tad2much - 2005 Vibe

[tad2much]

hey genvibe! I just bought my 05 vibe last week with 102k on it. Base model, automatic, pw/pl, came with an eclipse avn4430 navigation head unit, which is nice. Car seems to be in great condition, really enjoying it, and getting all kinds of ideas for work to do on it from here. If anyone has comments or links to help with my list below, I'd really appreciate it! But otherwise, I've been able to find a lot searching the site already.

Only problem the car seems to have is some vibration at idle, which i've read about in some threads here, so I'll be posting my question on that soon.

Project idea list:[info on completed projects in subsequent posts]
- clean Mass AIr Flow sensor and Throttle Body to try to help with vibration (never done that before, looking for a step by step walk through if anyone can link me to one)
- brake job (I can change disk pads and rotors fine, but gotta read more about our "drum parking brakes" and how to bleed the system)
- swap interior lights to LED (already ordered new dome/map LED's. would love to add cargo area lights, but not clear on how to wire them up)
- oil change and filter (DONE! feels good to scratch one off the list, even an easy one. Used valvoline 5w-30 synthetic and a fram tough guard filter. Seems to have helped with the vibration issue a ton, by switching to synthetic!)
- extra key and fob (ordered a matrix fob w/ panic button, and found the thread with the long fob reprogramming sequence. Also, seems a normal key will work, won't need a transponder chip in it, right?) DONE! and confirm that normal steel key works, as long as you don't have a security system installed.
- disable annoying passenger seatbelt alarm. DONE!
- replace cabin air filter and engine air filter. DONE

Junkyard wish list:
- 03-08 center console with double storage compartment. (is it true that the 03-08 matrix center console has an arm rest and 12v socket??)
- 03-08 mudflaps
- 06-08 sideskirts, spoiler, lip, etc (anyone know if these will bolt right on to my 05 base?)

Recall info:
- I know the vibe had ECM and airbag recalls. When I do the vin lookup at safercar.gov, I get "Number of open recalls: 0". Does that mean my car has already been repaired? Prior owner didn't remember anything about recalls, but he had a shop do his work, and wasn't very "car savvy".
- Can I just drop into a GM dealer and they'll do what they need to do, or is it too late for free recall repairs?

thanks for reading. Here are the money shots!

[trb]

Welcome and congrats on the new Vibe! Plus you followed all the "new member rules" and posted pictures and your location!

I'll hit a few of your questions. If you don't have the "security" notation on the dash, a regular key should work just fine. I know the 09-10 did have the chip key in some cars, but I'm not 100% sure about the 03-08. All of the body parts should work between the 03-08, so there should not be a problem if you do find the parts you are looking for. And you should be able to check with any GM dealer and see if your car has any outstanding recalls. Hopefully they did the ones that it might have needed, but the 05's didn't have many recalls except for the PCM I believe. You can also register on http://www.my.gm.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and see if your car has anything on there. It shows the recall on my 03 and all service records from the dealer on my son's 06 and wife's 13 Equinox on there.

For the drum brakes, I did them on my Mustang before I swapped to disc brakes. Do one side at a time, so you have the other side as an example. They are not hard, but there are a couple of tools to remove the shoes and adjust the brakes that make it easier. The console does have the spot for the accessory plug, and some did have the wiring there also, so you might check it out.

You got one of the nicest colors too. I was really looking for a Salsa GT,(my Mustang is and prior 10 GT was red) but could not turn down the Neptune one I ended up with.

Good luck with it!

[tad2much]

Thanks for the welcome trb! And good tip on the GM owner site! I just registered and no recalls were found for my VIN. Hope that means everything is good to go.

I like the red, but I was actually trying to find a blue, it's niiice. But none were in good condition, and I prefer how mine is monotone, so I'm happy.

[vibrologist]

Welcome to GenVibe! Your car looks so nice!I have door dings and scratches everywhere and the passenger door side molding is coming loose. Congratulations!

[skimask]

Only problem the car seems to have is some vibration at idle, which i've read about in some threads here, so I'll be posting my question on that soon.

Project idea list:
- clean Mass AIr Flow sensor and Throttle Body to try to help with vibration (never done that before, looking for a step by step walk through if anyone can link me to one)

...............snip...............

Recall info:
- I know the vibe had ECM and airbag recalls. When I do the vin lookup at safercar.gov, I get "Number of open recalls: 0". Does that mean my car has already been repaired? Prior owner didn't remember anything about recalls, but he had a shop do his work, and wasn't very "car savvy".
- Can I just drop into a GM dealer and they'll do what they need to do, or is it too late for free recall repairs?

VIBration - Same here, '05 base, bought mine at ~65K miles. Vibration at idle in gear, less in neutral/park. Goes away a few RPM above idle, say maybe 1000 RPM it's all but completely gone. Tried cleaning/replacing MAF, removing/cleaning the heck out of the throttle body, and cleaned as much intake area as I could safely reach without horribly tearing stuff apart, new plugs, new filters, etc.etc.etc. No change in the vibration. Been that way for the past 100K miles. I let it ride...

PCM recall - Same here with the VIN. Look up my VIN and says nothing applies. Forget where I got the PCM numbers at, but if you pull your PCM cover, you can get the serial numbers off it and look those up (again, don't remember what site or where I found it). If you bought yours from a dealer and the PCM has never been checked, you'll get a thingy in the mail saying there's been a recall and to take the car to the nearest GM dealer and have it checked out.
As far as dropping in, yes, you can, but they'll tell you to make an appointment, drop it off, etc.etc.etc. No charge as long as you got that little recall notice with your VIN on it as far as I know.
My PCM serial number IS on the recall list. I've been putting it off since December 2009 I'll get around to it eventually.

[KITT222]

Welcome to GenVibe! Your Vibe looks good, and you've got a solid idea where you want to go with it. As for LED interior lights, I actually make a write-up on swapping to interior LEDs, which is located in my signature.

Any more questions, do not hesitate to ask!

[tpollauf]

Welcome to GenVibe. Kudos for posting pics and location immediately! We like knowing where us members are from AND what specifically you're driving. Great color! This Vibe should get you 200k miles & then some if you take care of it.

[tad2much]

thanks for the welcome and good advice everyone!

@skimask - I didn't know the ECM recall was also called a PCM recall. I searched and couldn't find how to check my PCM number against the recall list. I found this thread on genvibe here where micbarric had previously posted a list of the affected PCM's, but his images as since been taken down. But a few members posted their serial numbers and said if they were covered, so I'll check mine and maybe it'll match with someone.

@KITT222 - your LED conversion thread is the one i found when I was lurking last week (before my genvibe acct was approved). I already ordered the LED's. Great write up thanks! I also found derf's write up on how to install LED's into the cargo area, but I'll need to gather a lot more detailed info before attempting something like that.

[skimask]

thanks for the welcome and good advice everyone!

@skimask - I didn't know the ECM recall was also called a PCM

ECM, PCM, ECU, PCU, 'puter, brain box...they're all made out of unobtainium.
At any rate, the recall is for failing solder joints causing various failures and such. Back in '10 when I heard about this recall, I pulled out my ECU/ECM/PCU/PCM/brain/etc, beat the heck out of it. Put it back in. Still works. Figured I might at the very least accelerate the process of failure. Nothing yet.
Of course when it does fail, it'll likely fail exactly halfway between the place I was and the place I'm going and in the middle of nowhere.

[lannvouivre]

My 2006's PCM/ECM failed a year after the car was made and was replaced under warranty.

Then I got the recall and it describes exactly the problem mine had: solder joint broke. Oh, and also it melted part of the PCM after a while.

[vibrologist]

I had the PCM replaced in 2014 after receiving a notification by GM. Model year: '05

skimask:

I pulled out my ECU/ECM/PCU/PCM/brain/etc, beat the heck out of it. Put it back in. Still works. Figured I might at the very least accelerate the process of failure. Nothing yet.

Now that is FRUSTRATING!!!

[Doug14]

Thats a pretty cool colour you've got there

[csxt8058]

Welcome aboard!! That's a nice color, good luck with your upgrades and keep us all posted of your progress.

JR

[vibenvy]

Welcome to GenVibe! Props on posting pictures and your location right away ! Very clean looking Salsa Vibe you've got there. I'm typically not a fan of red vehicles, but I do love me some Salsa !

[tad2much]

Just got an extra key fob off ebay for about $13. It was a GQ43VT14T as the back of the original fob says, but had the toyota symbol and an extra panic button on back.

Just programed it using novaResource's handy pdf from this thread, also posted here for other's benefit:

really fast and easy, and the panic button works too!

also, just to confirm, my 05 base without the security system does NOT need a transponder chip key. Just a basic steel one, cut at a hardware store worked fine.

Thanks genvibe community!

[tad2much]

thanks to this thread here, i no longer have the annoying alarms when the passenger removes their seat belt!

reposted here for convenience and proper credit to tahoan:

1) Turn the Car 'ON', but do not start the engine (Leave your foot off the brake). Cycle your trip reset knob until it reads ODO. Turn the ignition back off. Wait a couple of seconds.

2) Make sure seat belt is not fastened

3) Turn the ignition back on, do not start the car (Leave you foot off the break) As soon as you see everything light up, press and hold the trip reset knob and do a long 12 second count.

4) Keep your finger on the trip reset knob. Fasten your seat belt, as soon as you fasten your seat belt, you should see the ODO display go from XXXX miles to "b-on". At that time take your finger off the trip reset knob and press it again. It should cycle to "b-off". You should be all set and turn the ignition off and unfasten your seat belt.

I did a 30 second count just to be sure, and it worked the first time.

[tad2much]

Just changed the cabin air filter and engine air filter. Easy jobs, less than 5 minutes. Didn't find a write up on changing the cabin air filter (probably since it's super easy), so here's my lazy write up. Instructions came with the replacement filter.




lift the two tabs gently, and the tray opens downward.


slide the old filter out, and slide the new one in. flow direction should be upwards.

[tad2much]

Got my airbag safety recall work done about a month ago for the passenger side airbag. No notice regarding the driver side yet though.
Repair was done free, but had to leave my vibe at the dealer overnight. Everything seems the same since, which i guess is a good sign. No problems as some others reported after the dealer tinkered with their car.

[Jbenrod]

Did you go to a Buick, Chevy or GM dealership for the airbag work ? I doubt if it makes much difference but wondered if you had a preference.

I guess one could show up at the Cadillac dealer too

[tad2much]

I called the caddy dealer first! But they referred me to the GM dealer for the appointment. hah