2004 Pontiac Vibe Problems

Above Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Pontiac Vibe.

20032005
Complaints
315
Crashes
22
Fires
1
Injuries
38
Fatalities
Recalls
6

Worst 2004 Pontiac Vibe Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1103 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:166,610 mi
Crash-related:12
Fires:1
#228 complaints

Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls

Avg mileage:69,450 mi
#325 complaints

Side/Rear Glass

Avg mileage:88,404 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Pontiac Vibe.

Airbags
103
complaints
Crashes
12
Fires
1
Avg Miles
166,610
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls
28
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
69,450
Side/Rear Glass
25
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
88,404
Visibility
18
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
89,977
Body Structure
11
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
102,271
Unintended Acceleration
11
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
64,580
Electrical Faults
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
310,500
Transmission / Drivetrain
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
97,700
Tire Defects
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
53,023
Engine & Cooling
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
37,216
Structural Problems
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
1,065
Wipers & Visibility
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
117,438
Engine Problems
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Steering Defects
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Interior Lighting
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Manual Transmission
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Body:Door
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Sunroof/Moonroof
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Gasoline Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Power Train:Clutch Assembly
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belts:Rear/Other
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Pontiac Vibe. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2004 Pontiac Vibe

6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~5,106,628 vehicles.

20V039000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~554 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The replacement air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation in high temperature conditions, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly.

18V883000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~168,993 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.

15V285000Airbags
~1,973,468 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.

15V286000Airbags
~1,069,055 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that were not previously included. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.

15V043000Air Bags:frontal
~1,006,849 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.

13V029000Airbags
~887,709 affected

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits. This could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

Other Pontiac Vibe Years

2004 Pontiac Vibe — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2004 Pontiac Vibe reliable?
Verdict: Above Average Complaints. The 2004 Pontiac Vibe has 315 NHTSA complaints, 22 crash-related, and 6 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 103 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2004 Pontiac Vibe?
Top reported problems: Airbags (103 complaints, avg 166,610 mi); Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls (28 complaints, avg 69,450 mi); Side/Rear Glass (25 complaints, avg 88,404 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2004 Pontiac Vibe?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 123,915 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2004 Pontiac Vibe?
NHTSA complaints for the 2004 Pontiac Vibe include 22 crash-related reports, 1 fire reports, 38 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2004 Pontiac Vibe have any recalls?
Yes — 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 5,106,628 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2004 Pontiac Vibe?
Slightly worse than average. Most owners are fine; problem clusters are concentrated around specific components. Check the issues table below and match against the specific car's mileage.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Pontiac Vibe reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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