Pontiac · Vibe · 2003
8
Recalls
310
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2003 Pontiac Vibe has 8 recalls and 310 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: visibility (65 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
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.
Remedy Status
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's numbers for these recalls are J0A (Zone A Toyota), J0B (Zone B Toyota), J0C (Zone C Toyota), JLI (Zone A Lexus), JLJ (Zone B Lexus), and JLK (Zone C Lexus). Note: This recall includes vehicles that have had their air bag previously replaced under an earlier air bag campaign.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING 662,178 MY 2003-2004 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX AND PONTIAC VIBE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER WINDOWS. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR GLASS BOLTS MAY LOOSEN AND COME OFF, CAUSING THE DOOR GLASS TO SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOW REGULATOR. DUE TO THE COMPONENTS BECOMING LOOSE AND POSSIBLY RATTLING, AN ABNORMAL NOISE MAY BE HEARD FROM THE DRIVER AND /OR FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WHEN OPERATING THE POWER WINDOWS.
Remedy Status
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR GLASS BOLTS WITH NEWLY DESIGNED BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 16, 2008 TO TOYOTA OWNERS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2008, FOR PONTIAC OWNERS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
ON CERTAIN TWO-WHEEL DRIVE (2WD) PASSENGER VEHICLES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE BOLTS THAT JOIN THE REAR BRAKE AND HUB ASSEMBLY TO THE REAR AXLE CARRIER TO BE LOOSE DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING DURING THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.
Remedy Status
DEALERS WILL PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 12, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737.
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 year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that were not previously included. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.
Remedy Status
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. Pontiac Vibe owners may contact GM at 1-800-762-2737. GM began the recall on June 29, 2015. NOTE: This recacll supersedes recall 14V-655 in its entirety. For vehicles located in the U.S. states not listed above, please see Toyota recall 15V-285 which covers all other U.S. states.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Remedy Status
Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. GM issued an interim notification to owners on March 27, 2015. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V-029 and 14V-147. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for one of those campaigns need to have the air bag control module replaced under this campaign.
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 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. 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.
Remedy Status
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 1-800-762-2737. NOTE: This recall supersedes recall 14V-312 in its entirety.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits. This could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Remedy Status
Toyota will re-notify their owners who have already had their vehicles repaired with a noise filter, but did not receive a new airbag control module, and General Motors will re-notify theirs. Dealers previously installed a supplemental harness containing an electrical filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness, free of charge. Dealers will replace the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on March 13, 2013. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for second notices. For more information, Toyota owners may call 1-800-331-4331 and Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The replacement air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation in high temperature conditions, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly.
Remedy Status
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the passenger air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2020. Owners may contact Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is N192278940.
The 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe was manufactured by Toyota and is for all intent and purposes is a 2003 Toyota Matrix. The 2003-04 Pontiac Vibe should be included in the "Do not drive" advisory issued by Toyota 20 Jan 30th 2024. Only the body is different than the Toyota Matrix and everything internal is the same. Please do not let this model fall through the cracks. January 30, 2024, Toyota issued a "do not drive" advisory for certain 2003–2005 car models due to concerns about their Takata airbags: 2003–2004 Corolla 2003–2004 Corolla Matrix 2004–2005 RAV4 The company says the Corolla and Matrix models are under a separate recall because their airbags can be deployed without a crash. The Takata air bag inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel. Customers can check if their Toyota has a recall at www.toyota.com/recall or by contacting the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
BUCKLE CAME UNLATCHED AND LATCH WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL DRIVER AND PASSENGER
The secondary safety hood latch failed causing the hood to fly up and shatter the windshield while also obstructing visibility on the road. The complete obstruction of the windshield presented a dangerous situation putting myself and others at risk of death of severe injury. In addition this caused glass shards to enter the driver/passenger compartment if the vehical further presenting risk to the occupants. The secondary hood latch mechanism appears to be extremely rusted and stuck in the "open" position. I am aware the NHTSA has issued a recall for a similar defect in the past (Nissan affecting 1.9 million vehicles).
BLOWER MOTOR NOT CLOSING OR OPENING ALL THE WAY MAKES NOISE GOES AWAY WHEN RECIRCULATION IS ENGAUGED COMES RIGHT BACK WHEN TURNED OFF
DASH LIGHTS GO OUT THEN COME BACK ON AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME
DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW POPS WHEN GOING DOWN AIR RECIRCULATION LOWER MOTOR NOT OPERATING PROPERLY DOES THIS ALL THE TIME ITSEEMS LIKE THE WINDOW IS GOING TO SHATTER
I HAVE A2003 PONTIAC VIBE WHICH HAD ATAKATA RECALL. IN JANUARY 2020, I TOOK THE CAR TO A GM DEALER CALLED"QUALITY BUICK GMC OF ENGLEWOOD" LOCATED AT"406 GRAND AVE ENGLEWOOD NJ 07631 US" TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR. SINCE THE DAY OF THE REPAIR THE LID ON TOP LEFT SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD HAD POPPEDUP AND DID NOT CLOSE FULLY. THAT IS WHERE THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG IN THE UPPER LEFT OF THE DASHBOARD IS LOCATED.I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST A COSMETIC ISSUE THAT COULD BE IGNORED. THE CAR STARTEDMAKING INTERMITTENTNOISES SIMILAR TO A CLOCK SOUND SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I HAVE RARELY DRIVEN THE CAR DUE TO THE PANDEMIC SINCE THE REPAIR WAS DONE. BUT RECENTLY THE NOISE HAS BECOME STEADY. I HAD MY MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN TOYOTA CARS CHECK THE CAR IN APRIL 2021. MY MECHANIC HAPPENS TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE TAKATA AIRBAG ISSUE. HE SAYS THAT THE AIRBAG REPAIR DONE ON THE CAR IN 2020 IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE NOISE. THAT IS TO SAY MY CAR WAS MESSED UP AS A RESULT OF THIS SO CALLED RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER NOW REFUSES TO CHECK THE CAR TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE RECALL REPAIR HAS BEEN DONE CORRECTLY.
BUCKLE CAME UNLATCHED AND LATCH WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL
TAKATA RECALL TWO TIMES TRIED TO GET THIS RECALL FIXED FOR AIR BAGS, AS MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR. BEEN SCREWED AROUND FROM THE DEALERSHIP. WASTED SO MUCH TIME ON THE PHONE AND TAKING THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER. BOTH TIMES THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE RECALL SAYING THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT PART. I BELIEVE THIS RECALL IS A FAKE AND GM IS GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS ONLY TO APPEASE THE NHTSA, THE REALITY IS VEHICLES ARE NOT BEING FIXED AS PROMISED! SO DISAPPOINTED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER BEING REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V883000 (AIR BAGS). GARBER BUICK (5925 STATE ST, SAGINAW, MI 48603, (989) 497-4444) PERFORMED THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. TWENTY DAYS LATER, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER A THIRD TIME WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SUPPLEMENTAL INFLATABLE RESTRAINT (SIR) STEERING WHEEL MODULE COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,908.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V883000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER A YEAR AGO. HOLIDAY AUTOMOTIVE (321 N ROLLING MEADOWS DR, FOND DU LAC, WI 54937) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOWER THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW, IT SOUNDED LIKE GRINDING GLASS. THE SAME NOISE OCCURRING WHEN RAISING THE WINDOW BACK UP. THE CONTACT HAD THE WINDOW SWITCH DISCONNECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 9-5058739349. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 208,000.
TAKATA RECALL; I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION DIRECTING ME TO GO TO KOOL CHEVROLET FOR REPAIRS. PARTS WERE ORDERED AND A SERVICE PERSON CALLED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE. THE SERVICE MANAGER JASON IMMEDIATELY CALLED ME TO SAY THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE APPOINTMENT AND WORK ON MY CAR BECAUSE OF AN INCIDENT AT KOOL TOYOTA NEXT DOOR RELATING TO INCOMPETENT WORK PERFORMED ON MY 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 TWO YEARS AGO. ARE TOYOTA AND GM NOW ONE AND THE SAME? WHY SOLICIT MY BUSINESS AND THEN REFUSE TO DO IT AFTER ALL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE? CAN A GM DEALER "BLACKBALL" A CONSUMER TRYING TO COMPLETE A LIFE THREATENING RECALL REPAIR? I WILL CONTEST IN ADVANCE ANY EXCUSE THAT KOOL CHEVROLET COMES UP WITH THAT THEY SAY JUSTIFIES THEIR INACTION TO PERFORM THIS LIFE THREATENING RECALL REPAIR.
TAKATA RECALL RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR AIR BAG BEING FAULTY; HOWEVER HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION WHEN OR WHERE TO HAVE IT REPLACED OR ANY MONETARY COMPENSATION, CAR RENTAL AND ALL THAT IS LISTED ON THE CLASS ACTION FILED?
"TAKATA RECALL", I HAVE HAD MY AIRBAGS REPLACED PER TAKATA REQUEST HOWEVER THE AIRBAG INDICATOR IS STILL INDICATING A PROBLEM; IS IT SAFE OR NOT, THE MECHANICS HAVE NO ANSWER FOR ME?
TAKATA RECALL. BEEN WAITING FOR 6 MONTHS OR MORE FOR THE PARTS TO COME IN FROM DEALERSHIP..BACKORDER.
TAKATA RECALL-HAD THE CARE SERVICED FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL. TIME HAS PASSED; NOW THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME,
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. WALSER BUICK (2775 LONG LAKE RD, ROSEVILLE, MN) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TOOK MY CAR FOR THREE RECALLS AT HERB CHAMBERS IN WARWICK THEY KEPT ME THERE FOR HOURS IN DID NONE OF THEM THEN TOLD ME THEY WOULD CALL THE NEXT DAY AND I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THEM IT'S BEEN OVER A WEEK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE DETAILS COULD NOT BE PROVIDED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V043000 (AIR BAGS), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2003 Pontiac Vibe has 8 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 310 owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Pontiac Vibe.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2003 Pontiac Vibe.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2003 Pontiac Vibe are visibility (65 reports), air bags (57 reports), power train (46 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 8 recalls on record for the 2003 Pontiac Vibe. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.