2009 Pontiac Vibe Vehicle Speed Control Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 58 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the 2009 Pontiac Vibe, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 20,250 miles. The words owners use most often: “control accelerator pedal” (10% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Control accelerator pedal: mentioned in 6 of 58 complaints (10%)
  • Floor mat: mentioned in 5 of 58 complaints (9%)

At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?

Based on 43 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles11 · 26%
10k–25k miles13 · 30%
25k–50k miles11 · 26%
50k–75k miles3 · 7%
75k–100k miles1 · 2%
100k–150k miles1 · 2%
150k+ miles3 · 7%

How serious are the reports?

Of 58 complaints, 13 mention a crash, 3 an injury.

Pontiac Vibe vehicle speed control complaints by model year

Peak: 2009, with 58 complaints
2003: 132003132004: 112004112005: 8200582006: 6200662007: 112007112008: 4200842009: 582009582010: 720107

n = 118 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearVehicle Speed Control complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2010 Vibe712%20,000
2009 Vibe5811%20,250
2008 Vibe46%40,000
2007 Vibe116%15,534
2006 Vibe63%27,236
2005 Vibe83%28,000
2004 Vibe114%53,200
2003 Vibe134%34,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2010, with 34 complaints
2010: 342010342011: 3201132012: 2201222013: 3201332014: 2201422015: 3201532016: 3201632017: 2201722018: 1201812019: 2201922022: 1202212023: 220232

n = 58 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (2)

Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedalJan 27, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V024000 · 70,806 vehicles

Problem: General motors is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 pontiac vibe passenger vehicles. 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.

Risk: 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.

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 the trunk until the floor mat interference and accelerator pedal recall remedy is ready and implemented. In the event that owners choose not to take out their removable floor mat, general motors strongly recommends that owners use only floor mats designed specifically for the model and model year of their vehicle, and that it is properly installed and secured. Do not use a mat that is flipped over with the bottom-side up, and do not stack one floor mat over another. In addition, check the operation of the accelerator, brake, and clutch (if applicable) pedals to assure that the floor mat does not interfere with them. Owners may contact pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedalJan 21, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V018000 · 70,806 vehicles

Problem: General motors is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 pontiac vibe vehicles. 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 increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal becoming harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position.

Risk: 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.

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. Owners may contact pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

I was driving no warnings lights to shutting down on the road to black smoke came out of the back luckily a guy was going by and helped me move my car

Received Sep 6, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11543052

Accelerates on its own from idle or low speeds. Was recalled on 2/8/2010 #2010018..and repaired on 6/21/ 2010. Approx. 2 years ago it started to "take off again". Grand Buick... Grandville MI advised there was no current recall. I'm waiting for GM to advise of a no charge to owner recall.

Received Apr 24, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11518683

The contact owns a 2009 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the vehicle speed control (VSC), ABS, and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who was unable to duplicate…

Received Aug 12, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11478986
Pontiac Vibe
2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe photographed in Washington, D.C. , USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2009 Pontiac Vibes have vehicle speed control problems?

No. NHTSA has 58 owner complaints about vehicle speed control for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe (11% of the 528 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2009 Pontiac Vibe vehicle speed control?

Yes: 2 safety recalls list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems start?

The median reported mileage is 20,250 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the 2009 Pontiac Vibe?

The most frequent phrase is “control accelerator pedal”, in 6 of 58 complaints, followed by “floor mat” (5).

Other 2009 Pontiac Vibe problems

See all 2009 Pontiac Vibe problems or vehicle speed control problems across all Vibe years.