PONTIAC VIBE · model year

2005 PONTIAC VIBE

337 NHTSA complaints, 12 crash reports, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005PONTIACVIBE carries 337 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 12 crashes, 2 fires, 10 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2005 VIBE is air bags with 170 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (24) and electrical system (13). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 17 investigation files overlapping the 2005 VIBE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

337
Complaints
12
Crashes
2
Fires
10
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

337 filings

Crashes Reported

12 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS170
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING24
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION13
POWER TRAIN13
ENGINE11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE8
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS7
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR6
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)6
TIRES5
STEERING4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC3
VISIBILITY3

Recalls (5)

19V62700028/08/2019

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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. The air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation under high temperatur

10V38700026/08/2010

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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 IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A CRACK MAY DEVELOP AT CERTAIN SOLDER POINTS OR ON

15V28600013/05/2015

AIR BAGS

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

15V28500013/05/2015

AIR BAGS

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, T

18V88300012/12/2018

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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 modul

Recent Complaints

20250319Insert, Padding

Product Safety Alert: Mar 19, 2025 Stop using the following item because of a potential safety issue. Visit the public recall notice for more guidance. Evenflo GoTime LX Booster Car Seat (Chardon Black) Important safety information We write to notify you of a potential safety concern with a product that you purchased on Amazon.com. Please review the Recalls and Product Safety Alerts page for further details: https://www.Amazon.com/your-product-safety-alerts the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has informed us that the product listed may not meet current mandatory or voluntary safety standards. If you still have this product, we urge you to stop using it immediately and review the following notification for more details, including what you should do and where you can seek assistance: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=25C003000 If you made this purchase for someone else, please notify the recipient immediately and provide them with the information.

20250319I suspect the car seat is counterfeit

Product Safety Alert: Mar 19, 2025 Stop using the following item because of a potential safety issue. Visit the public recall notice for more guidance. Evenflo GoTime LX Booster Car Seat (Chardon Black) Important safety information We write to notify you of a potential safety concern with a product that you purchased on Amazon.com. Please review the Recalls and Product Safety Alerts page for further details: https://www.Amazon.com/your-product-safety-alerts the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has informed us that the product listed may not meet current mandatory or voluntary safety standards. If you still have this product, we urge you to stop using it immediately and review the following notification for more details, including what you should do and where you can seek assistance: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=25C003000 If you made this purchase for someone else, please notify the recipient immediately and provide them with the information.

20250319Tether, Lower Anchor (on car seat or vehicle)

Product Safety Alert: Mar 19, 2025 Stop using the following item because of a potential safety issue. Visit the public recall notice for more guidance. Evenflo GoTime LX Booster Car Seat (Chardon Black) Important safety information We write to notify you of a potential safety concern with a product that you purchased on Amazon.com. Please review the Recalls and Product Safety Alerts page for further details: https://www.Amazon.com/your-product-safety-alerts the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has informed us that the product listed may not meet current mandatory or voluntary safety standards. If you still have this product, we urge you to stop using it immediately and review the following notification for more details, including what you should do and where you can seek assistance: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=25C003000 If you made this purchase for someone else, please notify the recipient immediately and provide them with the information.

20240927AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V285000 (Air Bags); and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.

20240827AIR BAGS

The contact owned a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V883000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.

20240709LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the doors locked independently. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The contact stated that on the last occasion, the doors locked independently while her daughter was inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

Mileage: 195,000

20231006AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received a recall notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V883000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and advised the contact to locate a different dealer. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

20220607AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE

The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed at a local dealer with air bag coil wire failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V168000 (Air Bags). The approximate failure mileage was 199,850.

Mileage: 199,850

20210510AIR BAGS

THE AIRBAG IN MY VEHICLE ARE FAULTY AND HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE SAFETY CODE FOR AIRBAG IS SHOWING ON THE DASHBOARD OF MY VEHICLE.. I WAS ALERTED TO THIS WHEN I DROVE MY CAR TO A REPAIR GARAGE FOR A SMOG INSPECTION ON 5/4/21. THE AUTO MANUFACTURER HAS NOT MADE ANY EFFORT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH THE FAULTY AIRBAGS.

Mileage: 151,515

20210120AIR BAGS

I RECENTLY TOOK MY VIBE IN FOR AN AIR BAG RECALL. THEY REPLACED THE PASSAGER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE BUT DID NOTHING WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE. I'VE HAD AN AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND I THOUGHT THIS WOULD ALSO BE FIXED. THEY INFORMED ME IT WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF THE PASSAGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE FAULTY CAN CAN CAUSE BODILY HARM OR EVEN DEATH WHY WOULD THE DRIVERSIDE AIR BAG BE ANY DIFFERENT. I FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHY IT WASN'T OR AT LEAST THE WARNING LIGHT FIXED.

20201019Other/I am not sure

2005 PONTIAC VIBE. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT TO HAVE RECALL REPAIRS COMPLETED. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT ENFORCE MASK WEARING INDOORS. *JS

20200910AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED SMART CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 4417 WESLEY D WEBSTER HWY, NC-704, MADISON, NC 27025, WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A SECOND AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE SPEEDOMETER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THE SECOND LIGHT WAS THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE TECHNICIAN MADE NO MENTION WHY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

Mileage: 160,000

20200901AIR BAGS

I HAD A RECALL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG OF MY CAR A FEW YEARS AGO. I HAD IT REPLACED WITH THE SAME, BUT NEWER PART. I THEN RECEIVED ANOTHER NOTIFICATION AND CALLED IN TO GET IT FIXED, BUT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. I RECEIVED TWO OR THREE MORE NOTICES AND CALLED FOR THE FIX, BUT THE PART WAS STILL NOT AVAILABLE. TODAY, ABOUT A YEAR OR SO LATER, I RECEIVED ANOTHER NOTICE, MADE ANOTHER CALL, AND THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO ORDER A REPLACEMENT PART. HOWEVER, THEY STILL DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE TO COME IN.

20200817AIR BAGS

2005 PONTIAC VIVE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIR BAG SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPLETING THE RECALL REPAIR. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE PROVIDED A RENTAL UNTIL THE PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECOMES AVAILABLE. *JS

20200724AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HESSERT CHEVROLET (6301 E ROOSEVELT BLVD, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19149; (215) 537-2377) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20200720AIR BAGS

2005 PONTIAC VIBE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG ASSEMBLY SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPLETING THE RECALL REPAIR. THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THE REPAIR. *JS

20200720AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF *DL

20200708AIR BAGS

I'M SORRY IF THIS IS THE WRONG VENUE FOR THIS, BUT THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL ON MY CAR DEALING WITH AIRBAG ISSUES. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST AN ENTIRE YEAR AND THE RECALL STATUS IS "RECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE." FRANKLY, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I SAW A NOTE ON YOUR WEBSITE SAYING THAT IF THE MANUFACTURER HAS FAILED OR IS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE RECALL IN A TIMELY MANNER, WE COULD FILE AN ONLINE COMPLAINT. I COULDN'T FIND THE FORM FOR THAT, SO I FIGURED I'D SUBMIT IT HERE. THANK YOU! MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: N192273760 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 19V627

Mileage: 200,000

20200707AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAG) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

20200706AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER GJOVIK CHEVROLET-BUICK-GMC, INC (2780 US-34, SANDWICH, IL 60548) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Compare 2005PONTIACVIBE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 PONTIAC VIBE have?
The 2005 PONTIAC VIBE has 337 NHTSA complaints, 12 crashes, 2 fires, 10 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 PONTIAC VIBE?
Yes, the 2005 PONTIAC VIBE has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 PONTIAC VIBE?
The most-complained component for the 2005 PONTIAC VIBE is AIR BAGS with 170 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2005 PONTIAC VIBE safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.