GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

beemerphile1

Yes, the wheels from all the earlier years will fit the base 09-10 with the 1.8L but not any model with the 2.4L engine.

beemerphile1

Here is a good thread about replacing the knobs; http://forums.genvibe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=34757 I bought mine on eBay. The prices seem to be fairly consistent wherever you buy them. Buy two, even though one was working fine when I opened the radio I found one broken and the other cr...

beemerphile1

Lifters are generally more of a tapping or rattling sound. A loud knock would more likely be a rod bearing. It may run for a long time with bad rod bearings.

beemerphile1

If you want a smooth ride you will need a different car. :lol: Unfortunately short wheelbase, low ground clearance, and short travel suspension all result in a rough ride. Some things like different tires/wheels may help a little. The amount of air pressure makes a difference also. I just replaced t...

beemerphile1

You seem to have the mistaken idea that a lower temperature thermostat provides for better cooling, it does not. The lower opening temperature only means that it opens earlier. Due to opening earlier it may never reach the optimum operating temperature determined by the designing engineers. An under...

beemerphile1

Yeah, I guess all those Toyota engineers don't have any idea what they are doing. Everything is a system, if you are going to change one part you affect everything. Racing parts (TRD) are not intended for street vehicles that must pass emissions and have good driveability.

beemerphile1

Are you guys sure you can use the transmission's low gears to slow our Vibes down? I ruined a tranny in my other car doing this. A transmission rebuilder told me it is bad for a tranny to put it in low gear... Yes, I'm sure. In the old days it was rare but you could damage an automatic transmission...

beemerphile1

Not sure what you are saying. You should NOT put a lower temperature stat in the car. The engine in general, together with the oil, and all emissions controls are intended to operate at a specific temperature. Do NOT lower that temperature. Overheating is bad but 180-190 is not overheating, it is pr...

beemerphile1

I fixed my radio today. The volume knob has been bad for a while but it recently quit working at all. When I took it apart I found the right knob was cracked so I was glad I purchased two new knobs. I filled the new knobs with epoxy to the top of the stem. First I stuffed a little cotton in the shaf...

beemerphile1

...maybe even get a break controller so can really play with it... Huh? What do you mean by a "break controller". All of my vehicles have brake controllers because I tow trailers with brakes. The OP didn't say anything about towing. Is there some other kind of "break controller"...

beemerphile1

Thought I would add that riding the brakes can also boil the brake fluid which will cause brake fade. If it happens the brakes will recover after cooling as you sit buckled against that tree at the bottom of the mountain. That brings up a thought about brake maintenance. At the very least, every tim...

beemerphile1

Downshift and let it rev. It harms absolutely nothing. Believe it or not it doesn't matter at all to the transmission and the engine is actually happier at higher RPM. High RPM with a closed throttle does not cost you a penny in fuel. Riding the brakes will cost you dearly in increased maintenance c...

beemerphile1

...i want to drop mine that low just scared because roads are s**t around here :x If memory serves, the Vibe has 5.5" clearance from the factory. I personally would never lower the car. My front factory optional mud guards have probably worn off about 3/4" since installed. They rub on har...

beemerphile1

I could estimate the AH capacity of the battery and estimate the amp draw of the lights to come up with a WAG but I won't. Just thought I would point out that a new battery does not have full capacity until it has been cycled several times. I like to use this chart; http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/volt...

beemerphile1

Like the OP said http://noraracing.net/ (Northern Ohio Racing Association) or otherwise known as the Akron Sports Car Club.

They are a great bunch, I used to be a member but dropped out due to being more involved with motorcycling.

beemerphile1

...Studies done over millions of miles on taxi cabs have shown that most vehicles are fine at 8 thousand. Hey Beemer, Do you have a link to these studies, sounds intriguing! A quick search doesn't turn it up. I know it was maybe 15-20 years ago and the study was done either by Consumer Reports or o...

beemerphile1

Between 5 and 8 thousand miles. The manual recommends 5 thousand.

Studies done over millions of miles on taxi cabs have shown that most vehicles are fine at 8 thousand.

beemerphile1

What is the voltage across the battery terminals when the engine is running? There is a remote chance it could be overcharging. How much are you filling the battery? Upper water level should be the bottom of the slot. Are you using stock replacement lamps? Are you using aftermarket lamps? The high p...

beemerphile1

Yes, place the fuse as close as possible to the power source (battery). What are you going to use the inverter for? That thing will pull 85 amps from your battery at full load if the engine isn't running. Even with the engine running it will exceed the capacity of the alternator in the long run. You...

beemerphile1

Interesting! I never noticed that thing, I'm gonna have to take a look. Thanks for pointing it out.

beemerphile1

Nice chart! Where did you get it? By charging it, I assume, disconnect it from the car and charge it with an external charger? In any case, I don't want to risk the alternator so I'll probably go ahead and change it ASAP... http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm Yes, put a portable charger on it. ...

beemerphile1

Your battery is dead. Have you charged it? Probably needs replaced but I would charge it first. If it is bad that was a short life.

beemerphile1

Welcome, under $10,000 is an amazing price! How did you get such a low price? Around here they seem to be selling for $12,000 to $14,000.

beemerphile1

Welcome Steve. What a great combination, Pontiac Vibe, camping, and geocaching!

beemerphile1

euphoric85 wrote: ...when trying to unlock a lot of the time it just chirps and blinks...

Chirps? How did you get it to chirp? Mine has always been silent.

beemerphile1

Having different models doesn't change what I said about your transmission. If it is hunting for the right gear, leave it in a lower gear. If it isn't hunting but holds fairly steady in OD, then leave it in OD. This true of all vehicles. Frequent shifting will overheat and destroy any automatic tran...

beemerphile1

The trailer you see in my signature weighs 2,000 pounds fully loaded. Tows beautifully. I also tow a utility trailer with my BMW motorcycle on board. The motorcycle and trailer weighs less but aerodynamics are worse making towing about the same. As for the transmission, you will soon discover if you...

beemerphile1

I use a regular steel key and use the fob that came with my remote start. You could cut the factory key and use a steel key like mentioned above.

beemerphile1

...Im just rebudgeting here since my payment is gone & see if I could cut some $$$ somewhere. I do this a couple of times a year... It is wise to examine your expenses and income on a regular basis. Save the money you were paying on the loan and in maybe three years you can pay cash for your ne...

beemerphile1

Congratulations on paying off the Vibe. You can reduce your coverage to liability only but that would be foolhardy. I am guessing that since you borrowed to buy the car you are not wealthy. Can you really afford to be without insurance if your car is totaled? Do you have the cash in your pocket to g...

beemerphile1

...Seems I can just run the hot wire from the harness to the cig lighter, then coil it up & stow it in the rear side panel when not in use... Seems silly to me, do it right and do it once. Run the wire under the car up to the fuse box under the hood. Wire it permanently. I also installed a cont...

beemerphile1

Great to know, thanks for posting.

beemerphile1

Got a meter? Put it on the battery and tell us the voltage. You've given us nothing to work with other than guess. The stereo or amp could be putting a parasitic load on the battery which drained an otherwise weak battery. Are you saying that the jump was unsuccessful? Do you have good quality jumpe...

beemerphile1

That is a steal of a deal. I bought mine on Dec. 14, 2007 and paid $159.95. Yes, five years ago!

beemerphile1

...Is poor fm and am reception a common issue with 2009 VIBE stock satelite/fm/am radios? Thanks No, mine gets great reception and I haven't read on here of others having problems. Since you just purchased the car maybe the PO had an aftermarket radio and swapped the stock back in before trading. C...

beemerphile1

Tell us more, is this car new to you?

Has any work been done on it recently? What?

beemerphile1

Welcome to the forum. I can't answer your question but there has been several conversations on here about CAI. A search on here brought up up some threads; http://forums.genvibe.com/phpBB3/search.php?keywords=cai You might start by editing your subject line. The one word "wanted" isn't ver...

beemerphile1

Even though I have a filter wrench that works, it has slipped on occasion. Eventually the filter cover will wear and the wrench will slip more. I did some research and discovered the size should be 64.5mm with 14 flutes. I ordered one and have a picture below. Notice the slots which fit over the fin...

beemerphile1

After the local auto parts store, Harbor Freight, and Summit Racing, I finally got the correct socket at Walmart for a few bucks. It is a black plastic oil filter socket that handles two different sizes. I have used it several times without problem. I don't remember the size but if you do a search o...

beemerphile1

millster wrote:...it's taking a while but either I'll hopefully be joined with some help soon or I'll get through it eventually.

Thank you for taking care of it.

beemerphile1

millster wrote:Working on it. I've banned a few and am cleaning up posts as I go.

Thank you, I realize moderating is typically a difficult and thankless job.

beemerphile1

Don't ya wish you were a moderator some days. POOF! YOU'RE GONE!

Seems our moderator is at work earning a living or something.

beemerphile1

This spam is ridiculous. The spammers have virtually shut down the forum. Do they really think they will sell their crap? I guess somebody must buy it or the spammers would find a different job. Oh BTW, my Vibe is running great! EDIT; Funny, the forum automatically deletes the word c-r-a-p but allow...

beemerphile1

You have red lights on the front of your car? That will get you a ticket most places.

beemerphile1

Free Sirius/XM from November 14, 2012 - November 27, 2012. Turn your radios on!

beemerphile1

Editing the title and OP kind of ruins the value of the thread to anyone researching in the future.

beemerphile1

I have a Audiovox Prestige APS57C. Been working fine for two years now. I can't tell anything about installation, I had it done. For a total cost of parts and labor of under $150 it wasn't worth my time. I eliminated the huge factory key with the built in remote. I had a plain key cut and use the Pr...

beemerphile1

ColonelPanic wrote:I'm pondering doing some ATF drain & fills on the Vibe...The fluid is dark but not really "black" like I often see people mention around here about aged T-IV...

If it is anything other than clean and red/pink I would change it.

beemerphile1

USA or Canada? Only Canadian Vibes have immobilizers. USA vibes do not in spite of what the accessory manufacturers claim. Here is some reading for you. http://forums.genvibe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=29835&hilit=remote http://forums.genvibe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=35325&am...

beemerphile1

Are you sure you mean 12 volt? You described the switch for the inverter which puts out 120 volt AC, not 12 volt DC. The switch doesn't affect the 12 volt DC receptacle.

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