2005 Pontiac Vibe Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE SPOUSE OF THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE PLACE WHERE THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTING AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY SHUT OFF SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS, INCLUDING THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL RELAY SWITCH, SPARK PLUGS, AND OXYGEN SENSORS, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (JERRY CHEVROLET, 1940 E. JOPPA RD., PARKVILLE, MD) WERE NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V387000(ENGINE). THE FAILUE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

ON TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS, THE ENGINE HAS STALLED AND SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. BOTH TIMES THE CAR WAS COASTING DOWNHILL WHEN THIS HAPPENED. AFTER PULLING OVER AND STOPPING, THE ENGINE RESTARTED FINE. IT SEEMS TO MATCH THE DESCRIPTION FOR RECALL 10V387000, ALTHOUGH THAT WAS ISSUED ONLY FOR 1ZZ ENGINES AND THIS IS A 2ZZ ENGINE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION TO THE ON POSITION, THE ENGINE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE BEFORE STARTING. ALSO, WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE VIBRATED INTENSELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SERVICE WAS REFUSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT AND STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED.THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT, THE FUEL PUMP, AND THE DRIVING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER STALLING. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY RESTART AFTER BEING TURNED OFF FOR OVER AN HOUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 197,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT RECURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT RECTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND THE CAR JUST STARTED TO SLOW DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. I PULLED OVER SAFELY AND WAITED FOR TOW SERVICE BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS I REPEATEDLY TRIED TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL THAT WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE FAILED, AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO IDLE HARSHLY. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER, ABOUT THE VEHICLE BEING REPAIRED, SHE WAS INFORMED ANY ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED A CODE OF P0440 AND P0441, WERE RELATED TO THE PCM, WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS THE FUEL PUMP CAUSING THE READINGS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN, AND THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED IT WAS THE SAME CODES. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED, WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. UPDATED 01/13/14

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE A SECOND TIME UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,047.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY DURING MODERATE TRAFFIC MY 2005 PONTIAC VIBE COMPLETELY STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER BARELY MAKING IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TOW ME TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD WENT ONLINE WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE THAT CAUSED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS I HAD. THE DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THE VIN AND ORDERED THE RECALL ITEM. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD INSTALLED THE NEW CONTROL MODULE AND THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT START AND THEY WOULD NEED TO DIG FURTHER TO FIND THE CAUSE. AFTER DIGGING MORE INTO IT THEY CALLED THE NEXT DAY (DAY 3) AND TOLD ME THAT THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT WAS BROKEN AND RECOMMENDED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF SLUDGE AND UNKNOWN FACTORS WITH THE CURRENT ENGINE. THE ESTIMATE OF REPAIR WAS $6100. I CALLED MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT HE COULD LOOK AND SEE IF THE CAMSHAFT COULD BE REPLACED OR IF THE ENGINE DID INDEED NEED REPLACED. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC (DAY 4) WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS GIVEN A BROKEN BOLT THAT THE MECHANIC SAID HAD BEEN THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IT HAD GOTTEN LODGED IN A WAY THAT CAUSED THE CAMSHAFT TO BREAK., SOMETHING HE HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. WHEN I GOT IT TO MY MECHANIC HE SAID THE SAME THING, "THAT BOLT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BROKEN AND CAUSED THE CAMSHAFT TO JAM. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS." WHEN I ASK WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE BOLT TO BREAK HE SAID "MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THAT'S IT, NOTHING ELSE WOULD CAUSE A BOLT IN THAT POSITION TO EVER BREAK". HE ACQUIRED A REFURBISHED ENGINE WITH ABOUT 30K MILES ON IT AND REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE (THE CAM/BOLT HAD DAMAGED THE VALVES) FOR ABOUT $2600 AND IT RUNS FANTASTIC. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED I COULD GET THROUGH TRAFFIC AND MAKE IT TO THE SIDE WITHOUT GETTING HIT OR CAUSING MORE OF A TRAFFIC JAM. *TR

2005 PONTIAC VIBE. CONSUMER WRITES IN TO EXPRESS DISCONTENT WITH RECALL REPAIR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HER VEHICLE WAS RUNNING PERFECT BEFORE SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO HER, IT WAS IDLING BADLY. THE NEXT DAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND UPON DIAGNOSIS, IT WAS DETERMINED THE RECALL PART THAT WAS INSTALLED WAS FAULTY. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE INSTEAD OF THE ECM AS STATED IN THE RECALL. AFTER REPAIRS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUTTER AND SHAKE ABNORMALLY AND OFTEN TIMES, WOULD STALL WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD MAKE ONE REPAIR UNDER THE RECALL AND ANY FURTHER REPAIRS WOULD BE AT HIS EXPENSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE INITIAL REPAIR PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT THE REPAIR THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED UNDER THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN UPDATED 05/16/11

2005 PONTIAC VIBE. CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER A NEW POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE WAS INSTALLED PER THE RECALL, THE CAR BEGAN TO SHIFT VERY HARD AND CONSUMER STATES HEARING A HIGH PITCHED WHINING SOUND WHEN SHE ACCELERATED *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PCM WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO ANY GEAR, SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE ENGINE JERKED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR RECALL 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR IT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,928.

TIMEFRAME OF 2005 PONTIAC VIBE RECALL OF PCM/ECM UNIT - EXACTLY HOW LONG ARE OWNERS EXPECTED TO WAIT FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR THIS RECALL THAT WAS SUBMITTED OVER 5 MONTHS AGO? *TR

2005 PONTIAC VIBE PCM FAILURE. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SHIFTING VERY HARD. ENGINE CODE P2716. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS REPORTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE TOLD BY DEALERSHIPS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, AND AFTER DOING SO THE SYMPTOMS STILL OCCUR. AFTER FINALLY REPLACING THE PCM, THE ISSUES WERE RESOLVED. THAT MEANS $4000 IN WASTED REPAIRS. I HAVE CONTACTED GM WITH CASE 71-902887626. THE CAR ONLY SHIFTS POORLY WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, SO IT SEEMS LOGICAL THAT THE ISSUE IS ELECTRICALLY RELATED. (PCM) SO FAR GM HAS DENIED THAT THE PCM IN THIS CAR IS AFFECTED BY THE "CURRENT" RECALL. A MONKEY CAN PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER IN THIS SITUATION. I WRITING THIS FOR OTHER VIBE OWNERS WHO GET THE RUN AROUND WITH GM AND THEIR DEALERSHIP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE VEHICLE. THE DIAGNOSTIC DETERMINED THAT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE RE-FLASHED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND STATED THAT HE WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THIS VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,950.

2005 PONTIAC VIBE. CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A RECALL FOR THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). COMPONENTS COULD FAIL PREMATURELY OR CAUSE ENGINE STALL OR FAILURE TO START. *KB CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED 120210 *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE NOTICED ALSO STATED A FOLLOW-UP LETTER WOULD BE MAILED REGARDING PARTS DISTRIBUTION AND REPAIR. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER STATED AS OF NOVEMBER 8, 2010 HE STILL HAS NOT RECEIVED THE FOLLOW-UP LETTER. *JB UPDATED 01/05/11. *JB UPDATED 02/10/11*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PCM/ECM COMPUTER SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, LOCKED AND STALLED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART BUT WOULD STALL IMMEDIATELY AFTER AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEN TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REFUSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THEY COULD ONLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO RECALL 10V387000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) IF THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATIVE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT HIS EXPENSE AT THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO REFERRED HIM TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,000.

CAR BEGAN ROUGH SHIFTING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TAKEN TO A GM DEALER FOR REPAIR. SYMPTOMS APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN 10V-387 (GM REF NUMBER 10282). INITIALLY, DEALER DENIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE PROBLEMS DISPLAYED BY THE CAR. AFTER SENDING THE DEALER THE RECALL INFORMATION AND THE INITIAL LETTER SENT TO ME BY GM, DEALER ADMITS THAT THERE IS A RECALL, BUT NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX. THE ONLY SOLUTION OFFERED WAS TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE PROBLEM. DEALER WILL NOT ESCALATE THE ISSUE THROUGH GM. *TR