What breaks most · 2000 to 2014 model years
Pontiac Vibe problems by year
Owners have filed 1,652 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Pontiac Vibe across model years 2000 to 2014. Three years stand out: 2009 for air bags complaints, 2003 for visibility complaints and 2004 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 2000, 2001 and 2002.
- Years to check closely: 2009, 2003, 2004
- Fewest complaints: 2000, 2001, 2002
- Complaints on file
- 16522000 to 2014, all trims
- Worst year
- 2009506 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 1014 fires · 107 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 66kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 51Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (1) | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (1) | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (1) | |
| 284 | 26 | 8 | Visibility (74) | |
| 253 | 16 | 7 | Air bags (94) | |
| 249 | 10 | 5 | Air bags (131) | |
| 125 | 6 | 5 | Air bags (73) | |
| 129 | 12 | 5 | Air bags (75) | |
| 47 | 3 | 4 | Air bags (32) | |
| 506 | 22 | 9 | Air bags (348) | |
| 55 | 4 | 8 | Air bags (30) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (1) |
What fails on the 2009 Pontiac Vibe
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 69% |
348 | 5 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 10% |
53 | 13 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 6% |
32 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 4% |
20 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 3% |
15 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 3% |
13 | 1 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 2% |
12 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 2% |
9 | 0 | Shop stability control parts for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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2009 pontiac vibe. Consumer writes in regards to potential floor mat interference with accelerator pedal and power window master switch recall notices. *smd the consumer stated she attempted to get the recall resolved on two separate occasions, only to be informed, the parts were not available.
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2003 pontiac vibe rear power windows will not roll down. The front side passenger windows makes a loud noise when i roll it down even though i did take it to the dealer when it was recalled.
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On june 23, 2007, my drivers side window started to make a lot of popping noises when the automatic window switch was used. The window became loose and when the window was rolled up all the way, the window shattered. I paid for the replacement of the window and regulator clip on this date for $289.00.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Pontiac Vibe years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2009, 2003, 2004 carry the most filings on the Pontiac Vibe. The 2009 alone has 506 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Pontiac Vibe problem?
On the 2009 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 348 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Pontiac Vibe problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Pontiac Vibe complaints that include mileage is about 66,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.