MYRModel Year Report

2003 Pontiac Vibe

◆ Worse than typical
2003 Pontiac Vibe
BUILT 2026-10-10

This year had 30% to 100% more complaints than this model's typical year.

This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.

How is this computed?

Complaints
298
Recalls
8

Campaigns on file for 2003

Investigations
5

Opened by NHTSA

Top problem
Visibility

26% of complaints

Complaints per year

2000: 1 complaint 2000 2001: 1 complaint 2002: 1 complaint 2003: 298 complaints 2003 298 2004: 266 complaints 2005: 301 complaints 2006: 177 complaints 2006 2007: 171 complaints 2008: 63 complaints 2008 2009: 527 complaints 2010: 58 complaints 2010 2014: 1 complaint
2000: 1 complaint 2000 2001: 1 complaint 2001 2002: 1 complaint 2002 2003: 298 complaints 2003 298 2004: 266 complaints 2004 2005: 301 complaints 2005 2006: 177 complaints 2006 2007: 171 complaints 2007 2008: 63 complaints 2008 2009: 527 complaints 2009 2010: 58 complaints 2010 2014: 1 complaint 2014
2000: 1 complaint 2000 2001: 1 complaint 2001 2002: 1 complaint 2002 2003: 298 complaints 2003 298 2004: 266 complaints 2004 2005: 301 complaints 2005 2006: 177 complaints 2006 2007: 171 complaints 2007 2008: 63 complaints 2008 2009: 527 complaints 2009 2010: 58 complaints 2010 2014: 1 complaint 2014

2003: 298 complaints

View as data table
YearComplaints
20001
20011
20021
2003298
2004266
2005301
2006177
2007171
200863
2009527
201058
20141

Known problem areas

Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.

Visibility

26% · 78 reports

Most commonly citing glass, side/rear and power window devices and controls.

INJURY

Air bags

22% · 66 reports

Most commonly citing frontal and sensor/control module.

CRASHINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

Had a drunk driver hit me head-on (He may have been doing 40MPH..) I was doing maybe 25MPH down a major blvd. The airbags did not deploy. Drunk was arrested at the scene. Both cars totaled. His airbag went off.

NHTSA ODI report, 2012-10-19

I was driving north on a state route when I was hit broadside by a Ford explorer. My car rolled over before flipping end-over-end into a culvert. No airbags deployed.

NHTSA ODI report, 2012-10-10

I was driving south on nottingham dr. At the intersection of north westover blvd ( I had a green light ) when a white Lexus turned left on to n. Westover blvd in front of me.

NHTSA ODI report, 2012-09-09

Power train

17% · 50 reports

Most commonly citing manual transmission and clutch assembly.

CRASH

Structure

8% · 24 reports

Most commonly citing body and hatchback/liftgate.

CRASHINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

The secondary safety hood latch failed causing the hood to fly up and shatter the windshield while also obstructing visibility on the road.

NHTSA ODI report, 2022-06-02

Electrical system

8% · 23 reports

Most commonly citing instrument cluster/panel and fuses and circuit breakers.

Show complaint excerpts

Regarding the automatic headlight sensor -- this sensor is located on the top left side of the instrument panel at the base of the a-pillar.

NHTSA ODI report, 2002-08-12

Safety timeline

8 recalls · 5 investigations · oldest first

To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →

  1. R
    2002-03-12Power train02V074002 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…

    Remedy: 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…

    Check if this car was fixed →

  2. ▮
    2003Complaint volume 298 complaints filed for this model year.
  3. I
    2007-09-27Preliminary evaluationClosed 2008-02-05 Side front window shatters
  4. I
    2008-02-05Engineering analysisClosed 2008-05-01 Side front power window shatters
  5. R
    2008-04-16Visibility08V162000 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…

    Remedy: 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…

    Check if this car was fixed →

  6. R
    2013-03-13Air bags13V029000 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…

    Remedy: 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.…

    Check if this car was fixed →

  7. I
    2014-06-11Preliminary evaluationClosed 2015-03-02 Air Bag Inflator Rupture
  8. I
    2015-02-24Engineering analysisOpen Air Bag Inflator Rupture
  9. R
    2015-07-13Air bags15V285000 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...

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  10. R
    2015-07-13Air bags15V286000 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...

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  11. R
    2015-08-24Air bags15V043000 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,...

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  12. R
    2019-01-23Air bags18V883000 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.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  13. R
    2020-02-19Air bags20V039000 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.

    Remedy: 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.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  14. I
    2021-09-17Engineering analysisOpen Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Buy-smart checklist

2003 Pontiac Vibe — pre-purchase inspection

Inspect

  • Visibility: 78 reports on file for this year.
  • Air bags: 66 reports on file for this year.
  • Power train: 50 reports on file for this year.

Verify these recalls were completed

  • Recall 02V074002 · Power train
  • Recall 08V162000 · Visibility
  • Recall 13V029000 · Air bags
  • Recall 15V285000 · Air bags
  • Recall 15V286000 · Air bags
  • Recall 15V043000 · Air bags
  • Recall 18V883000 · Air bags
  • Recall 20V039000 · Air bags
Inspected by ______________ Date ______________

Other years of this model

See all years ranked →

Best years3 years

Worst years3 years

FAQ

Is the 2003 Pontiac Vibe reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 2003 Pontiac Vibe is rated "worse than typical".
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Pontiac Vibe?
The most-reported component is visibility, accounting for 26% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 2003 Pontiac Vibe have?
8 recalls on file for this model year.

Data updated 2026-10-09 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.