6 months old.. lots of annoying little problems, but overall... i still like it.

[2006Vibe]

Hey all,I gotta say, the Vibe is an awesome car overall.. I've used the roof racks, put on a hitch, used up every storage space for stuff... and I say this thing is super practical for me.I've had a few annoying issues though (keep in mind, the car is 6 months old with 20K kms now!)- HVAC fan/blower makes horrible noise on the 2 lowest settings, these are the commutator brushes making this noise, and it's the most annoying thing to listen to, can be heard over the sound system!- clutch pedal squeaks when engaging clutch (letting the pedal out)- dash rattles.. but whatever- interior rear view mirror was loose (dealer fixed it, cross threaded fastener from the factory)- lots of screws keep falling out of my IP (dash), hmmmm. poor quality control at assembly- cowl vent screen was rusty already, poor paint application there.. totally visible from topsideLike I said, I love the car otherwise, and I shudder to think what other real GM Pontiacs are like.. cuz I want a Solstice GXP as a summer car.. and I know that thing is having ITS teething problems.. but I'm hoping they are small and my dealer will fix them up.The heater fan is my most annoying problem that I hope will be fixed. It's not easy to fix, given its location. It also only makes noise when the HVAC gets warm, after about 40 minutes of running (my drive is about 1 hour, so for 20 minutes I get to hear this nice scraping sound from the motor brushes.. Anyone else had heater fan issues (relating to noise?). Since the cabin air filter is different, I'm wondering if GM used a carry over HVAC from the GM lineup, cuz they are known for their troubles with blower motors.. MAN! I wish the parts suppliers would make better parts overall, and I wish GM could afford to pay for better parts without raising the purchase price too much. The dash rattles don't bother me too much....anyhow, that's my vent for now. otherwise, I gotta go wash my Vibe

[NaNC3]

hmmm....mine is almost the exact age and mileage as yours, and I've not had any problems. Sorry....

[Cougar Vibe]

Yeah, not meaning to pile on, but I don't have any of those problems either. My only issue so far: Broken cabin filter clips, which are my friggin' fault.

[04BlkVibe]

I know what you're talking about with respect to your heater fan problems. I have the same problem. Had my TXV valve replaced by the dealer just over the christmas. It's still making the noise. Which part of Toronto are you from? I took mine to Richmond Hill Pontiac.The problem only happens when the temperature in the winter is above 0 deg C, and when the engine is warmed up.

[2006Vibe]

Thanks for the reply BlkVibe.. I haven't really addressed the issue with my dealer yet, but troubles like these are hard to identify. I bought mine at Ab Cox in Aurora, near where I work. They are a good dealer overall, I haven't had any issues with them, and I deal with them a lot for other stuff/vehicles. I just wish that in this day and age, with all the testing OE suppliers do, that a fine quality part would be made... It's not my dealer's fault, that's for sure.. Yeah, if you've got a fan noise, especially at low speeds.. then you've got a bearing or commutator brush problem IMHO, and basically that's what I've got happening now.cheers!!

[04BlkVibe]

i know what you mean about hard to point to the dealer. Best option is to watch the temperature ..and then bring it in then. Ask for the shop foreman to go for a test drive w/ you. That's what I have been doing and managed to get them to hear it.Mine happens only when it's on front defrost and windshield/feet setting. That basically points to the A/C compressor as the A/C compressor is on. Someone on this site has their TXV valve replaced, and they told me it fixed the problem. Unfortunately for me, it didn't solve it. Ah well..i'm supposed to bring mine in tomorrow again, but unfortunately, due to the colder weather and the snow, i might push the appointment back.

[jake75]

I have heater/ac fan noise as well - was intermittent while in warranty, now is constant at lower speeds.

[Yury]

as far as hard to reproduce promles go: the noise from tranny problem i wrote about in a separate topic was hard to reproduce - it has to be quite cold and the car has to sit around for like hours. nonetheless my dealer worked with me on this, they were quite patient when i was bringing the car over to them over and over again and the problem woudn't happen. finally we got it and they took it from there.what i am saying is that a good dealer should be cooperating with you with no problem.