2009 PONTIAC VIBE Complaints

2009 PONTIAC VIBE, WHICH IS MECHANICALLY IDENTICAL TO TOYOTA MATRIX, WHICH IN TURN IS BASED ON TOYOTA COROLLA. ALL THREE VEHICLES HAVE REALLY LIGHT STEERING (TOO MUCH BOOST FROM ELECTRIC POWER STEERING) THAT IT BECOMES VERY UNSTABLE AND DANGEROUS WHEN THE SPEED IS OVER 50MPH. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO REPORTED THIS PROBLEM ON TOYOTA COROLLA BUT I THINK NHTSA SHOULD BE AWARE THAT TOYOTA MATRIX AND PONTIAC VIBE SHARE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

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

CAR IS STALLING ON INITIAL ACCELERATION FROM STOP OFTEN - ESPECIALLY IN WARM WEATHER AND CITY TYPE DRIVING.. OCCASIONALLY STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. OCCASIONALLY INCREASES RPM'S RANDOMLY. THESE INSTANCES HAVE CAUSED MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES WHEN NAVIGATING TRAFFIC. BELOW DOES NOT OFFER OPTION TO STATE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE PURCHASE. *TR

EXHAUST SMELL INSIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP STATES THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *TR

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.