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Pontiac Vibe Vehicle Speed Control Safety Report | Mar 05, 2010
Reported on Mar 05, 2010
| WE PURCHASED A NEW 2009 PONTIAC VIBE (TOYOTA, MATRIX PLATFORM) IN APRIL 2008. WE DROVE IT FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS AND ACCUMULATED A LITTLE OVER 20K MILES. IN EARLY MARCH, WE RETURNED FROM A SIX OR SEVEN HOUR TRIP AND WERE GOING THROUGH A LOCAL CAR WASH WHEN SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, THE ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED UNDER MY FOOT AND THE ENGINE INCREASED IN RPM'S AND THE VEHICLE LAUNCHED FORWARD NEARLY HITTING THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF US IN THE QUEUE. IN FEBRUARY, WE HAD RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICES FROM GMC, BUT THE LOCAL DEALER HAD NOT RECEIVED THE REPAIR KITS YET AND HAD POSTPONED OUR REPAIR UNTIL EARLY MARCH. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER AND ON MARCH 5, THEY MADE THE REPAIRS. WHEN I ASKED WHAT WERE THE NATURE OF THE REPAIRS AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT A SHIM WAS INSTALLED IN THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE AND SOME FLOOR MATTING WAS REMOVED, I KNEW THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM WE EXPERIENCED. (AS A SON OF A USED CAR DEALER, AND FORMER MECHANIC MYSELF, I KNEW THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM WAS NOT MECHANICAL, AND IT WAS MORE LIKELY EITHER VACUUM OR ELECTRICAL IN NATURE.) THEREFORE, IN FEAR OF SOME POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS FUTURE PROBLEM FOR MY WIFE WHEN SHE MIGHT BE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, WE IMMEDIATELY TRADED FOR A NEW 2010 FORD FUSION. I ALSO WANTED TO TRADE THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT ALSO BECAME WIDELY KNOWN PUBLICLY AS A TOYOTA, MATRIX CLONE, AND THE RESALE VALUE DROPPED OUT OF THE BOTTOM. SORRY, BUT TOYOTA, HAS A WAYS TO GO BEFORE THEY WILL CONVINCE ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS STRICTLY FLOOR MATS AND ACCELERATOR LINKAGE SHIMS. *TR | |
| Make: | Pontiac |
| Model: | Vibe |
| Manufactured by: | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | GREENWOOD IN |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | |
| Mileage: | 20250 miles. |
| Speed: | 5 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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