2009 Pontiac Vibe Reliability
The 2009 Pontiac Vibe has 528 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and speed control / throttle. Compared with nearby Vibe model years (2007–2010), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Vibe's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
528
NHTSA owner complaints
9
Recall campaigns
23
Complaints citing a crash
2
Complaints citing a fire
2009 Pontiac Vibe complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 model year, filed between 2008 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 352 | 67% |
| Speed control / throttle | 58 | 11% |
| Steering | 35 | 7% |
| Engine | 29 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 23 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 18 | 3% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 13 | 2% |
| Visibility / wipers | 13 | 2% |
2009 Pontiac Vibe recalls
9 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2009 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09V392000 | Aug 31, 2009 | Service brakes — power assist / vacuum | General motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with 1.8l engine and originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, idaho, illinois, iowa, kansas, maine, michigan, minnesota, montana,… |
| 10V018000 | Jan 21, 2010 | Speed control / throttle — 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… |
| 10V024000 | Jan 27, 2010 | Speed control / throttle — 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. |
| 12V491000 | Oct 10, 2012 | Visibility / wipers — power window devices and controls | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The power window master switch assemblies in some of… |
| 14V168000 | Apr 9, 2014 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical… |
| 15V689000 | Oct 22, 2015 | Visibility / wipers — power window devices and controls | Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010… |
| 16V340000 | May 23, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2009-2011 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2006-2011 Toyota Yaris, Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, Lexus IS250C,… |
| 17V006000 | Jan 9, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered,… |
| 18V024000 | Jan 9, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, IS-F, and GX460 vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA,… |
How the 2009 compares with nearby Vibe years
Verdicts compare these Vibe model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 172 | 5 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2008 | 63 | 4 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2009 (this page) | 528 | 9 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2010 | 58 | 8 | Air bags | Solid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2009 Pontiac Vibe
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 9 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2009 Pontiac Vibe can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2009 Pontiac Vibe reliability FAQ
Is the 2009 Pontiac Vibe reliable?
The 2009 Pontiac Vibe has 528 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and speed control / throttle. Compared with nearby Vibe model years (2007–2010), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Vibe's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2009 Pontiac Vibe problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe are air bags (352), speed control / throttle (58), steering (35), engine (29). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2009 Pontiac Vibe have recalls?
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe, including 09V392000 (service brakes — power assist / vacuum) and 10V018000 (speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2009 Pontiac Vibe compare with the 2008 and 2010 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2008 has 63 complaints and 4 recalls (better year); the 2010 has 58 complaints and 8 recalls (solid). The 2009 has 528 complaints and 9 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2009 Pontiac Vibe?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Pontiac Vibe research
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2009 Vibe, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.