Vaggeto's Garage (2003 Vibe AWD Shadow)

[Vaggeto]

Hi everyone,

I know I'm quite late to the party. I've read genvibe.com a few times over the years for advice on a few things, but just recently actually got into doing car work/maintenance myself. Before now I would say I neglected due to ignorance and lazyness, many small aspects of car maintenance. Thank God after 9 years the car is great and I love it more than ever. Now I've really got the bug and I've spent many hours recently reading/working on the car. Almost everything I've done is the 1st time for everything, and this forum has helped tremendously.

Vehicle Information:
2003 Pontiac Vibe. Shadow color. AWD. Moon & Tunes package. 107,000 miles as of 4/2012.

Work/maintenace done myself worth mentioning starting in April 2012:

• Got new key & key FOB made for a lost set. Bought FOB from ebay for ~$20 and used directions easly found here to program FOB to my car. Dealer wanted like $120+. (1/10 difficulty.)
• Fixed visor. (painted new screws for one lost one). (1/10 difficulty.)
• Replaced headlights & fog lights. 3/10 difficulty.
• Replaced front wipers. (Free after rebate! RainX Fusions) (1/10 difficulty)
• Replaced in-cabin air filter. (1st time!, was only brown, not black). (1/10 difficulty)
• Cleaned MAF sensor. (1/10 difficulty)
• Replaced Spark Plugs. (1/10 difficulty)
• Replaced rear differential fluid. (1/10 difficulty)
• Replaced transfer case fluid. (1/10 difficulty)
• Drain + Fill'd trainsmission fluid & replaced filter. 3 drains total. (2/10 difficulty)
• New wheels from Discount Tire Co. (16" Konig Zero-In)
• New Goodyear Gatorgrip serpentine velt. (3/10 difficulty)
• Fixed oil leak on timing belt tensioner by removing and replacing rubber o-ring. (2/10 difficulty)
• Adjusted Climate Control cable for better AC. (It worked!) (1/10 difficulty)
• New front glass. First time in 9 years. (from local business)
• Replaced all 4 struts and strut mounts. (Fronts 5/10 difficulty, rears 6/10 difficulty)
• Replaced both side rear differential axle seals. (5/10 difficulty)
• Alignment from local business.
• Replaced power steering fluid.(2/10 difficulty) Tutorial Here
• Replace PCV valve. (1/10 difficulty) Experience Here

Mods completed:

• LED lights in the cabin interior. From Ebay for about $10 shipped. (1/10 difficulty)
• New hood struts. From Ebay for $46 shipped. (1/10 difficulty)

Mods or repairs still wanted/needed:

• Clean/Detail Engine
• Fix lights in stereo display. #1 & #3 are out.
• Fix right climate control light. Must tap repeatedly to get working.
• AC Foam on AC lines. Red zip-ties. (Possibly better AC)
• Install new brakes.
• Paint calipers red. (Maybe some accent on the drums as well)
• Get retainers for fender liners/lower engine covers. (most are gone somehow)
• Replace both R&L inner fenders. (worn through in parts due to missing retainers over time)
• Replace lower left engine cover. (lost on the highway due to retainers breaking off over time)
• Replace front lower/upper bumper cover. + 1 lower right grill) (Slid into small loose brick wall in 2010/2011 winter)
• Replace front license plate mount & license plate.
• Replace brakes.
• Fix cabin air clicking. (Hopefully just rotate gear 180 degrees.)
• Top or back spoiler (thinking Top currently)
• Replace VVT Oil Filter.
• Install sound deadening material. (Roofing sealent + Roxul Safe'n'Sound in floor. Possibly doors too)
• Restore headlights, possibly retrofit HIDs.
• Get door/window recall done. (Should I at this point?)
• Get windows tinted. Either 27% or 35%.
• Grafxworks Black or Black Carbon fiber overlays on all badges and emblems.
• Paint Engine cover + Exhaust cover + fuse box (Possibly red?)
• Fix half broken hinge on armrest.
• Some type of back mat.
• Somehow (tips wanted) restore the black plastic pieces on the outside of the vehicle.. The side view mirror housing, between doors, etc)
• Fix stereo buttons that are scratching off somehow.

Current picture: (As of 05/1012)



More pictures are below, I'll continue to add to them as things progress. I'll add comments above each picture as a description.

Here she is when we got her back in April, 2003. (Sadly she's nameless)

[Vaggeto]

Installed new PCV valve today!

My experience on it is here: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=38022&p=464021#p464021" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is the new compared to the old:

[Vaggeto]

I recently did a drain and fill on my 2003 Automatic AWD Vibe. My Vibe has the U341F transmission which is important to note due to differences compared to the others. Figured I'd shared some of my experience here. The thread for this can be found here.

• The fluid type is Type T-IV. I got it directly from a Toyota dealer for only around $7/quart. I bought 10 for 3 drain and fills.
• The drain plug is a 10MM allen wrench bolt. The torque on it for the U341F is 36 ft lbs. Much higher than the others listed in the ATF fluid change thread.
• A simple drain and fill takes 3 quarts. The entire pan removal adds a bit to this.
• The OEM gasket is a cork type and it's for 19 bolt holes. Here's a picture of the Toyota Part #: I think it was around $12-$15.
  
• I'd recommend having some type of plastic razor/scraper to get bits of the old gasket off of the pan seal. It was a pain to get off without.
• The pan bolts are I believe 10mm, and are to be torqued at 69 inch pounds which is 5.75 ft lbs. I broke off a bolt by overtightening due to not knowing that my torque wrench only goes down to 10 ft lbs so it doesn't take much if you're using anything with a bit of leverage. I ended up just doing a good snug tightening with a normal wrench.
• This U341F transmission DOES have an actual filter and not a cleanable screen. If you're dropping the pan you'll want to replace it. Here are a couple pictures of it: Local stores carried it for around $20 and that included a gasket. But I didn't use the gasket because it was a different material than the OEM type. Seemed more like rubber than cork.
  

And that's about it! Overall it wasn't too bad and it's a good feeling to know you have fresh fluid in there. I used brakleen on the pan and seal edges of transmission.

[mac99d]

Yea!! Yea!! Finally someone on here from the same town. Your car is looking good.

[Vaggeto]

Hehehe, awesome! Not sure I've seen yours around!
I have been seeing a silver one recently though with both the top and middle spoilers! I'm typically on the North end of town or on powers headed towards the Cinemark theaters if going south.

Also,
Woohoo,
LED License plate lights installed:


Got them here, thanks MrHatchWagon! Only $7.65 including shipping from the US.

And got a new signature, thanks psycho!

[Vaggeto]

Recently did a Gas Mileage test of very conservative driving... tried to stay under 3,000rpm in all cases and it was a mix of city and highway driving. A couple times going 80 on a 75mph highway I was sitting around 3,100 or so and a bit above that accelerating onto the highway.

Here are the results:
28.6MPG! I did drive about 70 miles of mixed highway/stop and go traffic with another 200lb person and 300-400lbs of tools as well though, which makes me think I would have been at about 30mpg. And yes... the AWD tank is officially 11 gallons. I was REALLY pushing this gas tank because I was on the highway headed home from 60 miles away, and wanted to get gas at the same station/pump for accuracy of this test. I'm also not sure they EVER stop using 10% ethanol here in Colorado. They never take the stickers off of the pumps.

[MrHatchWagon]

Lights look good, very bright!

[Blanco_Diablo]

Nice clean vibe! Can't wait to see what you do next

[mac99d]

I live on the south side of town off Bradley road. I do go to best buy a lot just to window shop lol....Guess we will have to meet up some time.