Most common 2008 Pontiac Vibe problems
Share of the 63 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Pontiac Vibe complaints by model year
Best Vibe years: 2008, 2006, 2010. Years to avoid: 2009, 2003. Compare all years →
2008 Pontiac Vibe recalls (4)
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.
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Lexus SC vehicles manufactured August 3, 2007, to July 30, 2010, 2008 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured May 25, 2007, to December 21, 2007, 2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to December 18, 2007, and 2008…
Remedy: The recall began on March 25, 2016 for Toyota and Lexus vehicle owners. The recall began on June 23, 2016 for GM owners. The respective dealers will either replace the front passenger air bag inflator or the entire…
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Lexus SC vehicles manufactured August 3, 2007, to July 30, 2010, 2008 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to December 21, 2007, 2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to December 18, 2007, and 2008…
Remedy: The recall began on March 25, 2016 for Toyota and Lexus vehicle owners. The recall began on June 8, 2016 for GM owners. The respective dealers will either replace the front passenger air bag inflator or the entire front…
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 varistors on the circuit board.
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 contact GM at 1-800-620-7668.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2008 Pontiac Vibe:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Engine Stall
On August 26, 2010, Toyota submitted a Defect Information Report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding problems with Engine Control Modules that could result in engine stall while driving in certain model year (MY) 2005 through 2008 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with the 1ZZ-FE engine and two-wheel drive and manufactured between April 19, 2004 and…
What 2008 Pontiac Vibe owners say
Air bags all 48 →
Tl contact owns a 2008 Pontiac Vibe. While driving 50 MPH, the contact was involved in a head on crash with a semi truck. The air bags failed to deploy. Prior to the crash, the vehicle was taken to the dealer on four occasions regarding the ABS. When the vehicle was retrieved, the contact heard a squeaky noise and took the vehicle back to the dealer. New brakes pads were placed on the vehicle at that time. After the crash, the vehicle was towed and taken in for a diagnostic. A police report was filed. The contact sustained major injuries to the knees and head, including a broken wrist and back pains. The failure and current mileages were 50,000.
Tl contact owns a 2008 Pontiac Vibe. On April 22, 2008, while driving 35 MPH, the contact's vehicle was struck on the front passenger door by another vehicle. The driver's side seat belt failed to restrain the contact, causing her to strike and injure her head against the dashboard. The passenger received injuries to her legs. The insurance company investigation discovered that the driver's side seat belt bolt failed, which caused the seat belt to fail. The insurance company declared the vehicle to be destroyed. The front driver and passenger side air bags failed to deploy. The failure mileage was 2,000.
Engine & cooling
While pulling into a driveway the vehicle accelerated on its own continuing forward with brake applied even leaving skid marks until running into a stone column. Would have crashed into the house instead the column if hadn't steered hard to the right.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Pontiac Vibe. The contact was driving approximately 65 MPH, and suddenly there was a reduction in the engine power. When at a complete stop the engine would stall while the warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and within a few minutes the engine would restart. NHTSA recall campaign id number 10V387000 (engine and engine cooling) was related to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they stated the part did not require replacement and refused to repair the vehicle, even though the contact experienced the consequence mentioned in the recall. The contact will notify the manufacturer of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.
Speed control & acceleration
Feb 3, 2011 was the first occurrence. I put the car in reverse then pulled forward, turning the wheel to the right to give myself room to back up and turn my car so I could pull out onto a busy street going forward rather than backing out into traffic. I was going very slowly and applied the brakes when the car suddenly accelerated very fast. It ran up an 18" rock wall, pushing the brake did nothing, I turned the wheel to the right to avoid a tree while still trying to brake. The brake finally held. A tire was destroyed, it was replaced and taken to my mechanic who found no further damage and no reason for the acceleration. After leaving the mechanic I noticed that it seemed a bit jerky. Two days later I turned the car on while sitting in a parking lot with my foot on the brake, I was still in park so the car did not move, but it did accelerate. …
Tl contact owns a 2008 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that while driving for 2 miles without touching the accelerator; she slowly applied the brakes and they made a loud clanking noise. While driving up hill in her driveway the vehicle was traveling about 20 MPH on it's own. The vehicle was not repaired. Diagnostic test have been performed on the vehicle several times for various reasons. The failure and current mileages were 18,500.
2008 Pontiac Vibe engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 26 / 33 / 29 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 31 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Pontiac Vibe a good car?
Based on 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Vibe rates better than average: 61% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Vibe at the same age. It is one of the best Vibe years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Pontiac Vibe?
The air bags — 48 complaints, 76% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (4) and speed control & acceleration (4).
How many recalls does the 2008 Pontiac Vibe have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Pontiac Vibe, the most recent from August 28, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Pontiac Vibe?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2006 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009 and 2003. See the full Pontiac Vibe years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Pontiac Vibe problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 59,000 miles; 42% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.