2003 PONTIAC VIBE Complaints

I HAVE A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT AND AM EXPERIENCING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTICED A RATTLING/GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE GEARBOX THAT BEGAN AT APPROXIMATELY 13K MILES. THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE A GRINDING SOUND OR SOMETHING LOOSE IN THE GEARBOX ON DECELERATING OR CONSTANT SPEEDS IN FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND FORTH GEARS. WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE GRINDING/RATTLING NOISE GOES AWAY. THE NOISE CAN BE REPLICATED BY KEEPING THE ENGINE SPEED AT 1600 RPM'S I SENT A FAX TO THE SERVICE MANAGER OF PARKS AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC ON 09/23/2003 DESCRIBING THE GEARBOX PROBLEM IN DETAIL AND I SPOKE WITH HIM VIA THE TELEPHONE. HE ASSURED ME THE PROBLEM WOULD BE ADDRESSED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO PARKS AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC ON 09/24/2003 AT 0740 HOURS. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT 0945 HOURS CONTACTED ME AND THEY STATED THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS FIXED. THE SERVICE REP STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH A LOOSE CLIP. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THEY FOUND CARGO FASTNER CLIPS IN THE REAR CARGO AREA THAT WERE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THEY HEARD THE NOISE FROM THE GEARBOX WHEN THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND IT WAS NORMAL. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TEST DRIVEN BY TWO PEOPLE AFTER THE CARGO FASTNER CLIPS WERE REMOVED AND THE NOISE WAS GONE. I SPOKE WITH A PONTIAC CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTIVE ON 09/25/2003. THE SERVICE REP CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER IN REGARDS TO THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. THE SERVICE REP AGREED WITH ME THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS NOT LOGICAL FOR A NOISE COMING FROM THE GEARBOX. THE NOISE WAS NOT CAUSED BY CARGO FASTNER CLIPS LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. IN REGARDS TO THE CARGO FASTNER CLIPS THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED SINCE SEPTEMBER 2002; THE CLIPS SCREW INTO A RAIL ON THE FLOOR OF THE TRUNK AND COME WITH STRAPS TO SECURE CARGO IN THE TRUNK. SINCE PICKING UP THE VEHICLE FROM PARKS AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC ON 09/24/2003, THE NOISE FROM THE GEARBOX STILL EXISTS AND NOTHING WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP.

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE SUN SHINE REFLECTED ON THE DASHBOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY. *AK IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT, INCLUDING THE SPEEDOMETER, ENGINE MONITOR GAUGES, AND THE RADIO WERE NOT VISIBLE DUE TO THE DESIGN AND RED ILLUMINATION. *SCC *JB

CONSUMER HAS PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL LINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THERE WAS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN PROBLEM ON THE PONTIAC VIBE AND THE TOYOTA MATRIX. THE FUEL FILL TUBE HOSE WAS CONNECTED TO AN OPENING INLET AT THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. *SCC *JB

THE GLARE FROM THE SUN CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY OF THE NUMBERS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *AK

HELLO MY NAME IS [XXX], I BOUGHT A 2003 PONITAC VIBE IN DEC OF 02 SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE MINOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH TO THE DEALERSHIP SO MANY TIMES NOW I THINK THAT THEY THINK I WORK THERE. SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS CAR I HAVE HAD THREE HUB CAPS REPLACED DUE TO THEM TURNING A YELLOW COLOR (FROM SILVER). THE PASSENGER SEAT STARTED TO TEAR IN THE SEAMS..(I WEIGH 150 LB I DON'T THINK IM TOO HEAVY) THE SEAL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WARPED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, NOW THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT IS STARTING TO TEAR AT THE SEAMS AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED, THE ENGINE IS STARTING TO CHIRP LIKE I HAVE FRIGGIN CRICKETS IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR.....I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON WITH THIS THING BUT ITS DOWN RIGHT ANNOYING! I LOVE THE CAR ITS GREAT BUT THE CONSTANT TRIPS TO THE DEALER AND ON TOP OF THAT THEY NEVER ONCE HAVE OFFERED TO LOAN ME A CAR WHILE THEY FIXED THE DEFECTS IN THEIR PRODUCTS . THIS HAS BEEN AN INCONVENIENCE TO ME AND MY FAMILY. I WANT TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS NOTICED THESE TYPES OF DEFECTS IN THEIR VIBE OR IF I GOT HE LEMON OF THE BUNCH. PLEASE RESPOND. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FAST ACCELERATION OCCURS WHEN BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED. THE DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED THAT THE GAS PEDAL WAS TO CLOSE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL . *MR *CB *JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE GAS, THE ENGINE STARTED TO ROAR AND INCREASED SPEED EXCESSIVELY. *AK THERE WERE THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED. ONCE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP. SECOND, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO AVOID REAR ENDING A DUMP TRUCK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE CONSUMER PARALLELED PARKED AND THE ENGINE WENT FULL THROTTLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SURGED OVER THE CEMENT PARKING CURB INTO THE LOW RETAINING WALL. THE CONSUMER SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND TOOK HIS FOOT OFF ALL PEDALS AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, WHICH WAS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE ENGINE. $4298.96 IN DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE. *PH *JB

WINDSHIELD IS VERY EASILY CRACKED BY SMALL STONES. TRAVELING 50MPH A SMALL STONE WAS THROWN CAUSING A SPIDER CRACK. PLANNED TO GO AND HAVE IT FILLED THAT AFTERNOON BUT IT PROGRESSED INTO A 13IN CRACK. OBTAINED ANOTHER STONE CRACK 3 DAYS LATER IN A 35MPH ZONE. THE WINDSHIELD IS FAR TOO THIN AND SHOULD NOT CRACK UNDER SMALL POINT LOADS. I HATE TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPED IF -GOD FORBID- THE PASSENGER AIRBAG GOES OFF.*AK

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH FAILURE ON VIBE GT (6SPEED MANUAL) AT 32,000 MILES. FLYWHEEL REQUIRES EXTENSIVE RESURFACING ACCORDING TO DEALER. DEALER HAS DECLINED TO COVER REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, CLAIMING THIS IS NORMAL WEAR ON A 15-MONTH-OLD VEHICLE. CLUTCH BEGAN EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF DIFFICULTY AS EARLY AS 10,000 MILES, BUT NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE US. I HAVE DRIVEN MANUAL (HYDRAULIC AND CABLE) FOR 20+ YEARS, AND THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR.

BOTH DRIVER SIDE TIRES BLEW OUT WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER SEVERAL TIMES. *AK *NLM *JB