Pontiac Vibe Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 118 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the Pontiac Vibe across 8 model years. The 2009 model year has the most (58). The words owners use most often: “sudden acceleration” (8% of reports).
- 118vehicle speed control complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 24mention a crash
- 8mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 15%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Sudden acceleration: mentioned in 10 of 118 complaints (8%)
- Suddenly accelerated: mentioned in 10 of 118 complaints (8%)
- Control accelerator pedal: mentioned in 8 of 118 complaints (7%)
- Floor mat: mentioned in 7 of 118 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 93 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 118 complaints, 24 mention a crash, 8 an injury.
Pontiac Vibe vehicle speed control complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Model years: 2009, 2010
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 pedal
Model years: 2009, 2010
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
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.
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…
The torque converter clutch switch is stuck off. Car is losing power not shifting up or down as it should. Oxygen sensor bank 1 says lean. Its as if its not pulling in enough air. To push power. Idles rough. Electrical issue or computer issue. Not sureas if im at stop light it shakes badly while…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 pontiac vibe. The contact stated that while driving at 50 mph, the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably disabling the brakes. In addition, there was rubber burning from the tires. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Pontiac Vibes have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 118 owner complaints about vehicle speed control for the Pontiac Vibe. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 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.
What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the Pontiac Vibe?
The most frequent phrase is “sudden acceleration”, in 10 of 118 complaints, followed by “suddenly accelerated” (10).
Other Pontiac Vibe problems
- Air Bags problems (1,012)
- Visibility problems (176)
- Power Train problems (136)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (101)
See all Pontiac Vibe problems.