2003 PONTIAC VIBE Electrical System Problems

BLOWER MOTOR NOT CLOSING OR OPENING ALL THE WAY MAKES NOISE GOES AWAY WHEN RECIRCULATION IS ENGAUGED COMES RIGHT BACK WHEN TURNED OFF

I RECENTLY FOUND OUT FROM OTHER PONTIAC VIBE AND TOYOTA MATRIX OWNERS THAT THE ODOMETER STOPS RECORDING AT 299,999 MILES...THIS WAS A FACTORY GOOF AND QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO GET WITH THEIR MANUFACTURER ABOUT IT AND SAID THAT IT WAS THE OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED/ODOMETER REFLASHED AT OWNERS EXPENSE...WE KNOW THAT THE OTHER VEHICLES THAT ARE BEING DRIVEN TODAY, THEIR ODOMETER CAN MAX OUT AT 999,999 MILES...IN MOST TO ALL STATES, IT IS ILLEGAL TO ALTER THE ODOMETER IN ANY WAY AND SHOULD HAVE CORRECT MILEAGE STATED EVERY TIME WE RENEW OUR REGISTRATION, BUT HOW CAN WE WHEN THEIR IS STILL ALOT OF THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, BUT CANNOT TRULY ADDRESS THEIR CORRECT MILEAGE BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER PROGRAMMED THE ODOMETER INCORRECTLY....PLEASE OPEN A CASE AND CONSIDER A RECALL TO HAVE THE MANUFACTURER FIX THEIR PROBLEM....THANK YOU

ON NOVEMBER 28, 2015 MY CAR DIED ON ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE STORE. AFTER GOING THROUGH TWO MECHANICS, THE GM DEALER ENDED UP REPLACING MY ENTIRE FUSE PANEL. THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED WAS NEVER DETERMINED.

Mileage: 143,023

I HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION ON MY 2003 PONTIAC VIBE AND I WAS LEAVING MY PLACE OF BUSINESS A FEW DAYS AFTER THE PROBLEM STARTED AND MY RPMS DROPPED TO 0 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH AND THEN IT SEEMED TO OF "CAUGHT" AND I DROVE TO WHERE I NEEDED TO GO, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SHOP AND ONCE IT TURNED OFF IT WOULDN'T RESTART. THEY SEEMED TO THINK IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP AND RECOMMENDED I TAKE IT BACK TO WHERE I ORIGINALLY GOT THE VEHICLE 6 MONTHS AGO SINCE IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, SO I DID AND THEY AGREED IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP THEY CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP AND WAS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH NOT STARTING THEY TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND AFTER IT SAT THERE FOR 3 WEEKS LEAVING ME WITHOUT A CAR , I WAS THEN TOLD IT WAS THE MAIN COMPUTER FOR THE CAR AND WILL COST ME $1100 TO FIX. HOWEVER I STILL DON'T HAVE MY CAR BACK SINCE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT. HOWEVER I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR MY CAR AND ONE OF THE 3 RECALLS IS FOR THE ECM. ISN'T THAT THE SAME AS THE 'MAIN COMPUTER' IN THE CAR AND SHOULDN'T THE DEALER FIXED IT AT NO CHARGE AND BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS. SO NOW I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR A MONTH FOR WHAT SHOULD OF BEEN FIXED BEFORE I EVEN BOUGHT THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAYTIME, THE CONTACT COULD NOT READ THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY. THE LIGHTING WAS ADJUSTED TO THE HIGHEST SETTING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900. UPDATED 6/3/15*CN

Mileage: 900

2003 PONTIAC VIBE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ODOMETER DEFECT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPEEDOMETER FROZE AT 299,999 MILES. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED GM, HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN, WHICH STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THE COST TO FIX IT, WAS $830 AND GM WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY OF THE COST. THE FIX, WAS TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND PUT A DOOR PLAQUE ON THAT STATED THE ACTUAL MILEAGE.

MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 225,000 MILES ON IT. 3 TIMES AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000, 140,000, AND 215,000 MILES, MY CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD GOING DOWNHILL AT 40MPH. THE SECOND TIME I HAD JUST MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN AT @ 20MPH TO GET ON THE FREEWAY, THE THIRD TIME I WAS GOING STRAIGHT DOWN A CITY STREET AT 10MPH. IN EACH CASE, THE CAR JUST STOPS WHILE DRIVING AND I LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR CAN BE STARTED UP AFTER WITHOUT A PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC BELIEVES IT IS A COMPUTER ISSUE, OUTSIDE OF THAT, HE CAN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING ELSE. NO ERROR GETS LOGGED ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE CAR. THIS CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED OVER THE YEARS VERY WELL. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I DRIVE A LOT OF FREEWAY MILES AND IF THIS OCCURS WHILE I AM IN TRAFFIC I AM SURE A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, MY BATTERY GOES DEAD WHEN THE TEMPERATURE APPROACHES OR GOES BELOW FREEZING. I REPLACED THE BATTERY ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY THE INCIDENTS HAVE CONTINUED. I USED TO KEEP MY CAR IN THE GARAGE AND THE INCIDENTS WERE MORE LIMITED. I NOW KEEP MY CAR OUTSIDE AND THE FREQUENCY HAS INCREASED TO ALMOST EVERY TIME THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW FREEZING. SUCH AN INCIDENT IN JANUARY 2011 CAUSED MY CD PLAYER TO STOP WORKING. DECEMBER 2011 AND JANUARY 2012 THE INCIDENTS CONTINUED. I REMOVED THE STEREO HEAD UNIT IN CASE THAT WAS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. THE INCIDENTS OF THE BATTERY GOING DEAD HAVE CONTINUED WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURE IS AROUND OR BELOW FREEZING.

Mileage: 80,000

I BOUGHT A NEW 2003 PONTIAC VIBE FROM A LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER BACK IN MARCH OF 2003. I USE THE CAR AS A SERVICE VEHICLE FOR THE COMPANY I WORK FOR AND HAVE KEPT THE MAINTENANCE UP ON IT FOR THE PAST 8 YEARS WITH GREAT DEPENDABILITY. ON 11/17/10 AROUND NOON MY ODOMETER FINALLY REACHED THE 299,999 MILE MARK AND I WAITED FOR IT TO CHANGE OVER TO 300,000 BUT IT NEVER DID. I WENT ON LINE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS. THE ONLY SOLUTIONS I FOUND WERE TO EITHER HAVE THE ODOMETER SET BACK TO ZERO, OR PAY SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REPLACED. MY CONCERN IS BREAKING ANY ODOMETER FRAUD LAWS IF I WERE TO SELL OR TRADE IT IN. IT SHOULD BE THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO COST TO ME, I FEEL. I PLAN ON DRIVING THE CAR AS LONG AS IT LASTS. THANKS FOR YOUR SITE. *TR

Mileage: 299,999

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES FAILED AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE A READING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC STATED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE PART NEEDED FOR REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,400. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 95,400

THE SMOKED GLASS COVERING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO READ THE VITAL INFORMATION SUCH AS SPEED, ETC., ON BRIGHT SUNNY DAYS. THIS POSES A SEVERE SAFETY PROBLEM FOR THE DRIVER AS HE TRIES TO READ THE VITAL INFORMATION WHILE DRIVING IN ANY TRAFFIC CONDITION. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2003. BOTH GENERAL MOTORS IN DETROIT AND MY LOCAL DEALER SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT CORRECTING THIS FAULT. THE INCIDENT DATE I LISTED BELOW IS WHEN I FIRST NOTICE THIS DESIGN FAULT AFTER BUYING THE CAR NEW FROM THE DEALER. *TR

AN OVERLY SENSITIVE AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR TURNS ON THE HEADLIGHTS AND DIMS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY ON A BRIGHT SUNSHINE DAY IF THE SHADOW FROM THE A-PILLAR FALLS ACROSS THE SENSOR. THE DIMMING OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY LEADS TO AN INABILITY TO READ THE INSTRUMENTS ON A BRIGHT SUNSHINE DAY, THUS CREATING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. FROM MY RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM, THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE 2003 PONTIAC VIBE AND ITS SISTER CAR, THE 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. TOYOTA HAS A TSB ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM (EL007-02), GM DOES NOT HAVE ONE FOR THE VIBE. *TR

Mileage: 200

WHENEVER THE CAR IS PARKED OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT, AND THE AIR TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW ABOUT 30 DEGREES F, THE HEADLIGHTS TURN ON WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION. THIS LEADS TO A DEAD BATTERY AND AN INABILITY TO START THE CAR THE FOLLOWING MORNING. FROM MY RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM, THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE 2003 PONTIAC VIBE AND ITS SISTER CAR, THE 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. TOYOTA HAS A TSB ON THE PROBLEM FOR THE MATRIX (EL003-03), GM DOES NOT HAVE ONE FOR THE VIBE. *TR

Mileage: 34,000

I CAME OUT ONE MORNING TO START UP MY VEHICLE, WHICH IT DID SMOOTHLY AND WITHOUT HESITATION; I THEN NOTICED THAT MY INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. THE BACK LIGHTING WAS OUT, THE INDICATOR NEEDLES ON MY SPEEDOMETER, FUEL METER, ETC... ARE NONE RESPONSIVE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE JUST BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE FUSE...SO LOOKED UP THE FUSE DIAGRAMS IN MY OWNERS MANUAL AND SWITCHED OUT ALL THE FUSES WHICH COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN THE ISSUE BUT TO NO SUCCESS. THE CAR RUNS PERFECTLY FINE AND IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL/COMPUTER SYSTEM SOMEWHERE. HOWEVER, IT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT KNOWING HOW FAST YOUR GOING AND HOW MUCH FUEL YOU HAVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ONLY PAID FOR ONE REPAIR BECAUSE THE REST WERE UNDER WARRANTY. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 70,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

Mileage: 65,000

THE 2003 PONTIAC VIBE HAS THE WORST DASHBOARD LIGHTING OF ANY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. ON A SUNNY DAY IT IS DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER, AND ODOMETER DUE TO THE FAULTY LIGHTING. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE DRIVER HAS TO TAKE EXTRA TIME TO TRY AND READ THE POORLY LIGHTED INSTRUMENTS. AS TO THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW, IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE WHEN BRIGHT SUNSHINE WASHES OUT THE DASHBOARD INFORMATION. I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS, BUT THE DESIGN CERTAINLY INCREASES THE CHANCE FOR A DRIVING MISHAP. I SPOKE TO PONTIAC OFFICIALS AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THEY JUST SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS AND SAY THAT'S THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER VIBE OWNERS, WHO VOICE THE SAME COMPLAINT, AS WELL AS OWNERS OF THE TOYOTA MATRIX, WHICH HAS THE SAME UNSATISFACTORY DASH LIGHTING. *NM

MY 2003 PONTIAC VIBE ENGINE WAS RUINED BECAUSE IT RAN LOW ON OIL. THE OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT NEVER CAME ON (AND NO OTHER WARNING LIGHT CAME ON EITHER). SINCE I WAS 3 WEEKS PAST THE END OF THE WARRANTY I HAD NO RECOURSE WITH GM. *NM

Mileage: 37,000

THE RED INTERIOR DASHBOARD LIGHTS TURN ON INITIALLY WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED BUT THEN TURN OFF, OCCASIONALLY TURNING BACK ON FOR A FEW SECONDS. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE OFF THE ODOMETER, GAS GAUGE, AND ALL OTHER DASHBOARD GAUGES CANNOT BE SEEN IN DAYLIGHT OR AT NIGHT. I NOTICED THAT THIS STARTED OCCURRING AFTER I HAD THE CAR WASHED AND THE OIL CHANGED (HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY USED THIS GARAGE). IT APPEARS TO BE POSSIBLY A SENSOR PROBLEM. THE ONLY PROBLEMS THAT IT HAS CAUSED IS NOT KNOWING THE HOW FAST I AM DRIVING AND HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE. THE LIGHT WORKS THAT SHOWS THAT THE GAS IS CLOSE TO EMPTY. HAVE NOT TAKEN IT IN TO THE DEALER YET. *JB

Mileage: 84,600

I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE 20 MONTHS, IN THAT TIME, THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE FAILED 7 TIMES AT 3-4 MONTH INTERVALS BEGINNING ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, USUALLY ALTERNATING BETWEEN RIGHT AND LEFT. THIS WAS NOT LIFE THREATENING BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS HAD IT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *SC *JB

Mileage: 23,000

ODOMETER; SPEED;TEMP AND OTHER GAUGES CANNOT BE SEEN IN ANY DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS WITH OR WITHOUT GLASSES. *LA

WHEN THE ENGINE IS STARTED UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THE INTERIOR GEAR LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON. (1) HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. (2) ENGINE IS STARTED IN THE DARK (NO DAYLIGHT) WHEN THE ENGING IS STARTED, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATE BUT THE GEAR LIGHTS (P,R,N,D.L) DO NOT. WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED, THE HEADLIGHTS COME ON (EVEN THOUGH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH REMAINS IN THE OFF POSITION...THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE AUTOMATIC LIGH SENSOR)BUT THE GEAR LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON RIGHT AWAY. THERE IS A 30-45 SECOND DELAY FOR THE GEAR LIGHTS TO APPEAR. THIS MEANS I AM SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE OPTION OF PUTTING THE CAR IN GEAR, BUT THE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE NOT VISIBLE. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE GEAR LIGHTS CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE DASH LIGHTS. NOW, THERE IS AN INCREASING DELAY. I BELIEVE EVENTUALLY THE GEAR LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL. TO ME, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, THE GEAR LIGHTS SHOULD BE VISIBLE. MY DEALER AND GENERAL MOTORS TELL ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION OF THE CAR AND THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR IT. MY SISTER'S 2004 PONTIAC VIBE DOES NOT OPERATE THIS WAY. *AK

CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW 40 DAYS AGO. WITH ONLY 613 MILES DRIVEN, CAR FAILED TO START. DRIVEN DURING THE DAY NO SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR ONE HOUR AND AFTER THAT TIME COULD NOT START ENGINE. BATTERY, SHIFT INTER-LOCK WIRING LOOKED FINE, BUT STARTER MOTOR HAD NO POWER. TOWED TO DEALER STILL AWAITING SERVICE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID "NEVER HAD ONE NOT START!" *NLM

Mileage: 613

REGARDING THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT SENSOR -- THIS SENSOR IS LOCATED ON THE TOP LEFT SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AT THE BASE OF THE A-PILLAR. ON VERY BRIGHT AND SUNNY DAYS, THE SENSOR TURNS THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND OFF BECAUSE OF SHADING BY THE A-PILLAR OR STATE INSPECTION STICKER. DEPENDING ON THE ANGLE OF THE CAR RELATIVE TO THE SUN, THIS HAS OCCURRED BETWEEN 10 AND 20 TIMES EACH DAY THAT I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR AND OCCURS AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY. WHEN THE LIGHTS GO ON, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DIM MAKING THE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES UNREADABLE. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN SINCE I CANNOT SEE MY SPEED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. THE DEALER KNOWS OF NO WAY TO DISABLE THIS SENSOR AND PONTIAC HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY E-MAILS YET.*AK