Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac

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1turbofocus
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Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac

Post by 1turbofocus »

Hello, I own a 09 Pontiac Vibe GT The wife and I are traveling Mexico and about 3.5 days from the Texas border , On a trip back to Progreso Mexico from Tucul getting pottery the throttle stock going to pass a car , when I got past and let off the throttle it did not let off , to miss hitting another car and a guy on a bike I cut hard left into a ditch , went to N and turned the key off I hit some comcrete with rebar and cut 3 tires and killed a wheel , 2 tires went flat , I rented a maypop and limped home on to maypop tires I called Pontiac US and told them about what happened (not knowing about the recalls till the customer service guy on the phone told me) and they told me my warrany would not be covered in Mexico. I tryed telling them this was a dangerous recall issue not a warranty issue they didnt care and told me to contact Mexico road side assistance , I called Mexico and they told me they would tow it to Pontiac but thats all they could do. They gave me the # to the local dealer 70 miles away and I contacted the local Pontiac dealer , I was told they didnt sell or have any parts for the Pontiac Vibe and they could order parts , a new Vibe GT wheel is going to cost 600.00 and take 2 to 6 weeks to get , the recal parts are going to take 2 to 8 weeks to get and install and I have to pay cash for them My wife is disabled and we need a car to get around and to the doctors , Pontiac has basicly said they dont care and not going to help , Pontiac in Mexico sais they need the cash for the repairs AND recall to be paid in cash when I pick up the car and get a refund when I return to the US , US Pontiac sais they will not guarantee me a full refund and wont even say there will be a refund at all It cost 700.00 to ship my car to LA and they wont pay the shipping yet tell me not to drive the car ????????Does anyone have some contact info for Pontiac other then to customer service or roadside ,PLEASE HELP !Tom
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Post by Old Tele man »

...unless you can afford a Lawyer, it's unlikely that you'll be able to "make" GM do anything because they'll just point their 'finger' at Toyota (via NUMMI) and say: "...ain't OUR responsibility..." regardless of which badge is on the car.
...and the Devil said: "...yes, but it's a DRY heat!"
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (1turbofocus)

Post by star_deceiver »

did you get the original recall for the accelerator pedal?
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1turbofocus
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (star_deceiver)

Post by 1turbofocus »

No we did not , We have been in Mexico sence March and do not have our mail sent here I own a Ford product as well and I get all my potential issues and recalls emailed to me as well as updates from the dealership I bought it from , Pontiac does not seem to do this Tom
northvibe
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Post by northvibe »

this was most likely the floor mat recall, correct?
1turbofocus
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Re: (northvibe)

Post by 1turbofocus »

I was told by the road side assistance guy that there was 2 recalls , One for the mat and one for the throttle body or cable , something like that Tom
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (1turbofocus)

Post by kostby »

Do you have "out-of-U.S." auto insurance coverage while driving in Mexico?Your first contact should be your auto insurance claims department and/or auto insurance company agent.The fact that the accident happened in Mexico complicates who pays for what, particularly in regard to your auto insurance. If you did not inform your insurance company that you were going to be driving in Mexico, and arrange in advance for coverage while driving in Mexico, there is almost ZERO chance that your insurance company will pay anything.In the states, your auto insurer depending on the coverages you bought pays for your car repairs, medical costs, temporary lodging, towing, and rental vehicle while your vehicle is being repaired, and THEN tries to recover the money from whoever is determined to be 'at fault'.Your auto insurer is in a better position (more money and more lawyers) to try to recover damage(s) from GM, Pontiac, or NUMMI, than you are as an individual. But the auto insurer is not obligated to give you any money they might recover in excess of their costs.There are personal-injury attorneys in the U.S. who would likely take your case against GM/Pontiac/NUMMI in regard to a 'manufacturing defect' on a contingency-fee basis. That means that the attorney won't charge you anything UNTIL and UNLESS they win your case. Then they'll take a large percentage of whatever you might be awarded by the court, IF the company is found liable. But you would not have any legal costs up front.The basic facts are that the car was "defective", and was subject to two recalls, and the car was built in the U. S. But, you could bear some responsibility for not having any way for the manufacturer to contact you about the recalls while traveling out of the country.
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1turbofocus
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (kostby)

Post by 1turbofocus »

I have Ins but you have to buy Mexico Ins to travel in Mexico . US Ins is not allowed If I use my Ins here they will cancel the Ins and I will have to pay 2 times the amount next time , Mexico Ins is nothing like US and will not pay a rental or for motel Pontiac did have a way to get me the recal info as I get specials from my Pontiac dealer monthly and I have the sales contract with me and my email address is on there as well I get all my Ford recalls through email so why does Pontiac not do this with it as critical as this recall has the potental of being I just got quotes on tires today , I have 2 flat beyond repair , one with a hugh gouge in the side wall that worries me and this morning the one I thought was the good tire was flat with 2 screws and a nail in it so now it has 3 plugs , Tires here , the 215/45/18 are 450.00 US (5577.00 PESOS) EACH installed so with that tire cost and the cost of the used wheel shipped from the US I am looking at over 2000.00 of money I dont have extra to spend which is an insane price for tires but thats Mexico So no one has any inside # to contact ?Tom
BrettZ
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Post by BrettZ »

Did you opt for the Mexico insurance?
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1turbofocus
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Re: (BrettZ)

Post by 1turbofocus »

Yes I have Mexico Ins , to travel in Mexico with a US car MX Ins is required Tom
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (1turbofocus)

Post by star_deceiver »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »It cost 700.00 to ship my car to LA and they wont pay the shipping yet tell me not to drive the car ????????Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »Tires here , the 215/45/18 are 450.00 US (5577.00 PESOS) EACH installed so with that tire cost and the cost of the used wheel shipped from the US I am looking at over 2000.00 of money I dont have extra to spend which is an insane price for tires but thats Mexico Ship your car back or find some cheap(er) 16" rims and tires. Anything from 185/65 to 215/60 and HAGGLE, it is Mexico afterall.Don't you have some form of travel insurance through a health care provider from your home state?
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djkeev
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (1turbofocus)

Post by djkeev »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »No we did not , We have been in Mexico sence March and do not have our mail sent here I own a Ford product as well and I get all my potential issues and recalls emailed to me as well as updates from the dealership I bought it from , Pontiac does not seem to do this TomSorry about your misfotune and problems you are having. Hard to be so far away and not have your network of contacts to rectify a bad situation!Sadly, in almost all areas of life, it is YOUR responsibility to KNOW what you need to know. The recall info has been in the news, on the internet, recalls notices mailed, etc. It is NOT Pontiac's fault that you have chosen to ignore your mail for months. Were you really THAT isolated from the world while in Mexico? Also it's been going on way before March, when you left, as well.You mention you have email, and by this post on here you obviously have internet. To not know about these problems would require a major effort of putting your head in the sand!You had an accident, regardless of it's cause. Be thankful you aren't hurt and all you have are a few flat tires and a bruised ego. Ante up, purchase some parts and if it concerns you so much, pay for the recall.Actually all of this recall stuff is being slowly proven to be BS and a lot of media hype. In almost all cases it turns out that operator error is shown to be at fault.Dave
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1turbofocus
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (djkeev)

Post by 1turbofocus »

Thanks for your opinion , I am not sure how you feel this is all my fault I have internet to get emails from friends and family , I get TV and hear about the recall but it never one time said anything about Toyota made my Vibe GT or that the Pontiac Vibe GT was in with the Toyota recall on TV A simple email from Pontiac like Ford does would be an easy solution to all this. How or why is in the past , there is no making offers here on parts likt tires , Yes its Mexico and when your American they see you coming , I had a friend contact the tire store that has perfect spanish and he got the same price so I dont think there trying to screw me I need help from pontiac, It is going on 4 days and the local dealer cannot even get the info about the recall from the US I am sure if the shoe was on your foot you wouldnt be so quick to judge Tom
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Post by northvibe »

did you press the brakes when the accelerator wouldnt let up? the 2009-2010 vibe is under recall in the US. I'm not sure they have make it north america wide, which seems odd as the cobalt/pursuit/g5 power steering was. Is there anyway you can go to the US to have it done, OR go to a toyota dealer? Also the recall is online, print it out and show the dealers.
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (1turbofocus)

Post by djkeev »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »Thanks for your opinion , I am not sure how you feel this is all my fault I have internet to get emails from friends and family , I get TV and hear about the recall but it never one time said anything about Toyota made my Vibe GT or that the Pontiac Vibe GT was in with the Toyota recall on TV A simple email from Pontiac like Ford does would be an easy solution to all this. How or why is in the past , there is no making offers here on parts likt tires , Yes its Mexico and when your American they see you coming , I had a friend contact the tire store that has perfect spanish and he got the same price so I dont think there trying to screw me I need help from pontiac, It is going on 4 days and the local dealer cannot even get the info about the recall from the US I am sure if the shoe was on your foot you wouldnt be so quick to judge TomNot saying it is YOUR fault. I'm saying it is up to you to know about your car. There is an old saying about laws that ignorance is not an excuse. The same holds true for your recall. Pontiac made reasonable efforts to notify you of it, you chose to basically ignore that notification, so they, why is this Pontiac's fault? I am sorry for you but if you already knew about it, you should have taken care of it even without the recall notice. It's been all over the news, the US Government even has a web site devoted to recalls of all kinds and for all products. There as SO many ways you could have become aware of it. Not to mention the extensive news coverage of Toyota and this issue, if the Matrix was ever mentioned, the Vibe was thrown in as well on every news report I heard or read about this.My 2 cents anyway.Dave
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1turbofocus
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (djkeev)

Post by 1turbofocus »

Are you serious , I am supose to cantact Pontiac to find out if there is recalls or issues with a car I bought from them , about isses they built wrong NO The news that I have seen sais NOTHING about the throttle for the Toyota also being on the Pontiac Vibe , The News I have seen about this has said NOTHING about Pontiac being in the Toyota and has said nothing about the carpet being an issue in the Pontiac Vibe I dont get a lot of US news here , have you ever herd of the Internet and that 86% of what would be considered postal mail is now done on the internet so why wouldnt Pontiac do this same thing I didnt know about this or would of delt with it before leaving the US or had the parts shipped here from my dealer or something , to say any of this is my responsibility for not contacting Pontiac to check on recalls or for not helping me now that its happened is just insane Tom
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (djkeev)

Post by 1turbofocus »

Yes I swirved hard left and went off the road to avoid hitting a guy on a bike and another car , got hard on the brake and turned off the key soming to a safe stop just off the sholder of the road Killed 3 tires , 1 wheel and some scratches , I have a wheel coming in from the US used and looking for tires for my car at a fair price , Pontiac has yet to return my calls or help Tom
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Post by djkeev »

Yes, I am serious. This has been in the news since last winter. I checked to see if my Vibe was part of the recall, no notice ever came for it is too old to be affected.Life has responsibilities that must be undertaken. Big Government or big business isn't going to watch out for you, it is self preservation. I do check for recalls on other items as well, cribs for my grandkids, melting coffee makers, etc.No, you didn't cause the accident..... or did you? All indicators are swinging to operator error... but it isn't Pontiacs fault you've chosen to isolate yourself from the world of information.Dave
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Re: Recall, throttle stuck , no help from Pontiac (1turbofocus)

Post by jd521 »

New Letters issued 7/16/10 on the fix from PONTIAC. Everyone should receive them shortly. I have received one so far for one of two 2009 Vibe GT's. Have an appointment already for mine on 8/11/10 and the the other one is scheduled the day before 08/10/10.It is a 33 page recall/fix issue in the work involved may take the dealer a total time of an honest 1.5 hours. They will supply a new floormat . So make sure your dealer has already ordered the floormat before taking into service. I suppose it will take about 3- 4 hours the way the dealer talked like. 33 pages of description and pictures describing what is to be done is a lot of technical data. No, we can not download the fix bulletin. i just was able to see it from the dealer.Be safe.
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Re: (djkeev)

Post by Kari »

I think what he's saying here is that he didn't realize his Vibe was a Toyota under the skin or he would have done a little more investigation.
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Re: (Kari)

Post by ponta2147 »

Quote, originally posted by Kari »I think what he's saying here is that he didn't realize his Vibe was a Toyota under the skin or he would have done a little more investigation.Should probably learn more about the car they bought, then!
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1turbofocus
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Re: (ponta2147)

Post by 1turbofocus »

No I did NOT know that my Pontiac is a Toyota , I have a life and it does not revolve around spending endless Hrs on the phone or the net researching back to its birth everything I buy , I had rather take the time traveling and enjoying life , I have/had trust in Pontiac as this is the second new Product bought from them , that they would of sent me something to inform me that there was a dangerous issue with my car and to address it Now I am finding out that one of the recall letters should just now be getting to me , But to some here I should of contacted Pontiac already and know about this letter that hasent got to me yet or may not even be sent to me yet Tom
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Re: (1turbofocus)

Post by djkeev »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »No I did NOT know that my Pontiac is a Toyota , I have a life and it does not revolve around spending endless Hrs on the phone or the net researching back to its birth everything I buy , I had rather take the time traveling and enjoying life , I have/had trust in Pontiac as this is the second new Product bought from them , that they would of sent me something to inform me that there was a dangerous issue with my car and to address it Now I am finding out that one of the recall letters should just now be getting to me , But to some here I should of contacted Pontiac already and know about this letter that hasent got to me yet or may not even be sent to me yet TomMaybe you really should start doing some easy research on what you purchase and what you own. You would / could have saved yourself a heap of grief and money.I also have a life and resent your snippy comment that those who surf the net don't have one. I have children, grandkids, a great job, friends, health, hobbies, etc but I do periodically look at what is being recalled and why. FYI Being informed on the world around me doesn't preclude me having a life!! If anything, life is better because of the knowledge gained.I also won't blame Hyundai when my front springs snap because I opted to not do the recall on them. If they break....... my fault...100%, I know about it, I blew it off.Again, I understand your frustration and anguish, but don't go blaming Pontiac because of your ignorance about a situation. Especially when you chose to ignore for months the only means of notification they have on record for you.My Vibe, an 07, has Toyota written on many of the parts on the car. They don't hide it. Look carefully at yours, you'll find it as well. No endless hours needed surfing the net to find information on what you own, it takes about, oh...... Takes about 20 seconds,Here's the web site.......http://www.recalls.gov/Here's the information you can easily get for an 09 Vibe .......OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI)Recalls - Search Results3 Record(s) Displayed.Report Date : July 30, 2010 at 07:32 PMSearch Type :VEHICLEMake:PONTIACModel or Model No.:VIBEModel Year:2009Make: PONTIACModel: VIBEModel Year: 2009Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.Mfr's Report Date: AUG 27, 2009NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 09V392000NHTSA Action Number: N/AComponent: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUMPotential Number of Units Affected: 10119Summary: GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 PONTIAC VIBE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.8L ENGINE AND ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. WHEN DRIVING UNDER CERTAIN UNIQUE CONDITIONS IN EXTREMELY LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SUCTION PORT FOR THE BRAKE VACUUM CAN BECOME LOCKED DUE TO THE FREEZING OF CONDENSATION RESULTING FROM POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION.Consequence: THIS COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.Remedy: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE BRAKE VACUUM LINE FREE OF CHARGE. A SPECIAL ADVISORY LETTER WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES REGISTERED IN ALL OTHER STATES IN THE SAME TIME FRAME. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT http://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.Notes: GM RECALL NO. 09199. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .Make: PONTIACModel: VIBEModel Year: 2009Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.Mfr's Report Date: JAN 21, 2010NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 10V018000NHTSA Action Number: N/AComponent: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDALPotential Number of Units Affected: 70806Summary: 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.Consequence: THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY BECOME HARD TO DEPRESS, SLOW TO RETURN TO IDLE, OR, IN THE WORST CASE, MECHANICALLY STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BAR IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHICH WILL ALLOW THE PEDAL TO OPERATE SMOOTHLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN EARLY FEBRUARY AND BE COMPLETED IN LATE APRIL 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT http://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.Notes: OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .Make: PONTIACModel: VIBEModel Year: 2009Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.Mfr's Report Date: JAN 27, 2010NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 10V024000NHTSA Action Number: N/AComponent: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDALPotential Number of Units Affected: 70705Summary: 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.Consequence: A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.Remedy: GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS WHEN A RECALL REMEDY IS AVAILABLE FOR RECALL 10038: FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. GM REQUESTS THAT CUSTOMERS TAKE OUT ANY REMOVABLE (CARPETED, ALL-WEATHER, OR OTHER) DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT AND NOT REPLACE IT WITH ANY OTHER FLOOR MAT, AND PLACE IT IN THE TRUNK UNTIL THE FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL RECALL REMEDY IS READY AND IMPLEMENTED. IN THE EVENT THAT OWNERS CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE OUT THEIR REMOVABLE FLOOR MAT, GENERAL MOTORS STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT OWNERS USE ONLY FLOOR MATS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE MODEL AND MODEL YEAR OF THEIR VEHICLE, AND THAT IT IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND SECURED. DO NOT USE A MAT THAT IS FLIPPED OVER WITH THE BOTTOM-SIDE UP, AND DO NOT STACK ONE FLOOR MAT OVER ANOTHER. IN ADDITION, CHECK THE OPERATION OF THE ACCELERATOR, BRAKE, AND CLUTCH (IF APPLICABLE) PEDALS TO ASSURE THAT THE FLOOR MAT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THEM. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT http://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.Notes: GM RECALL NO. 10038. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .
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Re: (djkeev)

Post by vibenvy »

Quote, originally posted by djkeev »My Vibe, an 07, has Toyota written on many of the parts on the car. They don't hide it. Look carefully at yours, you'll find it as well.This is exactly what I was going to say. Why do you think all the engine caps under the hood (along with just about everything else on the interior) either says Toyota or has Japanese writing on it? My Pontiac Sunfires (which were truly GM) didn't have any Japanese writing anywhere .
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Re: (djkeev)

Post by ColonelPanic »

GenVibers may realize it's a Toyota, but a lot of the general public still thinks it's a Pontiac since that's what it is labeled... Get over it, it's not that uncommon to not know! Every time something broke on my Vibe and I complained about it, people would say "well, that's 'cause it's a GM" or "if you wouldn't have bought a Pontiac..." or my favorite, "you should have bought a TOYOTA!" I found myself in an endless cycle of explaning that it wasn't truly a GM product and it was the "high quality" garbage Toyota parts that were failing, not GM's.
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Post by Kari »

GenVibe is typically a welcoming place -- I'm not sure why this thread seems to be taking a turn otherwise.I don't find it implausible that an average Joe Viber wouldn't be aware that his or her car is really a Toyota. Many people who depend on dealerships to do all of their maintenance and service probably don't look under the hood very often, or at least not closely enough to see the Toyota markings. The badges say Pontiac and GM. Therefore, I see no reason to attack a new member simply because they weren't as knowledgeable about their car's "roots" as others on this community of enthusiasts.
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Post by ponta2147 »

Well, I definitely agree that Pontiac should be trying to bend over backwards to help this guy, especially in light of the recall and the car being under warranty. A non-response like this is not smart, especially if there is something actualy wrong with the car, recall or no. That's the whole point of bumper to bumper coverage, right???However, I also believe that people have a personal responsibility to learn about their own purchases like cars, rather than just whatever a dealer will tell you. Of course not to the extent that *we* do, but at least where it is from and what's in it. Companies should notify people of big recalls, which they did, though slowly (didn't get my recall letter till it was in the news for weeks) but people shouldn't just trust that governments or companies will do all this for them every time.That's kind of how I feel... companies should be responsible if their products have a defect (sounds like they are dropping the ball in his case) but there is also a personal responsibility thing too that most people forget (symptoms of larger societal problems, probably)However I really hope this guy gets his problems resolved! Hard to have to deal with different "service" policies in other countries.
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Re: Tom Lesperance

Post by kostby »

I took the liberty of looking up 1turbofocus's real name on his profile, to put a name with a 'screen name' 1turbofocus is Tom Lesperance.I'm not sure that Tom understood that GenVibe is an independent non-commercial internet forum of Pontiac Vibe enthusiasts. GenVibe is NOT now, nor has it EVER had any "official" affiliation with Pontiac, NUMMI, Toyota, or General Motors, old or new. No one here speaks or claims to speak "officially" for any of those entities.We wish Tom Lesperance and his wife our best wishes for a speedy resolution, and the best of luck in his pursuit of potential remedies for their misfortune.There are things an internet forum can and cannot do.We can ask questions to clarify issues.We can offer advice.We can offer opinion.We can offer links to other resources available.We can offer sympathy and encouragement.We can vent our mutual frustration at things that seem to be unfair.AND...We, as individuals, if we are so inclined, can offer to extend personal assistance, OUTSIDE the virtual walls of this forum using one of the contact methods that Tom makes available to members of GenVibe, through his posted AOL Messenger ID, or GenVibe Instant Messaging by clicking on the link.But, much as we'd all like to make it "all better", we can't.We cannot reverse time.We cannot determine the root cause of the accident.We cannot change the consequences of the accident.We cannot change the location of the accident.We cannot change the applicable laws and insurance coverages available there.We cannot change the terms or conditions of any applicable warranty.We cannot "make" any individual or any company "do" anything.However...Large law firms, national news media, and government agencies often DO have power to do some of the things that independent non-commercial internet forums cannot do:They can hire investigators.They can ask questions of the officials of multinational companies on camera and in public hearings.They can tell stories of 'the little guy' versus 'the big company'.Tom, I recommend that you now contact a US-based personal-injury law firm who will litigate in Mexico if necessary, your local newspaper in your home state of North Carolina, your local television station 'Consumer Help Line', your state Senator and Congressperson, and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
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Re: (Kari)

Post by djkeev »

Quote, originally posted by Kari »GenVibe is typically a welcoming place -- I'm not sure why this thread seems to be taking a turn otherwise.I don't find it implausible that an average Joe Viber wouldn't be aware that his or her car is really a Toyota. Many people who depend on dealerships to do all of their maintenance and service probably don't look under the hood very often, or at least not closely enough to see the Toyota markings. The badges say Pontiac and GM. Therefore, I see no reason to attack a new member simply because they weren't as knowledgeable about their car's "roots" as others on this community of enthusiasts.Don't mean to be unwelcoming, just caught me wrong that the ONLY reason he signed on was to complain and moan about Pontiac!! It just irritates me when what happens in life is someone else's fault even though they took no steps to educate themselves or take any preventative action. If this was K nine or similar postings, someone with site history, it would probably not have bothered me as much, if at all.My apologies for being unwelcoming but my feelings on the situation still hold fast.Dave
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Re: (djkeev)

Post by Kari »

From the original post, it looks like he came more for help in trying to contact someone a little higher up in Pontiac to try to get some assistance in getting the car fixed so they can continue their vacation.Tom, unfortunately none of us have the "inside track" when it comes to getting a contact at Pontiac or GM. There used to be a few members here who did, but most of them have not posted in years.I don't see why GM is treating you the way they are -- they are the same company in Mexico as they are in the US and it makes no sense for them to be acting like they're not. I believe I would be finding a lawyer -- that is probably your best option for resolution since GM doesn't seem interested in helping you without legal action taken.
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Re: more info

Post by 1turbofocus »

Pontiac had other means to contact me besides snail mail , My MagicJack # is clearly on my sales contract as well as my email , My Pontiac dealer sends me discounts for oil changes and service monthly why can they not add in any recalls ??????????I let my wife buy new cars so I dont have to worry about them or her because there under warranty. She buys what she finds easy to get into and easy for riding in because she has had 9 back surgerys and has a spinal cord stimulator in her back We have a hand written paper from our dealership ( this is our second new Pontiac from this dealer) that states from there GM that were covered in Mexico after him making a call to Pontiac which were finding out to not be the case. So now this cannot be covered under the recall or the warranty When this happened and for the last months we have not seen much US news about things. Yes I guess I could get on line each week and spend some time to search recalls on both my cars , the TV i have at home , the washer ,dryer,toys we buy the grand kids all to make sure there isnt electrical issues or things that will burn the house down or cause the throttle to stick on my car , But isnt that the manufacturer obligation to make sure I know , they had other means and chose not to use them , phone which is a NC # that rings here in MX FREE CALL , email which I check daily also free , the snail mail cost to ship and in these days and times not the best way to get info to customers People move and change addresses , phone # but rarely change email address Tom
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Re: more info (1turbofocus)

Post by vibenvy »

Quote, originally posted by Colonel Panic »GenVibers may realize it's a Toyota, but a lot of the general public still thinks it's a Pontiac since that's what it is labeled... Get over it, it's not that uncommon to not know! So, obviously people that own Vibes and don't know they're a Toyota didn't do any research before buying their Vibe. They must be people that just walk into a dealer and say, "That one looks nice. I'll take it!" I did so much research online before I finally decided to buy my Vibe, but that's just me. Call me crazy, but when spending that kind of money (especially when buying brand new) I want to make darn sure I know at least the basics about the car before I buy it. I sure as heck wouldn't want to buy a car and than turn around and find out it's a death trap or something, ya know? Just my $.02 though.
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Re: more info (J_TO_ENVY)

Post by 1turbofocus »

A death trap , you mean like the throttle sticking ? And all the research that you did and you bought your Pontiac Vibe anyway ? Hmmm very strange Tom
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Re: more info (1turbofocus)

Post by lowincash »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »A death trap , you mean like the throttle sticking ? And all the research that you did and you bought your Pontiac Vibe anyway ? Hmmm very strange TomI believe J_TO_ENVY bought the car new before this whole throttle sticking recall thing came about which was the same case for me. I did tons of research for months before buying my car back in 08 and have never heard or read anything about this recall. If indeed I had heard about this recall during my research, I might have waited for the new mazda3 but I still like the vibe. It's a great looking little car and I already have the recall done so hopefully it's nothing too much to worry about.
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Re: more info (1turbofocus)

Post by ponta2147 »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »A death trap , you mean like the throttle sticking ? And all the research that you did and you bought your Pontiac Vibe anyway ? Hmmm very strange TomFirst of all, the recall happened THIS year (where most of us have '09 models that were bought in '08 or '09), and the recall only addressed the PEDAL not the actual THROTTLE (even though most of us don't think fixing the pedal would actually do any good). I'm pretty sure if your throttle is having problems, they aren't included in the recall, though Pontiac should definitely fix them under warranty, and probably have more to do with actual acceleration problems than this so called "pedal sticking" thing.And EVERY car has TSBs out on it, or something wrong with it. Some of them are not very serious, some of them don't happen to every single vehicle, and some of them could be dangerous. But EVERY CAR has them, because cars are mass produced and with so many parts, it's easy for something to go wrong. Most people don't feel like checking up on those sorts of things though, I guess. Anyway, you have every right to be mad at Pontiac for being extremely unhelpful in solving your problems now that they have happened, and you should probably escalate that as far as you are willing to go with them. Kostby has some great suggestions in an earlier post.But don't jump down OUR throats. You came to a community of Pontiac Vibe enthusiasts, some of whom have been owners of multiple generations of Vibes since 2002, some who have only joined since the redesign, some who do not have one anymore, but all who are big fans of this car. Naturally we are going to defend it. I'm sorry your experience with the car has not been the same.
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Re: more info (ponta2147)

Post by vibenvy »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »A death trap , you mean like the throttle sticking ? And all the research that you did and you bought your Pontiac Vibe anyway ? Hmmm very strangeThe Vibe a death trap!?! Hmmm... there are plenty of us here with 2009 & 2010 Vibes and no one has died or even had any major problems with them. I would hardly call it a death trap. Perhaps you need to read this. That's right... only 1 of the 3000 complaints was found to be a legitimate problem with the car itself. Supposedly the rest of the incidents were attributed to driver error i.e. people that don't know how to drive, handle their car, etc. I'm not saying this applies to you, but than again... you never know. As lowincash and ponta2147 stated, 99% bought our 2009 (hardly any 2010s here that post on a regular basis) Vibes in either 2008 or 2009 before any recalls were issued. Also, as ponta2147 said, every car has recalls and TSBs. As is life, nothing is perfect. I can tell you right now I have had no issues whatsoever with my '09 GT and neither has my mom ('09 GT as well). That's right... I loved mine so much my mom bought one too!I'm sorry you're having trouble with GM, but as many have already stated it is your responsibility to cover your own (removed) if you're going to another country. They are simply sticking it to you with the fine print and chances are nothing much will be done in your favor.
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Re: more info (J_TO_ENVY)

Post by 1turbofocus »

Sorry but you used "death trap" first and after all the research people have done they bought the Vibe like my Wife did and yet were all in the same boat is my point I am just worse off then most as Pontiac or my dealership have yet to do anything to help me with recall or warranty , I am as of today out of pocket 370.00 and still no tires found but my used wheel came in Tom
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Re: more info (1turbofocus)

Post by djkeev »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »Sorry but you used "death trap" first and after all the research people have done they bought the Vibe like my Wife did and yet were all in the same boat is my point I am just worse off then most as Pontiac or my dealership have yet to do anything to help me with recall or warranty , I am as of today out of pocket 370.00 and still no tires found but my used wheel came in TomOk, me again, sorry.Go into your glove box and look in the package of information that came with the car, there will be a special pamphlet about warranty coverage. Read it. You'll notice first off that it is for the USA and Canada. You aren't in either location. If you read it they do refer to warranty service in a foreign nation and state that you should pay for any warranty service and upon your return present the evidence to your local dealer. Providing it isn't due to abuse you'll get reimbursed for the repair. Don't expect any warranty work to be done for you there by Pontiac or GM for free. If you move permanently to another nation maybe something for warranty work can me worked out.Best of luck to you. Keep remembering that you didn't get hurt and you've encountered a minor headache on the long road of life.Dave
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Re: more info (djkeev)

Post by vibenvy »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »Sorry but you used "death trap" first and after all the research people have done they bought the Vibe like my Wife did and yet were all in the same boat is my pointYep, I sure did, although it wasn't in reference to Pontiac Vibes, it was in reference to any car in general .Quote, originally posted by djkeev »Best of luck to you. Keep remembering that you didn't get hurt and you've encountered a minor headache on the long road of life.Agreed. The most important thing is no one got hurt. The wheels and tires can be replaced, but lives cannot. Yes, it's a pain in the (removed) and it sucks having to pay for it yourself, but it's better than being permanently injured or dead.
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Re: more info (J_TO_ENVY)

Post by 1turbofocus »

UPDATE things are looking like they may be moving forward , My dealership got up with Pontiac and after almost a week and are getting the parts from GM shipped to my dealership and going to ship them to the Pontiac dealer in Merida Mexico I have to fly home tho because my wife MUST make a doctors Appt on the 14th (she is disabled) and then we will have to return in a month or 2 and deal with the recalls and getting the car home Tom
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Re: more info (1turbofocus)

Post by Kari »

Glad to hear progress is being made!
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Post by ponta2147 »

That's great!Stay on their case as much as possible, make sure they fix their problems and make everything right!
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Re: more info (1turbofocus)

Post by star_deceiver »

While you're back home hunt down the wheels and tires you need. Now is it cheaper to ship them down or take them on the plane with you??Random question - Do you use your left or right foot on the brake???
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Re: more info (star_deceiver)

Post by 1turbofocus »

Yes buying tires in the US is much cheaper , the Import tax can be as much as 30% on tires tho depending on where they were made , the cost of the tire , import tax and shipping would be about the same as buying them here when I did the math I left brake , If I hadent of left brake and didnt have the knowledge about going to "N" then turning off the engine I realy feel some one for sure would of been hurt and or Vibe totaledTom
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Re: more info (1turbofocus)

Post by vibenvy »

Quote, originally posted by 1turbofocus »I left brake , If I hadent of left brake and didnt have the knowledge about going to "N" then turning off the engine I realy feel some one for sure would of been hurt and or Vibe totaledIf your Vibe is an automatic, there is no reason to drive with both feet .
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Re: more info (J_TO_ENVY)

Post by star_deceiver »

Quote, originally posted by J_TO_ENVY »If your Vibe is an automatic, there is no reason to drive with both feet .Indeed... slam on the brake with your left foot and in the confusion of reaction driving the gas isn't released right away giving you the sense of a locked throttle... Saw someone in a minivan (guy, 30's) do this outside of starbucks a few weeks ago, drove right over the island and took out some shrubs as well as his front bumper... lucky the opposite spot was empty... He was pretty red-faced when he walked in...
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Re: more info (star_deceiver)

Post by vibenvy »

Quote, originally posted by star_deceiver »Indeed... slam on the brake with your left foot and in the confusion of reaction driving the gas isn't released right away giving you the sense of a locked throttle...Exactly! I don't know about everyone else here, but I learned this in Driver's Ed. If the car is an automatic, you use your right foot only to accelerate and brake. My dad drives a semi for a living and he drives his automatic S10 with both feet. My mom and I always give him a hard time about it and tell him it's not safe.
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Post by ponta2147 »

If a car was meant to brake and accelerate with different feet, the pedals would be much farther apart! Generally I was taught either your left foot is on a clutch, or sitting boredly while the right foot gets all the action.
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Re: more info (star_deceiver)

Post by 1turbofocus »

Yes buying tires in the US is much cheaper , the Import tax can be as much as 30% on tires tho depending on where they were made , the cost of the tire , import tax and shipping would be about the same as buying them here when I did the math I left brake , If I hadent of left brake and didnt have the knowledge about going to "N" then turning off the engine I realy feel some one for sure would of been hurt and or Vibe totaledTom
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Post by northvibe »

actually using both feet is common in racing
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