2009 Pontiac Vibe reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 600
- 17 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- AIR BAGS
- 352 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 8
- see below
- Reported harm
- 26 reported crashes · 14 injuries · 4 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#834
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Pontiac median
+347
median 253 across 94 Pontiac records
Vs 2007-2011
+341
median 260 complaints in 736 records
Top component share
59%
Air Bags: 352 complaints
What owners report fails — 2009 Pontiac Vibe
- AIR BAGS 352
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 39
- STEERING 33
- ENGINE 29
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 19
8 recalls on record for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe
- NHTSA 18V024000 · 2018 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious in
- NHTSA 17V006000 · 2017 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- NHTSA 16V340000 · 2016 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- NHTSA 15V689000 · 2015 · VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONT If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may caus
- NHTSA 14V168000 · 2014 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. The failur
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2009 Pontiac Vibe
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2009 Pontiac Vibe units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Pontiac Vibe reliable?
NHTSA has 600 consumer complaints on record for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe and 8 recalls. The most-reported problem area is air bags (352 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2009 Pontiac Vibe units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Pontiac Vibe?
Owners most often report problems with: air bags (352), vehicle speed control (39), steering (33), engine (29). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2009 Pontiac Vibe?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.