2005 Pontiac Vibe
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.
COMPLAINTS PER YEAR
View as data table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 297 |
| 2004 | 266 |
| 2005 | 301 |
| 2006 | 177 |
| 2007 | 170 |
| 2008 | 63 |
| 2009 | 527 |
| 2010 | 58 |
| 2014 | 1 |
KNOWN PROBLEM AREAS
56% of complaints: air bags — 170 distinct reports on file.
CRASH INJURYShow complaint excerpts
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE AT A STOP SIGNAL, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE.
NHTSA ODI report, 20171103
ON FEB 3 2014 I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING ME TO HAVE A HERNIATED DISK IN MY NECK RESULTING IN SURGERY TO PUT A PLATE AND SCREWS IN MY NECK I SUFFER FROM PAIN EVERYDAY FROM THIS.IN MY POLICE REPORT IT STATES MY AIR BAG...
NHTSA ODI report, 20171102
CAR CRASH WHICH MY VEHICLE CRASHED INTO REAR OF VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. SPEED WAS ABOVE 20MPH. MY CAR IS TOTALED AND AIR BAGS DIDNT DEPLOY.
NHTSA ODI report, 20061229
8% of complaints: engine and engine cooling — 24 distinct reports on file.
4% of complaints: power train — 13 distinct reports on file.
4% of complaints: power train — 13 distinct reports on file.
4% of complaints: electrical system — 13 distinct reports on file.
CRASH FIREShow complaint excerpts
CAR WAS PARKED ALL DAY. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR I STARTED IT, ROLLED DOWN THE FRONT (POWER) WINDOWS, LEFT IT IN PARK TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE CAR FOR 5 MINUTES. RETURNED AND THE INSIDE DRIVER DOOR WAS IN FLAMES. *TT
NHTSA ODI report, 20140417
SAFETY TIMELINE
Engine Stall
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 IMPR
Remedy: 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 CONTAC
Campaign 10V387000 — check if this car was fixed
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
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.
Campaign 15V285000 — check if this car was fixed
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.
Campaign 15V286000 — check if this car was fixed
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.
Campaign 18V883000 — check if this car was fixed
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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign 19V627000 — check if this car was fixed
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
BUY-SMART CHECKLIST
2005 Pontiac Vibe — pre-purchase inspection
- Test/inspect for air bags issues (170 reports on file for this year).
- Test/inspect for engine and engine cooling issues (24 reports on file for this year).
- Test/inspect for power train issues (13 reports on file for this year).
- Verify recall 10V387000 (engine and engine cooling) has been completed.
- Verify recall 15V285000 (air bags) has been completed.
- Verify recall 15V286000 (air bags) has been completed.
- Verify recall 18V883000 (air bags) has been completed.
- Verify recall 19V627000 (air bags) has been completed.
OTHER YEARS OF THIS MODEL
BEST YEARS
WORST YEARS
FAQ
Is the 2005 Pontiac Vibe reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 2005 Pontiac Vibe is rated "worse than typical".
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Pontiac Vibe?
The most-reported component is air bags, accounting for 56% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 2005 Pontiac Vibe have?
5 recalls on file for this model year.
Data updated 2026-07-11 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.