What did you do to your Vibe today?

Discuss any maintenance you've done to your Vibe & Matrix and ask how to perform maintenance on your vehicle
petervivian
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:52 am
Location: AR

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by petervivian »

Did four cycles of draining the coolant and filling with distilled water in the last couple of days.
Replaced the water pump, put on a new serpentine belt, and refilled the Toyota antifreeze concentration. Smooth and quiet now. I will take samples of the coolant mixture in the next days to see if I need to fill any antifreeze or distilled water to achieve a 50/50 mixture.
Last edited by petervivian on Thu Jul 13, 2017 7:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
petervivian
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:52 am
Location: AR

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by petervivian »

By the way. The entire work of water pump replacement took about 2 hours. I spent probably one hour on removing the alternator. There is a nut inserted into the bracket of the alternator for the lower 14 mm bolt. It's pulled in too much by the tightened bolt and it locked the alternator to the place.
I have to remove all wires on and around the alternator and also the radiator fan to make enough space. So I could pry the nut loose.
On YouTube I saw people had similar difficulty and they used C-clamp to retract the nut for easier installation.
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
cptnsolo77
Posts: 1645
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:05 am

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

Thanks ! I was really impressed on how they came out. I tried Duplicolors wheel paint but didnt like it at ALL. It just didnt have the shiny ( but not too shiny ) look that I wanted. Hard to clean well. I didnt put a coat of clear on it...from my experience, laying a coat over silver dulls the shine.
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
bigdoug
Posts: 80
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 5:36 pm
Location: Detroit Area, Michigan

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by bigdoug »

Drove 300 miles from Detroit are to Pittsburg and 300 back. Longest I've driven with this car, and the ride was smooth. Filled up before I left and filled when I left Pittsburg, took about 1.5 tanks of gas total.

Things done recently:

Replaced brake rotors and that broken stud.
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The hub and brake plate have a notch under the caliper bracket so you can get a lug out and in.
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The notch was not deep enough so I had to beat the shield down just to get the new lug into the hub. Oh well.
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The brakes work great now. Stops well. No more vibration.

Some new things include replacing the license plate bulbs with these ones: https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinf ... t-car/199/
Wanted natural white bulbs and bright but not too bright. The new ones are much brighter and nicer.
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I also covered the tops of the license plate light bubbles with aluminum foil and used duct tape to hold them on. This was purely cosmetic as I noticed without them the light would shine up through the crack in the top of the trim piece.
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I also was able to smooth out that dent in the rear hatch. It's still slightly bumpy but looks way better than it did before, except that it needs some touch up paint. So no pictures yet.

I picked up a cargo cover from the junkyard. I don't have any pictures of it but it needs a bit of cleaning. It helped to conceal my luggage during my trip.

I also discovered that, in a pinch, 194-size bulbs will fit in the high third brake light socket. This is only temporary as I plan to convert the high brake light to LEDs, hopefully this next week.
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KingKrab65 wrote: I used the 3M to clear my headlights.The package comes with a 3000 sandpaper that you use with the 3M "rubbing compound". It did take a lot of haze out on my headlights but there is still some tiny pits in them even after treating them twice. Maybe someone has had better results with some other brand.
Well drat. I was planning on trying the 3M kit. Now you're making me reconsider.


Upcoming fixes include getting a front end inspection and hopefully an alignment, because I noticed the alignment was off during my trip. Ended up rotating my good tires to the front in Pittsburg because of it, so my more worn tires wouldn't wear more.

Also, fixing this.
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It broke at the beginning of the week. I have a temporary joiner half clamped on, but it rattles. I'm trying to see if I can get the flange apart so I can put a flange replacement on it.
MrEd
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:32 pm

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by MrEd »

bigdoug wrote: Also, fixing this.
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It broke at the beginning of the week. I have a temporary joiner half clamped on, but it rattles. I'm trying to see if I can get the flange apart so I can put a flange replacement on it.
I was just coming in to say what I did today. I replaced the exhaust from this point back (cat, resonator, muffler) on my friend's 2006 AWD vibe. Getting that flange apart was fairly simple. Sprayed it down well with PB blaster and the 1/2" air impact made short work of it. A pry bar between the pieces helped to separate it and then I had to chip off the old gasket material. Went back together quite easy. All working on my back on jack stands. A lift would have likely halved the job, though.

Anyway, all together now. New O2 sensor there also. No leaks, no lights, quiet as can be.
Caretaker

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by Caretaker »

Gave all the cloth seats a nice "bath" in Scotchguard
petervivian
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:52 am
Location: AR

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by petervivian »

Finally cut the wire of DRL and Installed LED headlights.

These light bulbs have the LEDs in the same places of the filaments of the 9003 halogen bulbs. So they give a comparable light pattern with the factory reflector. They are not too bright but better than the factory 55W halogen. And they are just 35 Watts each. Also, the headlight lens covers are much cooler after a long trip.
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05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
KingKrab65
Posts: 162
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 7:25 am
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by KingKrab65 »

I replaced the cylinders for the hatch and the lift gate.

I also gave the Vibe a wash especially in the hatch and lift gate areas. :)
2003 Base Vibe
MrEd
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:32 pm

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by MrEd »

Oil change, transmission fluid change and rotated the tires in anticipation of my daughter heading back to college next week.
djan2000
Posts: 33
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 8:28 am

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by djan2000 »

Changed oil.
Took all tires off, inspected all brakes, hoses, suspension, steering components. Took brake pads off calipers and rotors, cleaned it all up, and lubricated where needed (caliper slide pins, etc.)
Found a "wounded" passenger rear brake hose (not leaking *yet*). Replaced the brake hose and bled the brakes (easier and quicker than I anticipated).
Topped off fluids and air in tires.

Inserting the key into the ignition has been a little rougher lately. So, added a little powdered graphite, and it feels and works like new.

Now, the Vibe is ready for my daughter's 100 mile round trip daily commute to college (of course with an emergency kit, cell phone, etc.) She also did the same commute for a summer course and loved it!
2009 Vibe GT Red Hot Metallic
petervivian
Posts: 301
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Location: AR

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by petervivian »

Wash and wax. But the paint is oxidized and needs polish.
I finally cleaned these black spots (thousands) on the roof with clay bar. They were the result of artillery fungus. Very hard to remove. Actually it took five years of sun and weather to soften them.
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
petervivian
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:52 am
Location: AR

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by petervivian »

Replaced the high mount brake light. The last one Sylvania worked for 7 years. Rotated the wheels.
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
MrEd
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:32 pm

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by MrEd »

Got an 8 PM call from a friend (the one who's Vibe I did the exhaust on) that his daughter was evacuated from college (for Hurricane Irma), flew home and then they got word that the evacuation is rescinded, so she was going to drive back down (PA to SC) over night. Brakes were making noise and for his piece of mind, could I take a look. So in my driveway at 9 PM, I'm slapping new brake pads on his Vibe for the long journey. Fastest brake job I've ever done.
cptnsolo77
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Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:05 am

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

petervivian wrote:Finally cut the wire of DRL and Installed LED headlights.

These light bulbs have the LEDs in the same places of the filaments of the 9003 halogen bulbs. So they give a comparable light pattern with the factory reflector. They are not too bright but better than the factory 55W halogen. And they are just 35 Watts each. Also, the headlight lens covers are much cooler after a long trip.
Post pics !!!! Where did you get the bulbs ? Post pics please !!! 8-) 8-) 8-)
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
petervivian
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:52 am
Location: AR

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by petervivian »

cptnsolo77 wrote:
petervivian wrote:Finally cut the wire of DRL and Installed LED headlights.

These light bulbs have the LEDs in the same places of the filaments of the 9003 halogen bulbs. So they give a comparable light pattern with the factory reflector. They are not too bright but better than the factory 55W halogen. And they are just 35 Watts each. Also, the headlight lens covers are much cooler after a long trip.
Post pics !!!! Where did you get the bulbs ? Post pics please !!! 8-) 8-) 8-)
I have changed back to the stock halogen bulbs. The LEDs surely look white, but the illumination on the ground is not better than the halogen in the reflector designed for the stock bulbs. Now I think the only real upgrade to our old headlight should be HID projector.

Interestingly I found some smaller HID projectors that fit through the opening of the stock bulb. They claim of very good cutoffs (I believe it), and better illumination than the stock halogen. Which I am not sure since the diameter of the projector lens is much small than these retrofit ones people normally put in the headlight housing. I need to get a set and do some tests.
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
cptnsolo77
Posts: 1645
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:05 am

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

Sorry to hear that you had to change back to the stock bulbs. What HID projectors have you seen that fit through the opening of the stock bulb ?.....very interesting....
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
calivibes55
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:13 pm

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by calivibes55 »

I replaced my timing chain tensioner to fix the infamous oil drip. Still no oil on the ground but looking at the back of the engine this had been going on for awhile. Car currently needs about 1/3 qt every 3000 miles or so, which is nothing. Impressive with 204k on the clock (90% highway, longer commutes).

Peace of cake. As far as I know this was the original tensioner and had been in there since I bought the car at 64k, so I replaced with a new one from Toyota.

The scariest part for me (noob at this) was turning the engine crank; so I tried this first before even attempting the repair. Transmission in neutral and large ratchet or breaker bar makes the crank easy to turn, you can see the belt move too. Easy. However my breaker bar doesn't ratchet, my regular ratchet is too short to reach the crank from above, and trying to turn the crank with the breaker bar after installing was a real pain and taking forever. I have a 5 speed so I put the car in 5th gear and rocked it back and forth from the passenger side while watching the crank and this totally worked; the tensioner clicked twice (its not that loud, be listening for it) and the car started up smoothly with no weird noises.

Took it for a drive and no oil leaks. Will keep an eye on it for the next week or so to be sure. Very easy job, don't be afraid of it! And if turning the crank is the scariest part for you like it was for me, just try that first before taking anything apart, so you'll realize how easy it is.
petervivian
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Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:52 am
Location: AR

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by petervivian »

cptnsolo77 wrote:Sorry to hear that you had to change back to the stock bulbs. What HID projectors have you seen that fit through the opening of the stock bulb ?.....very interesting....
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Last edited by petervivian on Sat Sep 16, 2017 11:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
cptnsolo77
Posts: 1645
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

petervivian wrote:
cptnsolo77 wrote:Sorry to hear that you had to change back to the stock bulbs. What HID projectors have you seen that fit through the opening of the stock bulb ?.....very interesting....
Image
Awww man....cant seethe image... :(
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
petervivian
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:52 am
Location: AR

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by petervivian »

cptnsolo77 wrote:
petervivian wrote:
cptnsolo77 wrote:Sorry to hear that you had to change back to the stock bulbs. What HID projectors have you seen that fit through the opening of the stock bulb ?.....very interesting....
Image
Awww man....cant seethe image... :(
Fixed.
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
ehoff121
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Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:19 am
Location: Conn.

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by ehoff121 »

Finally got tired of the droning from the rear diff and replaced the bearings on the viscous coupling.

Took about 6 hours because I snapped off one of the bolts for the coupling cover and tried to get it out. That will have to wait for another day... I'll order a replacement bolt in the meantime.

Took it for a test drive and...

...it was so quiet, I could hear my seat springs squeaking :shock:

While I was under the rear, I noticed the heat shield was loose, so I put a sheet metal screw in there to tighten it up.

I'm also missing a plastic bumper cover support, so I'll be looking for a spare soon.
2005 Pontiac Vibe AWD - Platinum
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vibenvy
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by vibenvy »

Finally washed my Vibe today. It was absolutely filthy. I also swapped out the engine cover for a brand new Toyota one and added a GM rear bumper protector.

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2009 Liquid Platinum Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
2009 Steel Blue Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
andrewclaus
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by andrewclaus »

I just bought an '07 base model with 150K miles from the proverbial little old lady. I'll be using it mainly for highway trips. It replaces a 2007 Prius with 190K miles that needed a new traction battery very soon and I thought wasn't worth it--the battery would have cost about the same as the Vibe. My current lifestyle requires only about 5,000 miles of driving annually, and maintaining the Prius just wasn't worth it especially with gas under $2.50.

I spent $3300 on the Vibe (just under KBB value in my area (Golden, CO)), and under $300 on improvements so far. I had to buy two new tires, a side view mirror, a transmission filter kit and T-IV ATF. I had some Toyota SLLC in stock from the Prius. Ditto brake fluid and engine oil.

I checked plugs and COPs, serpentine belt, brakes and bearings, boots and hoses, and all looks good so far. I was happy to learn the 1ZZ engine has a timing chain, not belt.

I did the DRL mod to eliminate a minor annoyance. I bought a kit to buff out the headlight lenses.

The car is nothing much to look at. The exterior has not been well maintained. I won't be posting photos of it. It's just a ten year old used car. But that suits my lifestyle just fine. To me, a car is an appliance. At least I won't be worried about getting that first scratch. If the car runs well for a year, I may do some cosmetic work. It could use one new steel wheel and cover and some paint work on the hood. The metal is straight.
Caretaker

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by Caretaker »

Great purchase. Congratulations. Gas under $2.50???? I wish !! :cry:

Hopefully the your transmission fluid exchange was not the first one for the car. Make sure the brake fluid looks fresh as well. The generation you just bought the car from used to believe that brake fluid only needed topping off to provide a lifetime of hydraulic pressure. If it isn't very light yellow, get it all out.
andrewclaus
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by andrewclaus »

Roger that on the brake fluid. It's on my list for today. At least the stuff in the reservoir looks clean. It looks like an easy flush, unlike the Prius which required Techstream to run the electric pumps.

The ATF is probably original. The little old lady had died, and the seller (daughter) had few maintenance records. It's just under the rated mileage for a change, but way past the date (5 years). It looks, feels, smells, and shifts okay. I'll change it today.

Also on the list for today is seeing whether the Techstream version I had for my '07 Prius will talk to the Vibe. It sounds like it might, and I'd like to customize the door locks, check out the TPMS, etc. I suspect the TPMS batteries will die very soon.

Updates: 1) Techstream will not give me access to the TPMS or the door locks. The OBD and real-time monitoring work fine. 2) No surprises in the transaxle, just a very small amount of sludge on the magnets, and I can't tell any difference in shifting. 3) The brake fluid I flushed looked pretty clean.
ehoff121
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by ehoff121 »

Welcome to genvibe!

FYI, the TPMS is based off of the ABS speed sensors- there are no sensors at the valve stems.
2005 Pontiac Vibe AWD - Platinum
andrewclaus
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by andrewclaus »

Okay, thanks for the FYI on the TPMS. I haven't worked with an indirect system yet. And thanks for the welcome.

Speaking of tires, checking pressures, I just found one of the steel wheels is not stock. The valve stem is not aligned with the bolt-on plastic wheel cover, off by about fifteen degrees. And the cover is broken, so there was some wheel damage in the past. The seller said they'd just done an alignment when I noted the damage, so I'm good there. The tires are new. Rather than order a new steel wheel and a new wheel cover ($150+ including changing the tire), I will try some universal snap-on covers for $30. If that works out, I'll offer the undamaged covers for a good price here.

Neither my wife nor I care much about original equipment like the wheel covers. I also just ordered some non-OEM custom floor mats.

Last thing the car needed to make it road-worthy was some exterior lamp replacements.

So far I've put about $150 and about eight hours of tune-up, fluid changes, and accessories into the car and am pretty pleased with it.

An optional project coming up will be a new stereo. My wife would like MP3. The LED display is poorly lit, the volume and tuner knobs are wonky. Rather than try to fix all that, I'll keep an eye out for a salvaged radio. Anyone want to trade for some wheel covers? :D
Caretaker

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by Caretaker »

Let me know how the snap on covers work. I've contemplated tossing these stupid Vibe screw on ones for the longest time. What a dumb concept. I have to tighten the plastic screws nearly every other day or they begin to rattle over every bump. I'd say I would buy your "old" OEM covers from you given that I'll be in your area next month, but I'll just say: clear the snow for me will ya? I don't do snow any more. :P
andrewclaus
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by andrewclaus »

I'll let you know how those covers work after a road trip to AZ. The car will be in the Phoenix area all next month, and I can bring the old Pontiac covers there if that works instead of Denver. I don't do snow, either.
andrewclaus
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by andrewclaus »

My wife noticed a steering wheel wobble when braking at high speed, coming down from the mountains (6%+ grade). So I just changed front rotors and pads and lubed the caliper glide pins. Wobble is gone.

The rotors mic'd out at minimum thickness right off the car. The parts shop guy (looked like 80+ years old) could tell they wouldn't turn out just from looking at them on the counter. His eyeballs are pretty accurate after all those years, I bet.

I checked front end bushings, bearings, ball joints and struts, all tight.

For the last project of the weekend, I reattached two pieces of rocker moulding with new clips, a nice and easy job. I got a bag of 25 clips for $10 shipped off eBay.
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ColonelPanic
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by ColonelPanic »

I dug out the air compressor and spent some time this morning getting the tire pressures in order. Don't forget the spares - all three of our vehicles were down to 40-something. :o

Cleaned up the interior of the Vibe a bit and did the usual weekly checking of fluids. I was hoping to get a wash in, but I ran out of time and daylight washing the other two in the fleet.
03 Vibe base. Born 10/14/2002 06:07 AM
Auto, Moon & Tunes, power package. 143k
Neptune/dying clearcoat/primer grey. :lol:

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'21 Elantra Limited - 2.0L/IVT
'15 Escape SE - 1.6L EcoBoost (hers)
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Caretaker

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by Caretaker »

....and like you probably already do with all your other regular maintenance items, write down when you last put the spare tire air pressure back up to 60 psi. Since it is a pain to take apart the entire back storage area, we always put off keeping air in that tire. And given that the tire's valve points downward, making it even more of a pain, we put off checking it. Have it written down so you can do it at some regular interval. We all get flat tires. The last thing you want is an under inflated donut when the time comes.
andrewclaus
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by andrewclaus »

I rotate my own tires and make it a point to use the spare to "hold the place" in the position I started. That forces me to keep the pressure up on it.

I've bought quite a few used cars and can't tell you how many times I've found the donut spare in unusable condition, sometimes even with the bead broken off the rim and full of debris. Perhaps that helps explain why I see cars abandoned on the roadside with nothing wrong but a flat tire.
cptnsolo77
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

Replaced power door lock, power window motor and flushed out power steering fluid with large Syringe and tubing ( from work ) Fluid was black for OEM :lol:....also found that my Polk speakers are water damaged and need replacement :(
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
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vibenvy
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by vibenvy »

Put the winter wheels and tires on both Vibes today.

Speaking of spares, I pulled both of them out to check them. They were both at about 50 PSI, so I upped them to 60 PSI where they're supposed to be.

Coming up this weekend will be a wash, wax and interior detail for both Vibes.
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2009 Liquid Platinum Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
2009 Steel Blue Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
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ColonelPanic
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by ColonelPanic »

Washed the Vibe on Saturday, then broke out the DA and put some cleaner wax on, followed up with Collinite. The plasti-dip over the roof's failing clearcoat has exceeded its useful service life but it's too late to do anything with it now. I'll just have to keep her under the cover as much as possible until spring when I can peel it all off and respray.

Today, I replaced the Graxfwerks door lock overlays with new ones of the same type that were on there (reflective bright blue.) Lost one a while back, and had two others that were working their way off. Not bad for being on there something like 13 years. ;)
Last edited by ColonelPanic on Sat Dec 09, 2017 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
03 Vibe base. Born 10/14/2002 06:07 AM
Auto, Moon & Tunes, power package. 143k
Neptune/dying clearcoat/primer grey. :lol:

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'21 Elantra Limited - 2.0L/IVT
'15 Escape SE - 1.6L EcoBoost (hers)
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Caretaker

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by Caretaker »

dusted off ash from yesterday's evacuation. I'm keeping the Vibe loaded with our earthly goods in case the fires start back up with the wind tomorrow.
The interior will need a good fumigation. Smells like a camp fire.
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ColonelPanic
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by ColonelPanic »

Caretaker wrote:dusted off ash from yesterday's evacuation. I'm keeping the Vibe loaded with our earthly goods in case the fires start back up with the wind tomorrow.
The interior will need a good fumigation. Smells like a camp fire.
:shock: Glad to see you're OK!

Hopefully you can get the smell out. Probably not a bad idea to change the cabin air filter while you're at it.
03 Vibe base. Born 10/14/2002 06:07 AM
Auto, Moon & Tunes, power package. 143k
Neptune/dying clearcoat/primer grey. :lol:

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'21 Elantra Limited - 2.0L/IVT
'15 Escape SE - 1.6L EcoBoost (hers)
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cptnsolo77
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

Got my airbag recall done. Removed the radio, radio and HVAC trim panels as well as the glovebox BEFORE taking it in to insure the techs don't break anything !!!.....
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
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ColonelPanic
Posts: 8419
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Location: South Central Indiana

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by ColonelPanic »

cptnsolo77 wrote:Got my airbag recall done. Removed the radio, radio and HVAC trim panels as well as the glovebox BEFORE taking it in to insure the techs don't break anything !!!.....
^^ Wish there was a like button here. That's something I plan on doing since I had to replace all of that trim after getting the filter on the air bag control module installed...

How'd they react? Certain to spark up some sort of conversation with the service writer, I'd imagine... :lol:
03 Vibe base. Born 10/14/2002 06:07 AM
Auto, Moon & Tunes, power package. 143k
Neptune/dying clearcoat/primer grey. :lol:

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'21 Elantra Limited - 2.0L/IVT
'15 Escape SE - 1.6L EcoBoost (hers)
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cptnsolo77
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Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:05 am

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

The service advisor didnt really say anything, i did mention that i DID NOT have a airbag light on....( hint, hint :lol: ) However I didnt come out without any bruises:

-They forgot to snap the cubby under the shifter back in and left it in the back seat.
-I found 1 panel fasterner and screw on the floor. Have no idea what the screw is for.
-Today i discovered that the carpet wasnt tucked under the shifter panels ( on driver side ) and instead of removing the trim fastener, they ripped the carpet !
- The The plastic panel on the driver side footwell ( the comes down from the shifter to the carpet ) isnt secured properly.

I was able to fix everything except for the shifter panel. I will have to do some reverse engineering. I find it amazing that I did the HALF FREAKIN work and they still screwed it up ! I owned the Vibe for 10 years, did ALL of my work and I take it to the dealer ONCE and I find myself cleaning up crappy work. Freaking amazing.... :roll: :roll: :roll: I cant imagine what would have happened if I didnt remove the parts that I did :evil:
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
tpollauf
Posts: 4027
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 11:37 am
Location: Toledo/Oregon, Port Clinton Ohio
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by tpollauf »

cptnsolo77 wrote: Freaking amazing.... :roll: :roll: :roll: I cant imagine what would have happened if I didnt remove the parts that I did :evil:
I'm no attorney now would know howto get compensation out of a service shop for damages or time lost to finish a job that they were paid to do. To this day, my Vibe has NEVER seen the dealership since the day I took delivery. If the day comes to where I have to visit them for recall work, I will prepare a waiver/disclosure form stating that any damages done WILL be on their head to fix, and have it signed my MULTIPLE personnel. I doubt that it will hole any ground but it will clearly tell them not to mess with me. Another idea would be to install a camera inside the car (to be powered by a separate battery) and have it record the second it enters the service bay. Way too many horror stories out there to where I never want to go back
Last edited by tpollauf on Sun Dec 17, 2017 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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2009 Vibe GT (manual), 2009 G8Gt, 2009 Vibe GT (auto)
2014 Silverado, 2004 Vibe GT

"everything is modifiable"
cptnsolo77
Posts: 1645
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:05 am

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

You know....it has been soooo long havent taken my car to ANY mechanic and I was quickly reminded of how terrible it can be. I was quickly reminded. Now to go back to complain ( for me ) is a waste of time. I have only one car, which makes it difficult. It suxks to say it, but im glad I had the recall done and its over with.Warning to all !!!

As a side note I Drove a Ford Edge for a day while they did the work. What a ugly car & was not impressed....I was hoping to like it. I was happy to have the Vibe back even with its imperfections 8-) Next stop window seal/run repair. Done by me ! A non ASE certified mechanic :lol: :lol: :lol:
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
tpollauf
Posts: 4027
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 11:37 am
Location: Toledo/Oregon, Port Clinton Ohio
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Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by tpollauf »

Well it's a few weeks overdue BUT I finally put the winter rubber on my Son's Vibe. Also while we took over the family garage for the day, changed oil & filter, and it got a thorough cleaning inside & out. My Vibe may not see much winter driving so my son got the winter set of wheels again for the next four months ;)

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2009 Vibe GT (manual), 2009 G8Gt, 2009 Vibe GT (auto)
2014 Silverado, 2004 Vibe GT

"everything is modifiable"
Caretaker

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by Caretaker »

cptnsolo77 wrote:You know....it has been soooo long havent taken my car to ANY mechanic and .......... Next stop window seal/run repair. Done by me ! A non ASE certified mechanic :lol: :lol: :lol:
Have you all noticed how expensive our local mechanics have gotten??? I find myself retreating to places like Walmart, Pep Boys and Sears for my brake jobs, fluid flushes and tire installation because I can't afford my mechanic anymore. Charging me dealership-like prices isn't what I had in mind.
cptnsolo77
Posts: 1645
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:05 am

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

I had no idea that local mechanics have gotten expensive. If your going to pep boys and sears for a break....wow the local shops must expensive then ! :o
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
ehoff121
Posts: 756
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:19 am
Location: Conn.

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by ehoff121 »

Oil/filter change (overdue), cleaned battery terminals & MAF @ 114,435 miles

Oh, and this is post number 666 :o
2005 Pontiac Vibe AWD - Platinum
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vibenvy
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Location: Sandwich, IL

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by vibenvy »

ehoff121 wrote:Oh, and this is post number 666 :o
:twisted:
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2009 Liquid Platinum Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
2009 Steel Blue Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
KingKrab65
Posts: 162
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 7:25 am
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by KingKrab65 »

Went to LKQ yard yesterday and found a 2004 Vibe that looked pretty new. I pulled up the hard shell spare tire cover. There I found the screws that go in the slots on the hard shell cover, still in the sealed bag. I also got both cargo nets, which also look new. Plus, I was finally able to get the two hooks to hold the mat on the drivers side. I installed the two hooks in the parking lot right under the sign that said "do not work on your cars in the parking lot".

I got all of these for the low price of $5.
2003 Base Vibe
cptnsolo77
Posts: 1645
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:05 am

Re: What did you do to your Vibe today?

Post by cptnsolo77 »

Replaced door glass window run. Very easy !.....however this strip of rubber cost me 60 bux ! The only reason I replaced it because Im getting my windows retinted and 2 places have recommended it being replaced, or it may ruin the tint. At least it was easy to do 8-)

I beleive this is a genvibe member. Very helpfull.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDuHwyKiOgo&t=34s
* 2003 Vibe Auto Satellite Silver w / Moons & Tunes
* Kenwood Excelon KDC-X597
* Polk DB651-Speakers
* Soundproofcow Roadblock R sound deadening in all doors
* Drop In K & N Filter
* NGK Iridium IX Plugs
* 27 MPG City/Highway with AC on
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