GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I have a 2003 Matrix which has abandonned me half a dozen times. The problem is in the safety switch on the clutch pedal. It has always required that the pedal be pushed hard to the floor boards before the engine will turn over. When the car was about a year old it started to refuse to try and start no matter how hard one pushed on the clutch pedal. Sometimes leaving it overnight and returning with tow chain the next day, it would start up OK. Eventually it quit one day when I was in pushing distance of the dealer and we pushed it into the shop and they replaced the switch.The car is now almost two years old and the same problem is occurring. This time I took it back to the dealer after being abandonned a couple of time. His mechanic says the switch is now working OK and he refuses to replace it until it fails completely.I now have a Matrix that I cannot drive more than a few miles from home in fear of being abandonned.The new switch that was installed was the same as the first in that my wife has to adjust the seat so she can lean back and apply sufficient force on the clutch pedal to start the car. The dealer says there is no adjustment in this switch and this is just the way they all are.Anyone else have this problem?

That's really weird that the clutch switch would go bad like that. If the dealer can give you an end-all fix, just slide a jumper into the switch. Therefore it'll always be a closed circuit. Many people do that to install a remote starter.

My 5 speed had a problem with the clutch switch, had to really mash the clutch into the floor to get the thing to start, so I taped a spacer on the back of the clutch pedal where it hits the clutch to start switch. Made a huge difference. You'd have to experiment with different thicknesses to see what works best. I started with a quarter (coin), but now have a rubber foot from the bottom of some piece of electronics, maybe a 1/4 inch thick. Some people have also bent the tab on the clutch pedal to make it activate the switch better.

ERRRR this is why no one wants the warrenties. They hype them up then when you need it, say its supposed to be that way. If its under the 3yr factory warrenty I say take it to a different shop/dealer by you if there is one and see what they say.