2009 Pontiac Vibe Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the passenger-side airbag inflator recall, typically describing long waits for parts and dealers unable to schedule the repair. A second, smaller cluster of complaints describes sudden or unintended acceleration, mostly at very low speed, and some owners report loose-feeling steering at highway speeds.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Passenger airbag inflator recall: parts unavailable

   Mentioned in 11 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe being told their vehicle is covered by the passenger-side airbag inflator recall but that the replacement part is not in stock, with no date given for the repair. Some say they were advised not to use the front passenger seat, or asked to sign a waiver covering dash damage during the repair, and others were told by a dealer that the vehicle was not included. Several also report the airbag warning light staying on, and a few describe it coming on along with a steering-wheel cable concern. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 12 to 154,000 miles, with most filings in 2016-2018 when the recall campaigns were active.

   Recall 18V024000Recall 17V006000Recall 16V340000Recall 14V1680002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the VIN against open airbag recalls and get written confirmation that the passenger inflator replacement was completed. If the airbag light is on, have the circuit and spiral cable checked before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall- my local chevrolet dealer informed me that my vehicle has an air bag which has been recalled. He said that he could not replace it because he had no parts. He did not say I should dis continue driving it nor did he offer to provide a loaner car. He would not give me a date when he would have the necessary part.”

   NHTSA complaint #10990717, filed 2017-05, 125,000 miles

   “2 weeks ago my drivers side airbag warning light came on and has been staying on. I looked up on recall and saw that toyota has a airbag recall affecting the cable switch to the airbag. 2009-2010 VIBE spiral electrical cable can be damaged when turning the steering wheel. Once broken, the airbag deactivates and the airbag warning light comes on. It also says that toyota has a improved part. It does make me nervous driving with this on. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10605128, filed 2014-06, 93,000 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Sudden or unintended acceleration at low speed

   • 51 complaints (10%)
   • median 20,125 mi at 1.5 yrs old (42 state mileage)
   • 12 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2023

   Complaints describe the engine revving or the car surging forward while the driver is braking or creeping at parking-lot speeds, sometimes ending in a low-speed impact. Drivers often say shifting into neutral or switching off the ignition was the only way to stop it, and that the floor mat was not involved. According to the complaints, dealers sometimes replaced the accelerator pedal or could not reproduce the problem, and some owners say the pedal felt overly sensitive after the recall work. Mostly reported at very low mileage, commonly under 30,000 miles, during slow parking or stop-and-go maneuvers.

   Recall 10V024000Recall 10V018000

   What to check: Ask whether both accelerator pedal recalls were performed and confirm the correct floor mat is fitted and secured. Test slow-speed creeping and braking in a parking area during the test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Upon applying brake at stop light, car accelerated. Another time when waiting in driveway for garagedoor to open I applied brakes and the car accelerated. Both times nothing serious happened as I was a safe distance from anything in front and the brake worked. Both times in fall of 2009; car had about 7000 miles.”

   NHTSA complaint #10307483, filed 2010-02, 7,000 miles

   “I have a 2009 Pontiac VIBE with less than 5000 miles on it. After filling it with gas, I was moving it from the pumps to the parking area about 30ft away. Suddenly the engine raced. I stomped the brakes and threw the car into neutral. The engine continued to race until I tapped the gas pedal. The engine then returned to idle. The pedal was not stuck on anything on the inside of the car. I had just gently accelerated to move the car. The engine just suddenly raced independent to anything that I had done.”

   NHTSA complaint #10306218, filed 2010-02, 4,800 miles
3. 3
   Steering

   Loose or heavy steering feel and steering noises

   Mentioned in 9 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe steering that feels overly light and requires constant correction at highway speed, or the opposite, where assist drops out and the wheel becomes hard to turn. Others report rattles, shaking or vibration through the steering column at moderate speeds, and some were told the steering column, intermediate shaft or rack needed replacement. Complaints also mention abnormal noises that led a shop to diagnose a power steering fault. Spread from near-new mileage up to about 130,000 miles, with several reports between 30,000 and 65,000 miles.

   Recall 14V168000

   What to check: Drive at highway speed and note whether the car tracks straight without constant small corrections, and listen for rattles or clunks over bumps. Ask whether the steering column or power steering components have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10281564, filed 2009-08, 10 miles

   “At highway speeds above 60 MPH, my 2009 Pontiac VIBE feels like I am driving through a wind storm. This requires me to constantly correct the steering wheel, in order to maintain the direction that I intend. This can be annoying and possibly dangerous. I am most concerned that if the wheel pressure is not maintained at the recommended tire pressure, one could easily lose control of the vehicle. (I check and maintain the air pressure in my tires, monthly.)”

   NHTSA complaint #10313899, filed 2010-02, 3,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   High oil consumption and engine stalling

   • 24 complaints (5%)
   • median 89,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2025

   Several owners of the 2.4L engine report the car using a quart or more of oil every 1,000 miles, with some told the piston rings were the cause and one reporting engine seizure. Other complaints describe stalling or random high idle at speed or from a stop, sometimes traced to the engine control module, requiring a restart to continue. Some owners mention a manufacturer warranty program covering piston and ring replacement for this engine family. Reported from about 50,000 to 154,000 miles, with oil-consumption reports clustering above 80,000 miles.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for a fuel or burnt smell, and ask for oil-change records or whether any piston ring or short-block work was done. Note any check-engine light or history of stalling on the test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2009 Pontiac VIBE 2.4l engine had excessive oil burning and it went from bad to worse in a matter of days. I had it looked at and the piston rings were faulty, which then LED to my engine seizing, and also my seat belt buckle which connects to the seat will not latch in the drivers side in the drivers chair and and also the drivers side passenger seat which is major safety hazard. My engine was maintained every 3000 miles with oil changes and it has 154,000 miles on it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10913558, filed 2016-10, 154,000 miles

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10257618, filed 2009-02, 1 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake pedal feels hard or ABS engages unexpectedly

   • 16 complaints (3%)
   • median 21,000 mi at 2.9 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2019

   Complaints describe the brake pedal feeling as though the ABS has kicked in at low speed, needing extra effort to stop the car, or the pedal going hard after loss of vacuum assist. One owner reported the dealer finding that a vacuum pump hose clamp had come off. Others describe the ABS, traction and stability warning lights coming on together while the systems stop working for a period. Mostly reported under 30,000 miles, several in cold or wet weather.

   Recall 09V392000

   What to check: Ask whether the cold-climate brake vacuum recall applies to this car and was completed. Test braking from low speed and check that no ABS or stability warning lights stay on.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On may 11, 2016 while driving on I -81, my car with 86,000 miles on it suddenly started to weave back & forth across the interstate. I thought the tie rod had broken. I was able to slow down and pull off the road. Then I called a tow truck and had it taken to the nearest repair shop..no warning lights came on until the GM mechanic plugged in his code reader. Then lots of lights lit up. He said that the electronic control unit went haywire and caused the ABS system to fight with the stabilitrak system. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10865061, filed 2016-05, 86,008 miles

   “Periodically (once or twice per month) the anti-lock brakes, traction control, and vehicle stability control will stop working for a few minutes. When it happens, the warning lights all go on. I tested the function in a slippery parking lot, so know the various features stop working when these lights go on. I looked in the internet and found several people have the same issue. They have been told it is everything from a bad gas cap to a connector on the brake sensor to a cracked computer circuit board. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10512278, filed 2013-05, 18,000 miles

Buying note. Confirm that all open airbag, accelerator pedal and brake vacuum recalls have been completed in writing, since parts availability has been a recurring complaint on this model year. Also check oil consumption and steering feel on the test drive, as both come up repeatedly at higher mileage.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.