2009 Pontiac Vibe: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2009 Pontiac Vibe: 9 recalls, 528 owner complaints and up to 28 mpg combined.
Recalls
9 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #09V392000 · 2009 · 10,119 vehicles
What's wrong: 8l engine and originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, idaho, illinois, iowa, kansas, maine, michigan, minnesota, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new york, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming. When driving under certain unique conditions in extremely low ambient temperatures, the intake manifold suction port for the brake vacuum can become locked…
Why it matters: This could lead to an increase in vehicle stopping distance and a crash could occur.
The fix: Dealers will modify the brake vacuum line free of charge. A special advisory letter will be sent to owners of vehicles registered in all other states in the same time frame. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before October 23, 2009.
Speed control / throttle Vehicle recall #10V018000 · 2010 · 70,806 vehicles
What's wrong: Due to the manner in which the friction lever interacts with the sliding surface of the accelerator pedal inside the pedal sensor assembly, the sliding surface of the lever May become smooth during vehicle operation. In this condition, if condensation occurs on the surface, as May occur from heater operation (without a/c) when the pedal assembly is cold, the friction when the accelerator pedal is operated May…
Why it matters: The accelerator pedal May become hard to depress, slow to return to idle, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install a reinforcement bar in the accelerator pedal which will allow the pedal to operate smoothly. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin early February and be completed in late April 2010.
Speed control / throttle Vehicle recall #10V024000 · 2010 · 70,806 vehicles
What's wrong: The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Why it matters: A stuck open accelerator pedal May result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
The fix: General motors will notify customers when a recall remedy is available for recall 10038: floor mat interference and accelerator pedal. Gm requests that customers take out any removable (carpeted, all-weather, or other) driver's floor mat and not replace it with any other floor mat, and place it in…
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #12V491000 · 2012 · 2,519,424 vehicles
What's wrong: The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process May cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat.
Why it matters: If the switch overheats, it May melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
The fix: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge. Toyota owners that experience a problem with a switch should not attempt to make repairs, but should contact their…
Airbags Vehicle recall #14V168000 · 2014 · 1,486,413 vehicles
What's wrong: In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical connections to the driver's airbag module housed in a spiral cable assembly, which includes a flexible flat cable (ffc). Due to the shape and location of the ffc's retainer, the ffc could become damaged when the steering wheel is turned.
Why it matters: If the ffc is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. The failure of the driver's air bag to deploy in the event of a crash that typically necessitates deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota vehicle owners, and general motors will notify the Pontiac vibe owners. Toyota sent owners an interim notification letter in May 2014 to advise owners of the recall. Toyota will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available. General motors sent Pontiac…
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #15V689000 · 2015 · 1,814,284 vehicles
What's wrong: During the manufacturing of the power window master switch (pwms), grease lubricant May have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Why it matters: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch May cause a short circuit and the switch assembly May overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the pwms circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015.
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V340000 · 2016 · 1,754,517 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Scion xb and Lexus is f, 2007-2008 Toyota yaris, 2006-2008 Lexus is250 and Lexus is350 and 2007-2008 Lexus es350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on December 6, 2016.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V006000 · 2017 · 577,875 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota corolla, corolla matrix, yaris, yaris hb, Scion xb, Pontiac vibe, Lexus, es350, is250, is350, and is-f vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V024000 · 2018 · 628,018 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Vi or "zone a." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010 Scion xb, Toyota corolla, corolla matrix, yaris, 4runner, Lexus is250, is350, is250c, is350c, es350, is-f, gx460, and Pontiac vibe vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of az, ar, de, dc, il, in, ks, ky, md, mo, ne, nv, nj, nm, nc, oh, ok, pa, tn, va, and wv or "zone b." Toyota is also recalling certain 2009 Scion xb, Toyota corolla, corolla matrix,…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began on January 29, 2018.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 2 mention a fire, 10 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (352): the most common themes are warning light on (17), deploys unexpectedly / inflator (16), fails to deploy (6).
- Speed control / throttle (58): the most common themes are sudden acceleration (10), stalls / loses power (5).
- Steering (35): the most common themes are steering problems (31), noise or vibration (19), warning light on (4).
- Engine (29): the most common themes are excess oil use (13), stalls / loses power (6), warning light on (5).
The 2009 Pontiac Vibe has 528 owner complaints, ranking #1 of 12 Vibe model years for complaints (3.4× the average Vibe year). Complaints peaked in 2017 (259 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 8 years old, at a median of 56,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2008 (63 complaints, 4 recalls), 2010 (58 complaints, 8 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 26 | 31 | 28 | Regular |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 26 | 32 | 28 | Regular |
| 2.4 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 | 28 | 24 | Regular |
| 2.4 L 4-cyl | Automatic (S5) | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 | 29 | 24 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe.
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FAQ
Does the 2009 Pontiac Vibe have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 9 vehicle recalls for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2009 Pontiac Vibe problems?
Owners have filed 528 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (352), speed control / throttle (58), steering (35).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Pontiac Vibe get?
EPA ratings run up to 28 mpg combined (1.8 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 4 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2009 Pontiac Vibe repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.