NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

CarComplaints.com Notes: The Pontiac Vibe is the mechanical twin of the Toyota Matrix.

Both models were a joint GM-Toyota venture, manufactured together at a NUMMI production facility in Fremont, CA. Only the heating & A/C systems are different.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
106,234 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2005 Pontiac Vibe electrical problems

electrical problem

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2005 Pontiac Vibe Owner Comments

problem #13

Jul 012019

Vibe

  • 222,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that the check engine warning indicator illuminated upon starting the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to king Cadillac (1700 w evans St, florence, SC 29501, 843-536-4085), but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The warning indicator remained illuminated on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 222,000.

- Dillon, SC, USA

problem #12

May 302017

Vibe

  • 299,999 miles
My odometer has been stuck at 299,999 for the last three weeks and I have put over 600 miles on my car in the last three weeks.

- Painesville, OH, USA

problem #11

Feb 102015

Vibe 4-cyl

  • 132,000 miles
Since purchasing in 09/2013 driver's side front window has been grinding when lowering with power window switch. Did not seem to be hung right inside the door but always completed seal when closing. Sounded like a piece of plastic was caught between the glass and door. Took apart, did not see any thing. 01/2015, window would not roll down the final 2 inches. Figured it was due to cold weather. 02/2015 after parking in driveway with window down, went to open driver's side door to get out of car. Door was stuck. Shut door, applied normal (minimal) force to the door in the area of the door handle (was not pressing on glass) and driver's side window shattered, leaving glass inside the door and inside the vehicle.

- Richland, WA, USA

problem #10

Jun 262014

Vibe 4-cyl

  • 142,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2005 Pontiac Vibe with 133000mi had the PCM replaced under recall #10282 in October 2013. In June 2014, at 140000mi, the car started exhibiting the same symptoms as before the recall: Hard upshifts and stalling while shifting from reverse to drive. The engine began cutting out for <1sec during steady-state driving at highway speeds, eventually stalling completely from 60mph in traffic. The hard shifting and stalling is intermittent, though most common after driving 10min or more. While driving at constant throttle, the tachometer dives from 3K RPM to under 1K before the engine restarts. This can be felt as a harsh jolt within the car, and will kill the cruise control and radio if either of those are in use.

- Groton, NY, USA

problem #9

Feb 162014

Vibe

  • 120,000 miles
My girl's vehicle stopped on it's own several times with no warning, but later would restart. The engine just kept stopping she would say in various turns, but with jiggling the key it would start back up.the last time while turning left at a light the vehicle died in the middle of the turn again. This time, the vehicle just made it coasting thru the intersection. I noticed the key chain was overloaded with mace, MINIbaseball tigers bat, 15 keys, pictures etc. We took it to a mechanic and was informed the engine must be locked and we need to scrap the car because they could not get it to fire up. I believe it was the ignition switch that sometimes made contact. I just got a 4th notice that the 4th set of airbags are defective. The car is crushed now, but it seems pretty logical the ignition switch was faulty. I bought her a new car because it kept dying in turns. I did not put two and two together until after the publicity. The scope of this recall needs to be expanded to the 2005 Pontiac Vibe. We were lucky that no one was coming from the other direction thru those intersections. The VIN is [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Canton, MI, USA

problem #8

Apr 172014

Vibe 4-cyl

  • 106,019 miles
Car was parked all day. When I returned to the car I started it, rolled down the front (power) windows, left it in park to retrieve something outside the car for 5 minutes. Returned and the inside driver door was in flames.

- Canton, GA, USA

problem #7

Apr 112006

Vibe 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated while waiting at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The contact mentioned that after inspecting the vehicle he noticed that the key had shift to the off position. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 6,000 and the current mileage was 70,000.

- Muskego, WI, USA

problem #6

Sep 162010

Vibe

  • 81,000 miles
2005 Pontiac Vibe's check engine light came on, the car started running rough, and then the car died. The car would not start and a wrecker had to be called. The mechanic was able to start the car some of the time but it would start running rough and would die while the car was being driven. I had read a newspaper article about a recall to start mid September on 2005-2008 Vibes due to a defective engine control module. My car seemed to be experiencing the same problems. Our mechanic agreed this seemed to be the problem. Our mechanic could not resolve the problem but found recall info online and referred us to GM. GM said there was no recall info. On the computer and could not do anything just yet. We took the car to a GM dealership. It stalled twice getting there with our mechanic driving since he had become accustomed to driving it to diagnose the problem. The dealership could not get the car to repeat the problem the next day. The car is currently at the dealership and they will try to start the car tomorrow (9/23/10).

- Shawnee, OK, USA

problem #5

Aug 152010

Vibe

  • 114,245 miles
Car idled low and hard since I purchased it and dealerships kept saying there was nothing they could do because it was so random, they could never get it to act that way for them. I went on vacation recently, came home and went to turn on car, it started, I started to drive and it stalled. Lights stayed on, but could not restart engine. Towed it to a shop and they said that it is the computer control something or other and that one of the signals to an injector is not making it. They said all the hard idling I experienced was a sign that there was something electrically wrong and the dealerships were telling me it wasn't a big deal! they are replacing a wire for an injector and the computer control module? right now. I am not sure of the correct name for the computer brain thingy.

- Killeen, TX, USA

problem #4

Aug 102010

Vibe

  • 56,955 miles
2005 Pontiac Vibe- PCM unit goes bad, leading to auto transmission error code P2716, first replaced battery then alternator with delco/GMC part now electrical system errors and trans problems due to faulty PCM - solenoid D failure.

- Elmhurst, IL, USA

problem #3

May 172010

Vibe

  • 81,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The check engine light came on. I was making a left turn at a traffic light and the car stalled in the middle of the intersection. I put the car in park and restarted it. Shortly thereafter the car stalled again while I was driving but I was able to make a turn into a parking lot. Also, the transmission will slip out of gear while driving the failure occurs randomly while driving. Was diagnosed as computer performance problem with PO607 engine code.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #2

Jul 132007

Vibe 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 19,828 miles
I bought this car August 2005 and it always had a start issue. It just wont turn over, but this problem can go for a couple of days before starting again. It will start fine some days and others it won't. also was in a car accident rear ended a van and smashed up the car but the air bags didn't deploy at all. My insurance company stopped counting the damage after it hit $10,000. It was at an angle versus just straight on. Car has less than 20,000 miles on it. Main concern was the air bag didn't go off when the collision happened. Luckily everyone was fine. But what is being done about this two problems?

- Moorhead, MN, USA

problem #1

Jan 012005

Vibe 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I bought a new 2005 Vibe in September 2004. On several occasions, I will go to start the car and it will not start, just turns over.

- Hughesville, MO, USA

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