YearToAvoid

2009 Pontiac Vibe Engine Problems

NHTSA has 92 owner complaints about engine problems in the 2009 Pontiac Vibe, 17% of all 527 complaints for this model year. That is the highest engine complaint count among 7 Vibe model years. These complaints report 14 crashes and 4 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 30,000 miles.

Engine complaints
92
17% of 527
Crashes reported
14
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
4
Median mileage
30,000 mi
Related recalls
2

When 2009 Pontiac Vibe engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 5, 2009, latest Feb 4, 2025.

2009 Pontiac Vibe engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter262009 Q12011 Q32014 Q12015 Q22016 Q32017 Q42019 Q22023 Q2
92 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q1 to 2025 Q1; peak 2010 Q1 (26).

Engine recalls for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe

  1. NHTSA 10V024000Jan 27, 2010Engine70,806 vehicles

    Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal

    General motors is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 pontiac vibe passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.

    Risk: A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.

    Remedy: General motors will notify customers when a recall remedy is available for recall 10038: floor mat interference and accelerator pedal. Gm requests that customers take out any removable (carpeted, all-weather, or other) driver's floor mat and not replace it with any other floor mat, and place it in the trunk until the floor mat interference and accelerator pedal recall remedy is ready and implemented. In the event that owners choose not to take out their removable floor mat, general motors strongly recommends that owners use only floor mats designed specifically for the model and model year of their vehicle, and that it is properly installed and secured. Do not use a mat that is flipped over with the bottom-side up, and do not stack one floor mat over another. In addition, check the operation of the accelerator, brake, and clutch (if applicable) pedals to assure that the floor mat does not interfere with them. Owners may contact pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

  2. NHTSA 10V018000Jan 21, 2010Engine70,806 vehicles

    Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal

    General motors is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 pontiac vibe vehicles. Due to the manner in which the friction lever interacts with the sliding surface of the accelerator pedal inside the pedal sensor assembly, the sliding surface of the lever may become smooth during vehicle operation. In this condition, if condensation occurs on the surface, as may occur from heater operation (without a/c) when the pedal assembly is cold, the friction when the accelerator pedal is operated may increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal becoming harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position.

    Risk: The accelerator pedal may become hard to depress, slow to return to idle, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a reinforcement bar in the accelerator pedal which will allow the pedal to operate smoothly. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin early february and be completed in late april 2010. Owners may contact pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Engine complaints by Vibe model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200550 (17%)
  2. 200636 (20%)
  3. 200734 (20%)
  4. 20088 (13%)
  5. 200992 (17%)
  6. 201012 (21%)
  7. 20140 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Pontiac Vibe have engine problems?
NHTSA has 92 owner complaints about the engine in the 2009 Pontiac Vibe, 17% of all complaints for this model year, including 14 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 30,000 miles.
Which Pontiac Vibe year has the most engine complaints?
The 2009 Pontiac Vibe has the most engine complaints (92), compared with 92 for the 2009.
Is there a engine recall for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe?
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe concern the engine: 10V024000 and 10V018000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.