2006 Pontiac Vibe problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Air Bags (110) · Engine And Engine Cooling (11) · Engine (7)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Pontiac Vibe model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
69 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (5)
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module 2019-08-28 · campaign 19V627000 · 229,460 vehicles
Defect: 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 2018-12-12 · campaign 18V883000 · 168,993 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota
Air Bags 2015-05-13 · campaign 15V285000 · 1,973,468 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Po
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: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag. The recall began on July 13, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Pontiac owners may call
Air Bags 2015-05-13 · campaign 15V286000 · 1,069,055 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model yea
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: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota began the recall on July 13, 2015. Po
Engine And Engine Cooling 2010-08-26 · campaign 10V387000 · 161,754 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Service bulletins (641)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-02-20 · PIP5358D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. technician will need to
Unknown Or Other 2024-12-07 · PIT5074Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads. the j-35616-64b is the latest test probe released for checking tension or probing the .64 series terminals. the test probe
Showing the 6 most recent of 641 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-12-05 · Unknown Or Other“hello, my drivers side front left window goes up and down awkwardly, almost like it's going to brake the glass when i use it. if there's a recall on this i will gladly like to know. thank you.…”
2024-12-14 · Visibility/Wiper“rainx weatherbeater 21" wiper blade purchased on or about 12/13/24 at this location: meijers 1703 haggerty rd commerce, mi 48390 wiper is supposed to come with a small clip pre-attached to the blade assy and a large clip loose in the packaging for those applications needing the large clip. my car needs the smaller clip this wiper was packaged…”
2023-01-05 · Electrical System“i had my valve cover gasket replaced fuel injectors serviced and transmission serviced on 12/26/2022. when i picked my car up on 12/29/2022, i was checking my brake lights when the car started idling up and down on it's own and the check engine light came on. i called the dealer and was asked to bring the car in and they would check it out. i retu…”
2021-01-27 · Engine“tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac vibe. the contact stated that she had experienced several electrical failures with the computer system intermittently stopping operation without warning. the contact also stated that the check engine and tire pressure warning lights would illuminate on the instrument panel. the contact had taken the vehicle to an…”
2020-12-16 · Air Bags“recall notice received 10/2019, and no one has agreed to resolve the airbag issue…”
2020-11-12 · Unknown Or Other · 3,000,000 mi“my vehicle was parked, i cranked my engine up, and it ran for a few minutes and then shut off. i am unable to crank my vehicle up at all now. light pink fluid is leaking out of the throttle body.…”
2020-10-22 · Air Bags · 81,350 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac vibe. the contact stated that the driver's side air bag warning light illuminated while the seat was occupied. the vehicle was taken to apple chevrolet (8585 w 159th st, tinley park, il 60487, (708) 429-3000) where it was determined that the steering wheel air bag was defective and needed to be replaced. the vehi…”
2020-07-20 · Air Bags“tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2006 pontiac vibe. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 18v883000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the contact called several unknown dealers and it was confirmed that the parts were not yet available. the contact stated that the manufacturer exc…”
2020-07-14 · Air Bags“tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac vibe. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v627000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. crain buick gmc located at 710 s. amity rd, conway, ar 72032, was notified and it was confirmed that the part was not available. the contact stated that the manufacture…”
2020-07-14 · Air Bags · 370,000 mi“i've been waiting almost a year for gm, toyota, and takata to come up with a fix to their airbag problem, nhtsa # 19v627. how much longer do we have to wait? gm's thoughts? "recall status: incomplete. remedy not yet available"…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.