT FIXED. NOW RECENTLY I HEARD A SMALL NOISE IN THE DRIVER WINDOW WHEN I ROLL THE WINDOW UP AND DOWN. NOT POPPING, BUT MAYBE LIKE A SHIFTING OR LIKE IT WAS GOING TO POP. SURE ENOUGH MY WINDOW WAS SHATTERED. I WAS GETTING OUT AND ROLLED UP THE WINDOW WHEN I NOTICED THE WINDOW SOUNDED FUNNY. NOT LONG LATER WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR WAS WHEN I NOTICED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I TOOK MY CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE WINDOW FIXED 2 TIMES. THE WINDOW KEPT FALLING OUT OF TRACK. FINALLY THEY FIGURED THAT THERE MUST BE MORE GOING ON WITH THE WINDOW. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THEM AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE REGULATOR WAS BENT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN OR THE WINDOW TO SHATTER, BUT I KNOW THAT AS LONG AS I HAVE HAD THE CAR THERE HAS NOT BEEN WEAR AND TEAR ON THE WINDOWS. I LIVE IN TEXAS AND USE THE AIR CONDITION 98% OF THE TIME. *JB

AROUND 20,000 MILES THE 2004 PONTIAC VIBE BEGAN TO HAVE EXCESSIVE TIRE NOISE AND THE TIRES WERE CUPPED. THE CAR BECAME SO LOUD IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CARRY ON A CONVERSATION IN THE VEHICLE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THESE COMPLAINTS WITHOUT RESOLVE OF THE ISSUE. THE DEALER STATES NOTHING IS "WRONG" WITH THE VEHICLE ALTHOUGH THE LAST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT FOR THE EXCESSIVE TIRE NOISE AND CUPPING OF THE TIRES. HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THE CAR JUST NEEDED NEW TIRES AND ALIGNED. THE CAR HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND DOES NOT NEED ALIGNED. THE PROBLEM IDENTIFIED IS THE REAR AXLES ARE EXCESSIVELY TILTED AND THIS IS CAUSING THE WEAR ON THE TIRES AND THE EXCESSIVE NOISE. *NM

VERY BAD QUALITY OF PAINT. ESPECIALLY ON THE HOOD. THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINS FROM USERS ON THE INTERNET. GM DIDN'T RESPOND TO MY QUESTIONS AND EMAILS. *NM

2004 PONTIAC VIBE TIRE BLEW OUT. *TS AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE RAN INTO A DITCH. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE SUSTAIN MINOR BUMPER AND EXHAUST DAMAGE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD MANY DIFFERENT PROBLEMS AND SAFETY DEFECTS. THE FIRST PROBLEM STARTED JUST SEVEN DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. WHILE PRESSING ON THE BRAKES THEY SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE FALLING APART. THE NEXT PROBLEM CONCERNED THE ENGINE. AT TIMES THERE WAS NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK VERY BADLY. ALSO, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE THIRD PROBLEM INVOLVED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED THE RADIO MADE A CRACKING SOUND, AND THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASHED/TURNED OFF AND ON. DUE TO THE LACK OF ILLUMINATION, AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS VERY HARD TO SEE. WHEN THE POWER WINDOWS WERE ROLLED UP ONE CAN HEAR A BUZZING SOUND .WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT THE KEYLESS ENTRY OPENED ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS 30 FEET. AWAY. ALSO, THE SMELLS OF RAW GAS FUMES WERE COMING FROM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THE FIREWALL SHIELD SCREWS WERE LOOSE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND WAS CURRENTLY IN ARBITRATION. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH POWER WINDOWS. WHILE SHE WAS ROLLING UP THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW HEARD A POPPING SOUND. THE WINDOW FORMED A CRACK AND SHATTERED. ALSO, THE CONTACT COMPLAINT THAT THE STEERING WHEELWAS VERY LOOSE. SHE FELT THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE HAD TO KEEP TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL AT ALL TIMES TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING. UPON INSPECTION BY A SERVICE DEALER, THEY FOUND THAT THE BRACKET UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN SHIFTED. THE DEALER WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE BRACKETS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK

HAVE A 2004 PONTIAC VIBE GT AND JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH AT 67 000 KM. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST CAR WE'VE OWNED WITH A STANDARD TRANSMISSION, OUR PREVIOUS CAR WAS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE WHICH HAD 200 000 KM ON THE ORIGINAL CLUTCH WHEN WE SOLD IT. WE BOUGHT THE 100 000 KM POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, BUT WERE TOLD THAT THE CLUTCH IS NOT COVERED. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT MYSELF. WE BOUGHT A NEW CAR SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PERFORMING MAJOR REPAIRS ON IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. *NM

DT: THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT TWISTED AROUND THE CHILD'S ABDOMEN AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. EVERY TIME THE CHILD MOVED IT CLICKED TIGHTER. THE CHILD HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT BELT BEFORE.*AK *JB

WE TOOK OUR 2004 PONTIAC VIBE ALL WHEEL DRIVE IN TO DISCOUNT TIRE TO BUY FOUR NEW TIRES. DISCOUNT TIRE CALLED US LATER TO INFORM US THAT 4 LUGS SNAPPED OFF WHILE TORQUEING THE LUGS TO 80 FTLBS.. THEY CHECK CHECKED THEIR TORQUE STICK AND USED TWO OTHER STICK WHICH CONTINUED TO SNAP OFF THE LUGS. THEY SENT THE CAR OVER TO MIDAS TO HAVE REPAIRED AND DAYS LATER WHEN WE WENT TO PICK IT UP I HAD THEM CHECK ALL THE LUGS AGAIN, AND AGAIN AT 80 FTLBS. ONE MORE LUG SNAPPED. SO AGAIN WE WAITED FOR A NEW LUG TO ARRIVE. A TOTAL OF 5 LUGS SNAPPED OF THE BACK END OF THE CAR WELL BEFORE 80 FTLBS. OF TORQUE WAS APPLIED. I WORK AT A STEEL PLANT AND HAD OUR LAB CHECK A BROKEN LUG AND THEIR RESULTS WERE THAT THE LUGS WERE TO BRITTLE THAT THERE WAS NO LONGATION OF THE BOLT BEFORE IT BROKE. DISCOUNT TIRE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN TAKING CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMER, I AM CONCERNED WITH HOW MANY MORE LUGS OUT ON THE ROADS ARE TO BRITTLE AND MAY SNAP. *NM

DT: THE STRAPS THAT HOLD THE PADDING IN PLACE ON THE CHILD SEAT ARE FALLING APART. NOW THE PADDING UNDERNEATH THE PLASTIC BAR THAT KEEPS IT IN PLACE AT THE BOTTOM AND TOP ARE BROKE. THE CONSUMER HAS TRIED GLUE AND SEWING IT AND IT, BUT KEEPS COMING APART. GRACO MODEL # 45600 LJT AND EITHER AND I OR A 1, D.O.M. 2003 02 08M. *JB *NM