2010 Pontiac Vibe Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2010 Pontiac Vibe.

20092014
Complaints
67
Crashes
9
Fires
0
Injuries
10
Fatalities
Recalls
7

Worst 2010 Pontiac Vibe Problems

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

#131 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:83,621 mi
Crash-related:4
#25 complaints

Unintended Acceleration

Avg mileage:30,174 mi
#34 complaints

Engine Problems

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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2010 Pontiac Vibe.

Airbags
31
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
83,621
Unintended Acceleration
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
30,174
Engine Problems
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Steering Defects
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Transmission / Drivetrain
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical Faults
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Manual Transmission
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Electric
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Body Structure
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Wipers & Visibility
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2010 Pontiac Vibe. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2010 Pontiac Vibe

7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~5,940,970 vehicles.

18V025000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~116,126 affected

On January 9, 2018, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified NHTSA that they are recalling 14,585 model year 2010-2012 Yaris vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. As of January 30, 2018, Toyota is additionally recalling 3,347 model year 2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles located in states listed above. Also included in this recall filing is 98,194 model year 2003-2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles, located throughout the U.S., that previously received a “like-for-like” interim air bag inflator replacement. 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 occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

18V024000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~628,018 affected

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, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP (Saipan), and the U.S. VI or "Zone A." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, ES350, IS-F, GX460, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Toyota is also recalling certain 2009 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Lexus IS250, IS350, ES350, IS-F, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles ever registered in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." 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 occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

16V340000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,754,517 affected

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, Lexus IS350C and Lexus GX460, 2011 Sienna, 2007-2011 Lexus ES350, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2007-2008 Toyota Yaris, 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350 and 2007-2008 Lexus ES350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles of these model years and models that were not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V689000Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls
~1,814,284 affected

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 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.

14V168000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~1,486,413 affected

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 connections to the driver's airbag module housed in a spiral cable assembly, which includes a Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). Due to the shape and location of the FFC's retainer, the FFC could become damaged when the steering wheel is turned.

10V024000Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
~70,806 affected

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.

10V018000Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
~70,806 affected

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.

Other Pontiac Vibe Years

2010 Pontiac Vibe — FAQ

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

Is the 2010 Pontiac Vibe reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2010 Pontiac Vibe has 67 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash-related, and 7 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 31 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2010 Pontiac Vibe?
Top reported problems: Airbags (31 complaints, avg 83,621 mi); Unintended Acceleration (5 complaints, avg 30,174 mi); Engine Problems (4 complaints). 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 2010 Pontiac Vibe?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 76,198 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2010 Pontiac Vibe?
NHTSA complaints for the 2010 Pontiac Vibe include 9 crash-related reports, 0 fire reports, 10 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 2010 Pontiac Vibe have any recalls?
Yes — 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 5,940,970 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 2010 Pontiac Vibe?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

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.

Check Your Specific 2010 Pontiac Vibe

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