AI Damage2004 Pontiac Vibe: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Pontiac Vibe filed 266 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 266
- involving a crash
- 18
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 39% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 29% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 4% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 3% of all complaints
- 8 Latches, locks, linkages 3% of all complaints
- Air bags: 104 complaints (39% of all), 13 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 76 complaints (29% of all).
- Structure: 24 complaints (9% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 12 complaints (5% of all).
- Powertrain: 12 complaints (5% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 5 complaints
- manual, 6-speednamed in 5 complaints
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 266 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 104 | 13 | 0 |
| Visibility | 76 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 24 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The Highway Patrol was called to the scene. The wife was unable to exit the vehicle due to the damage to the front driver's door from the crash. They had to be forcefully opened by the emergency personnel.
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard where it was deemed destroyed. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. There were no injuries. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000. The vin was invalid.
The air bags deployed and emitted flames and metal fragments. The contact mentioned that the windshield shattered. Due to the flames, the seats and headliner were completely burned. The driver and passenger sustained burns to the neck, legs, and arms that required medical attention. A police report was filed.
The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. As a result, another vehicle crashed into the rear of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and the contact sustained unknown injuries that required medical attention.
The consumer stated he has been complaining about sudden acceleration problems for the past 3 years. The consumer stated he disposed of the floor mats, but the acceleration has been going on since 2007. The consumer stated he left the vehicle idling.
2004 pontiac vibe tire blew out. As a result the vehicle ran into a ditch. The consumer sustained no injuries. The vehicle sustain minor bumper and exhaust damage.
This tire blew out on me at 65-70 mph yesterday and almost killed me - the other front tire was almost just as bad. This manufacturer's quality control department should be notified asap, or steps should be taken to recall any of this brand that you've sold in order to limit your company's liability in case of an…
While the vehicle was idling with the rear defroster activated, the rear hatch window shattered. The vehicle was taken to lupient buick/gmc ([address], golden valley, [ZIP]) where it was currently being diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided case number: 9-[phone].
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,536 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Vibe has 144 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 266, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Pontiac Vibe?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, visibility, structure. Total complaints: 266. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (31%), knocking, grinding or other noise (6%), airbag warning light (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Pontiac Vibe?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2004 Pontiac Vibe from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2004 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.