GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

andrewclaus

My '07 base Vibe does the same thing, and has since I bought it four years ago. My old Subaru does the same thing too. I live in a dry, fairly temperate climate and seldom use the A/C so it's never bothered me. It also happens on defrost and that's normal. I don't have the exact wiring diagram for t...

andrewclaus

Try some injector cleaner in the gas tank. Is the transmission behaving okay, shifting normally? ATF look okay? Is tire inflation okay, no stuck brake calipers? Does the coolant in the radiator look normal? Same with crankcase oil? If there are signs of combustion gases in either, there could be low...

andrewclaus

Beside the obvious misfire code, have you been reading any other diagnostic codes? Did you lose the ground electrode, the center insulated electrode, or both? I heard of severely worn crankshafts, connecting rods, and wrist pins leading to a cylinder hitting a plug, but you'd probably be having othe...

andrewclaus

The other day I put in new coils and plugs in my '07, 190K miles. Then I drove it on a 240 mile camping trip in the Rockies and it ran fine, maybe a tad more power and fuel efficiency. Didn't quite use half a tank. I also changed the cabin air filter. I didn't see a couple of leaves fall into the bl...

andrewclaus

The old Geo Metros around here only come out when gas prices hit $4/gal or so. I used to have one. I thought I killed it, but I gave it to a nephew who did a cheap easy valve job on it, and it kept running for a long while until I lost track of it. I'm pretty sure it got over 200K miles, a huge surp...

andrewclaus

If I had access underneath I'd use some self-tapping sheet metal screws to hold the bumper cover to the fender. A fender liner or engine cover may need to be removed for access.

andrewclaus

39400+ now , had it just over a month had less than 38100 when i got it ... has a few issues , minor .. i'm used to driving a prius.. so i miss the city mpg .. nice not having to worry about a hybrid component failing though .. like the traction battery .. or the special hydraulic brake booster pum...

andrewclaus

As mentioned, I'd think about age as much as mileage. Some older stuff fails due to age, not wear, like plastics and rubber. My '98 Subaru is starting to get to that point. So head gasket replacement isn't an option? It must have been a pretty hard failure. If it didn't overheat or seize up, I'd do ...

andrewclaus

Could be worn mounts, bearings, gears, contaminated gear oil, or shift linkage. None of that has to do with the clutch.

Fifth is overdrive, and you can drive all day in 4th. The cars I grew up driving didn't have overdrive, and most didn't even have 4th.

andrewclaus

If you can't get a new fender to examine, look at the drawing. It looks like there are seven fasteners (14 shown for both sides).

Those white plastic trip clips are designed to be broken and have to be replaced once removed.

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andrewclaus

I think since the knuckles will be free, just do the fronts. The rears aren't attached to the struts. If you don't have easy access to a large press (I had to go to a transmission shop), it may make sense to buy new knuckles with bearings. Or don't worry about it. I paid $20 for the press job. I liv...

andrewclaus

I use this http://www.japan-parts.eu/toyota/us/2007/corolla-matrix-nap/zze132l-dhpdka/3_155450_005_/powertrain-chassis/4802_front-axle-arm-steering-knuckle for Matrix part numbers. If you have the steering knuckles off and have shop tools you might want to think about new wheel bearings. I had to do...

andrewclaus

I just did the same. My '07 is coming up on 190K miles and I have a big trip coming up this year. Thanks to you both.

andrewclaus

I had a similar issue with my '98 Subaru. I wanted to put my Thule rack bars on but didn't want to double the value of the car doing it. I ended up carefully drilling through bars and rails and used carriage bolts and wingnuts. I considered doing the same for the Vibe (but don't have to), and notice...

andrewclaus

189K miles on it now, after a winter-long trip to Tucson, AZ. Barely drove it at all in AZ, but it did great on the road trip. It got 40 mpg on the trip home, at 75 mph with good tail winds. It carried two bikes, camping gear and cooler, and a small dog just fine.

andrewclaus

That 100% condensing humidity is your concern. Not only in the fuel tank, but in cylinder walls and any other metal parts not soaking in an oil sump. Sorry, no more advice from me--good stuff above. I routinely store an old Subaru for five months a year, garaged with a full tank and battery disconne...

andrewclaus

I agree with checking the socket for voltage and going from there. Does the high beam work on that side?

If you checked the fuses visually, check again with a continuity tester, or swap them side to side. Check the new bulb as well.

andrewclaus

I had few of the same minor problems on my '07 when I got it three years ago with 150K miles. The mirror is easy to pivot out of the way of the visors. The dome lights had dirty contacts in the switches. The passenger side mirror was easy to replace for about $25, as long as it's black. With a minor...

andrewclaus

I often substitute other tools for SSTs (Special Service Tools--you were close). In this case I have some adjustable pin spanners in my bicycle repair box, some large circlip pliers that might work, a chain or strap wrench in my plumbing box, an old belt and some vise grips, or I'd fashion something...

andrewclaus

RVers do this a lot. I looked at some RV forums and the only drawback I saw mentioned is very slight nonuniform wear on tires. Nothing about suspension risk.

andrewclaus

Ditto the above. And try an additive. I once had a Honda CRV with the viscous coupler in the rear diff. It developed a whine. The transmission guy recommended an additive and that solved it for its long remaining life.

andrewclaus

Best bet is to put a 12 Volt bench source to the coil and see if the relay works mechanically. Check the contacts both relaxed and energized and be sure they change state.

If your ohmmeter isn't calibrated, don't trust it reading at that level. Also, resistance of copper is temperature dependent.

andrewclaus

I guess the relay's next:

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andrewclaus

Check the 40 Amp fusible link labeled HEATER in the instrument panel junction block. It's right above the fuses.

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andrewclaus

Hopefully it's just a leaking valve cover gasket allowing oil in the spark plug wells. I'd do a compression (or bleed-down test if you have the tools) to be sure.

andrewclaus

When was the last tune-up? What's the condition of spark plugs, air filter, MAF sensor, PCV valve, fuel injectors? Ignition requires fuel, air, and spark in a narrowly controlled environment. And with over 200K miles, there's going to be some reduced compression due to valve and piston ring wear. Yo...

andrewclaus

Can you check the voltage at the battery? It should be over 12.4 V, ideally 12.8. Can you jump the car? If the car starts with a jump, that doesn't mean the battery's at fault. It could be the charging system, or something as simple as a bad connection. Drive it to an auto parts store when they'll d...

andrewclaus

Have you checked the owners manual for a reset procedure for the VSC system? A quick look on line shows some cars have a procedure. Engine codes will reset with a drive cycle, but I don't know about chassis codes.

andrewclaus

I don't follow where the nick is. When I replaced my front bearing, I removed the steering knuckle from the car and had a shop press the old hub and bearing out of the knuckle, and the new ones back in. No cutting or grinding needed. Unless you're talking about the axle nut, which I've had to cut of...

andrewclaus

Ditto what Caretaker says about old cars. About a decade ago I bought a first-gen Subaru Outback that was 12 years old, because I missed the one I had that was four years old. That may have been a mistake. It's 22 years old now and it's really an old car. Plastic and rubber parts are failing just du...

andrewclaus

It sure sounds like a bad battery. How old is it? How did you check it? A full charge, at rest, will read 12.8 Volts. 12.4 Volts and below is mostly discharged. And is your meter calibrated?

andrewclaus

There's some damage and/or wear to front end suspension and steering parts. Take it to a reputable shop that does alignments and get a repair estimate.

andrewclaus

All I remember is cutting one wire, no grounding. Sorry, it's been a while.

andrewclaus

You need body shop tools and supplies to do a really good job at headlight restoration. I bought a kit with a drill attachment and it did okay. It took about a half hour of work. Don't forget the back-up lights. Three years later and it still looks good. I disabled the DRL on my base '07 by snipping...

andrewclaus

The ECM will reset if the problem goes away and if you complete a drive cycle. You may have an intermittent problem, perhaps a sensor output that's close to out being of range. Old codes are stored unless they're cleared by the scanner operator. You should be able to get stored codes read by any sho...

andrewclaus

The racing engine may be an electrical issue. An engine sensor may be out of range but not enough to give a trouble code. The check engine light will come on if/when that happens. It may take a diagnostic scanner to find the problem. You can try cleaning the MAF sensor and throttle body, and replaci...

andrewclaus

A little more description of the noise would help. Valve train noise will be tapping from the top of the engine. Louder knocking noise from the engine block could be from a piston or connecting rod. An exhaust leak will be a rapid series of muffled explosions. You can narrow down the location with a...

andrewclaus

It's simple to drop the pan on this car because there's a drain plug. Count the bolts to get the right gasket and filter kit. I used T-IV fluid. The whole job cost me about $30, with three liters of fluid on sale. You'll probably want to get three more liters and do a simple drain and fill in a week...

andrewclaus

I've seldom driven a car with less than 150k miles on it, but I'll admit I start thinking about long trips when they get over 200k. At that point, I wonder about the cost effectiveness of buying good tires, keeping the front end aligned and tight, and other safety and handling issues. I start thinki...

andrewclaus

The above is assuming you'll be buying strut assemblies with springs. Compressing springs can be difficult and hazardous without the best tools and some experience.

andrewclaus

The 30 mm socket would be to remove the axle nut. That's not needed for the strut job. Your largest bolts will have 19 mm heads, as I recall. Soak those well with penetrating oil for a day or two before you work on it. All the moving suspension parts will see some more wear with worn struts, and you...

andrewclaus

Thank you Seattle Jeremy for the hope :) Unfortunately this is all out of pocket. andrew claus, is the control arm or frame issue something they would have missed while checking out and replacing the sway bar, and tie rod ends? Or the body shop miss it when they did they replace the struts and did ...

andrewclaus

Rather than the steering gear, there's probably damage to the control arms or frame. It sounds like there was enough energy in the crash to damage the larger members. An expert body shop can measure the frame.

andrewclaus

Ditto the above. You have to complete a complicated "drive cycle" for the system to reset. Even if you get the system reset by a technician (and many car parts stores won't do that), the system won't show as "ready" until you do that drive cycle, and you won't be able to pass any...

andrewclaus

I got mine with 150K miles and ten years on the original fluid. I drained and changed the filter, added about three quarts. There are about eight quarts in there, so a few months later I drained and filled again, another three quarts. Now it's mostly red. That was preventive, no drivability problems...

andrewclaus

Here's a PS pump parts breakdown for the Matrix: http://www.japan-parts.eu/toyota/us/2007/corolla-matrix-nap/zze130l-depdka/3_155450_023_/powertrain-chassis/4502_vane-pump-reservoir-power-steering If the pump works, a little shaft end play probably isn't fatal. I wouldn't worry about it until it fai...

andrewclaus

I got my 2007 three years ago in Denver, with 149,000 miles on it, for $3,300. There was some minor damage (mirror and wheel cover, $50 worth) and no maintenance records. Any in your area on Craigslist? Last I looked a few weeks ago there were a few in Denver, mostly with way more miles and kind of ...

andrewclaus

It may be the same part Toyota uses for the Matrix. Here's the site I use, showing the parts for my car: http://www.japan-parts.eu/toyota/us/200 ... sher#85035 Plug in your year and model to be sure.

andrewclaus

My old Subaru wagon has always made a whistling noise since I got it, with 200K miles on it, ten years ago, when accelerating with wide open throttle past 3000 rpm. It bothered me for a few weeks. I think it could be a resonance in the intake air system, or maybe a loose heat shield, not worth track...

andrewclaus

I have an old copy of Toyota Techstream with the Mini VCI adapter, and it recognizes the Vibe as a Pontiac Vibe. It reads all chassis codes as well. It's only $20, but it needs a Win7 32 bit machine. Based on that experience, you should probably get a Toyota package.

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