2009 Pontiac Vibe Tires & Wheels Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS TIRES, SIZE: 215/45/R17 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DEFLATED. THE TIRES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

BOTH REAR HUB AND WHEEL BEARINGS COMPONENTS HAVE RUSTED AND WORN OUT CLOSE TO FAILURE; REAR WHEEL NOISE WAS EXCESSIVE. ACTUAL FAILURE WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN REAR WHEELS LOCKING UP. *KB

OUR AWD 2009 PONTIAC VIBE CAME WITH FACTORY CHROME WHEELS. AFTER ONE WINTER, THE WHEELS BEGAN TO CORRODE AROUND THE OUTSIDE PERIMETER. GM AGREED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR WHEELS, AND THEY DID. SOON AFTER REPLACEMENT, AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING INTO OUR GARAGE, ONE WHEEL DELAMINATED (I.E., THE CHROME COVERING SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE ALUMINUM UNDERWHEEL). UPON INSPECTION, IT LOOKED AS IF THE CHROME LAYER HAD BEEN GLUED TO THE UNDERWHEEL. WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER, CHROME COVERING AND GLUE FRAGMENTS IN HAND. THE DEALER REPLACED THIS DEFECTIVE WHEEL WITH ANOTHER; SOON AFTER (50 MILES?), THE SECOND REPLACEMENT WHEEL DID THE SAME THING. IT HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED. (THE CHROME PARTS ARE STAMPED "TOYOTA.") NOTE THREE THINGS: ONE, THE WHEELS ON THIS CAR ARE NOT INEXPENSIVE STEEL WITH WHEEL COVERS. INSTEAD, THEY ARE ONE-PIECE CHROME WHEELS, RATHER EXPENSIVE IF I SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THEM MYSELF. SECOND, WE HAD NOT ABUSED THE CAR. WE DROVE, IN EACH CASE, ABOUT 50 MILES ON GOOD PAVEMENT IN GOOD WEATHER BEFORE FAILURE. FINALLY, THE CHROME COMPONENT DELAMINATED IN A "SAFE" AREA--IN BOTH CASES, AS WE SLOWLY DROVE INTO OUR GARAGE. WHAT IF THIS DELAMINATION HAD HAPPENED WHILE WE DROVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND THE CHROME COMPONENT HAD SPUN OFF INTO A CROWD, OR ANOTHER CAR? THERE IS ONE OTHER PROBLEM YOU SHOULD KNOW. WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE STARTING THIS CAR. IN BRIEF, THE PROBLEM WAS APPARENTLY DIFFICULT FOR THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE, BUT IT WAS A "CRACKED STEERING LOCK," ALSO A PART STAMPED "TOYOTA." THIS PROBLEM PRECIPITATED SEVERAL PHONE CALLS FOR HELP, PUSHING IT FROM THE SIDE IN AN ATTEMPT TO UNLOCK THE STEERING COLUMN/KEY, AND A VISIT FROM THE TOW TRUCK. WE WERE ABLE TO ROCK THE CAR OURSELVES AND ENABLE STARTING; UNFORTUNATELY, WE DENTED THE FRONT FENDER, WHICH WAS AN UNREIMBURSED BODY REPAIR AT THE DEALER'S ($800). PLEASE PUBLICIZE THESE VIBE PROBLEMS AND DANGERS, AND WORK FOR FIXES. *TR

TIRE PRESSURE PROBLEMS ON ALL EAGLE TIRES THAT CAME WITH CAR. HAD SIDE WALLS CLEANED AND TIRE LEAKAGE CONTINUES. TIRES HAVE TO BE REFILLED EVERY 2 WEEKS. WILL NEED TO REPLACE ALL TIRES. PROBLEMS BEGAN WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON TIRES. NTB NOTIFIED OWNER THAT EAGLE DISCONTINUING THIS TIRE. DEALER CLAIMS THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

CENTER WHEEL CAPS (EMBLEMS) ARE POPPING OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE FOR A FRONT END PROBLEM A BOOMING SOUND. THEY REPLACED THE R FRONT SHOCK AND ASSEMBLY. THE CAP HAD COME OFF. THE DEALER WROTE IT OFF TO KIDS AND THEFT. AFTER SOME COMPLAINING THEY REPLACED IT. ONE WEEK LATER THE R FRONT CAP WAS MISSING ONCE MORE. I HAD TO BUY A REPLACEMENT. 2 WEEKS LATER I WATCHED MY WIFE PULL INTO OUR DRIVE WAY AND OBSERVED THE CAP COME OFF AND ROLL INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S YARD. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM KIDS ARE JUST TAKING THEM. NOW MY VIBE ROLLS WITHOUT THE CENTER CAPS. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THEM EVERY MONTH OR 2. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE EMBLEMS IN THE CENTER OF THE RIMS SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED OFF EIGHT TIMES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT SOMEONE STOLE THE EMBLEMS. HE REPLACED THE EMBLEMS, BUT THEY WERE MISSING AGAIN SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT SOMETHING IN THE WHEELS WAS POSSIBLY FLEXING AND CAUSING TOO MUCH STRESS, WHICH INEVITABLY CAUSES THE EMBLEMS TO DETACH. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARS A THUD SOUND WHENEVER HE DRIVES OVER A BUMP. THE NOISE COULD POSSIBLY BE FROM THE EMBLEMS POPPING OFF. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,500.