Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Pontiac Vibe problems
Owners filed 266 complaints about the 2004 Pontiac Vibe with NHTSA between Nov 2003 and Mar 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (104).
Complaints
266
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
18
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
33
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags104
- Visibility70
- Structure24
- Power train12
- Electrical system12
- Vehicle speed control11
- Tires8
- Latches/locks/linkages8
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Visibility/wiper6
- Equipment6
- Steering5
- Seat belts4
- Engine4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
12
15
8
21
34
10
13
8
1
4
18
69
15
11
6
11
2
0
0
3
2
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 12 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 21 |
| 2008 | 34 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 8 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 69 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
104 reports13 crashes1 fire6 related recalls
“As there is a NHTSA recall notice on the 2004 Toyota Matrix for a Takata air bag risk of explosion with shrapnel, should there also be a similar notice on the 2004 Pontiac Vibe, which is practically the same vehicle and was manufactured at the same plant in CA?”
Visibility
70 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING WITH THE REAR DEFROSTER ACTIVATED, THE REAR HATCH WINDOW SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LUPIENT BUICK/GMC (7100 WAYZATA BLVD, GOLDEN VALLEY, MN 55426) WHERE IT WAS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 9-5481767211. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.”
Structure
24 reports2 crashes
“ALL 4 DOOR HANDLES ARE BROKEN OFF. I HAVE TO USE A PAIR OF PLIERS TO OPEN THE DOOR. IVE NOTICED ALMOST EVERY PONTIAC VIBE HAS DOOR HANDLES BROKEN OFF. TO ME THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IF I WERE TO BE IN A WRECK AND BECOME UNCONSCIOUS OR TRAPPED. THERE'S NO WAY FOR ANYONE TO GET INTO THE CAR TO HELP ME.”
Power train
12 reports
“WE PURCHASED A USED 2004 PONTIAC VIBE GT WITH A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH, THE GEAR STICK POPPED OUT OF GEAR. WAS ABLE TO PUT IT BACK INTO GEAR BUT ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE GEAR STICK POPPED AGAIN. CAR AND TRANSMISSION ONLY HAVE 80,000 MILES ON THEM. READING FORUMS ONLINE, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE THE NORM FOR PONTIAC VIBES. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THE ISSUE?”
Electrical system
12 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN OR LOCK UNLESS THE MASTER SWITCH WAS PRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS BROKEN INTO DUE TO THE DOOR NOT AUTOMATICALLY LOCKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 05/20/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED ALL THE DOORS OPENED AND CLOSED AUTOMATICALLY, EXCEPT THE REAR DOOR BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT. UPDATED 06/01/16.*JB”
Vehicle speed control
11 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY BECOME UNRESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.