2008 Pontiac Vibe Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Vibe years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 7th of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Pontiac Vibe. That ranks 7th out of 12 Vibe model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (48 complaints, 76%), typically at around 86,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 4 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 63owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Pontiac Vibe problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 48 | 76% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 6% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 5% | 16,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 3% | 24,532 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 3% | 96,284 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 3% | 134,940 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 2% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | 600,305 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 2% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Pontiac Vibe recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Corolla, 2005-2008 Corolla Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation under high temperature conditions, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly.
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly or sub-assembly, free of charge. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1Q and K0Q. Pontiac owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is N192273760.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Lexus SC vehicles manufactured August 3, 2007, to July 30, 2010, 2008 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured May 25, 2007, to December 21, 2007, 2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to December 18, 2007, and 2008 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to January 2, 2008. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: The recall began on March 25, 2016 for Toyota and Lexus vehicle owners. The recall began on June 23, 2016 for GM owners. The respective dealers will either replace the front passenger air bag inflator or the entire front passenger air bag assembly depending on the model. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. This recall expands recall 15V-285.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Lexus SC vehicles manufactured August 3, 2007, to July 30, 2010, 2008 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to December 21, 2007, 2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to December 18, 2007, and 2008 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to January 2, 2008 that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: The recall began on March 25, 2016 for Toyota and Lexus vehicle owners. The recall began on June 8, 2016 for GM owners. The respective dealers will either replace the front passenger air bag inflator or the entire front passenger air bag assembly depending on the model. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. This recall expands recall 15V-286.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Gm is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 pontiac vibe vehicles. The engine control module (ecm) for the subject models equipped with the 1zz-fe (lv6) engine and two-wheel drive may have been improperly manufactured. There is a possibility that a crack may develop at certain solder points or on varistors on the circuit board.
Risk: There are a variety of warnings and consequences associated with the defect. The engine warning lamp could be illuminated, harsh shifting could result, the engine may not start, or the engine could shut off while the vehicle is being driven. An engine shutoff while the vehicle is being driven increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the production number of the ecm and replace the ecm if necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on february 8, 2011. Owners may contact gm at 1-800-620-7668.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Engine Stall (EA10006) — opened Aug 18, 2010, closed Sep 16, 2010, led to recall 10V384000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v627000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that her air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v627000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Honolulu buick gmc located at 2945 n nimitz hwy, honolulu, hi 96819, was contacted and it was…
I received a safety recall letter from pontiac in milwaukee, wisconsin dated october 2019 stating that the front passenger air bag assembly containing an inflator is defective. The air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation during high temperature conditions .what could happen is that a…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIRBAG) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER KINGMAN CHEVROLET BUICK (ADDRESS: 3730 STOCKTON HILL RD, KINGMAN, AZ 86409; PHONE…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac vibe. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number :19v627000 (air bags) however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was…
Other Pontiac Vibe years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Vibe | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 Vibe | 58 | 8 |
| 2009 Vibe | 528 | 9 |
| 2008 | 63 | 4 |
| 2007 Vibe | 171 | 5 |
| 2006 Vibe | 177 | 5 |
| 2005 Vibe | 301 | 5 |
| 2004 Vibe | 266 | 7 |
| 2003 Vibe | 298 | 8 |
| 2002 Vibe | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 Vibe | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 Vibe | 1 | 0 |
See all Pontiac Vibe problems by year, every Pontiac model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Pontiac Vibe?
Owners most often report air bags, vehicle speed control, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 48 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Pontiac Vibe?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Pontiac Vibe a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Vibe model years, the 2008 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.