GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Happy Easter everyone!The whirring sound is coming back. My 04 Vibe MT has 113,000 miles on it and I replaced the original trans last year in April at about 91,000. I opted for a used one with 55,000 miles, so my trans now has about 75,000 miles.I was wondering (should it fail again) (%$#*!) what your preferred course of action might be.Do the Corolla and Matrix transmissions have the same problems? I tried to look around but didn't find anything conclusive.Is a 6 speed possible? Will I need a new (possibly problematic) clutch? It was new last year.What did you do? How did it work out? I love my car! What's the deal with this part?!Thanks!

grr im not good with manual trannies yet but could it be the flywheel or clutch plates?

Quote, originally posted by juggler311 »What's the deal with this part?!It sucks I replaced mine at 75K miles with a used one, which went out 5K miles later. The used tranny was still under warranty from the junkyard (labor to replace it wasn't) I am now up to about 166K miles (86K on the thrid tranny) and I am starting hear a sound, I don't know if it's the tranny again, tires, wheel bearing. Sounds similar to first one going bad, exept the first one whirred under load, especially in 3rd and 4th. Now I hear it cruising in 5th, doesn't matter if it's under load or not. I thought it had been a problem before, but was the tires. I know when I put the third one in, I told myself if it went bad also, I'd get rid of the car. Now I'm not sure what I'd do if its the tranny again. I really like the 5 speed, fun to drive, good on gas, don't want to have to buy a new car right now, money is tight. Not a lot out there rated at much better than a Vibe for MPGs, unless you go with a Prius, or civic hybrid, and I like the wagon. so I don't know what to offer, other than sympathy

joatman,My first one made the whirring sound cruising at 55-60. It always became more pronounced if you hit the gas.The whir right now isn't as loud as it was before, so I'm hoping I'll have a little time to plan.Didn't you use a corolla trans the 2nd time?Last time, I talked a local transmission place that was offering a 2 year warranty on a rebuilt. I wish I had spent the extra money and gotten it fixed there, instead of thinking I found a good deal on a used one.

I have no clue about the Vibes manual trans. However in my Corvettes 6-speed synthetic trans fluid really helps with its function such as synchros, gears and operation in hot and cold temps. Sure normal fluid works, but syn is better. Not sure if synthetic fluid would help you out any. It is proven to make parts last longer as you know though... I use Mobil1 to be exact.

I don't know, but I don't think so.The clutch was new last spring when I replaced the tranny.It's just eerily reminiscent of the way it sounded before it failed. Except quieter...I was hoping it was a small exhaust leak, but I had it looked at and nothing was found. My everyday mechanic said not to worry too much about it, as it might be a very small leak that's opened up a bit when the engine is under load.Hopefully I'm just paranoid, but it seems louder then a month ago, or I probably wouldn't be asking for advice....Thanks!

The one in mine now came out of an 04 corolla with 5K miles on it. I stll have the second one, there was no core on it when I bought it from the junkyard, but when it failed, they replaced it under warranty, they wanted an exchange, the car was siyying at a tranny shop with the original one in the cargo area, the failed second one installed, so they dropped off the third, took the first, the shop installed the third, and I still have the second, but I've never done an autopsy on it.Someone here rebuilt their failed 5 speed, replaced the bearings. If this one goes out, I'll consider fixing the second one again instead of buyng a fourth. If I decide to keep the car. I wonder if NUMMI uses diufferent gear oil in Vibes compared to their pure Toyota cars. The owners manual doesn't list and schedule for changing the gear oil, but I did it anyway when this tranny had about 50K miles on it. Hope that was soon enough

Quote, originally posted by joatmon »I wonder if NUMMI uses diufferent gear oil in Vibes compared to their pure Toyota cars. The owners manual doesn't list and schedule for changing the gear oil, but I did it anyway when this tranny had about 50K miles on it. Hope that was soon enoughI think I remember finding some discussion here last time about gear lubes.There was a question about part numbers mentioned in the owner's manual. Something like... the manual called for GL5, but the part number is actually for GL4.. or maybe it was the other way around, I don't remember.Did you use synthetic when you changed it? I'm considering changing mine, but I don't wanna waste the 60 or 75 bucks if it makes no difference, and I'm not much of a DIY'er.Sorry for being the guy that only posts about his problems...

Quote, originally posted by joatmon »I wonder if NUMMI uses diufferent gear oil in Vibes compared to their pure Toyota cars. The owners manual doesn't list and schedule for changing the gear oil, but I did it anyway when this tranny had about 50K miles on it. I'd be very surprised if they were different. All I know about NUMMI is from their public tour, but the Corolla and Vibe share a single assembly line so there might be a Vibe followed by a couple Corollas and then another Vibe or two. The assembly workers take the next part from their stack and put it in the vehicle. Now I'm sure the parts delivery is computerized and they could in theory have slightly different transmissions/fluids, but I don't see any reason to do that and lots of reasons not to.Our previous NUMMI product is an '87 Nova which still has whatever manual transmission fluid it got when manufactured. It does tend to jump out of 5th gear but runs fine otherwise and currently has about 245 kmiles.

SWEEEEETISSUE RESOLVEDTurns out my AC drain pipe was disco!! Hooked it back up and she's purring again like a 1.8 liter toyota kitten!!Thanks for the help everyone! HUGE weight off my mind! Now I can get my moonroof fixed this spring!!!

anyone who hasn't had the tranny bearings go out will have a hard time understanding exactly what it sounds like, or how, having had that happen once or twice it is reflex to be on constant guard for the problem to come back in the new tranny. I've heard that "my tranny is dying again" sound from the tires, and from bacground sounds on the radio. A terrible, sinking feeling, followed with elation when you find out it's not the tranny, but still, the next time you drive the car, whether you know it or not, you're tuned in againso congrats on it not being the tranny, and I recommend changing the gear oil periodically

Quote, originally posted by joatmon » congrats on it not being the tranny, and I recommend changing the gear oil periodicallyConsider it done!!

Long story short, I've had my transmission replaced twice and now the third one is making the same noise. I have not seen anyone post this here yet, but I will complain to the NHTSA like the matrix owners.http://townhall-talk.edmunds.c...e/124Maybe I'll write the whole horror story up for you later.

I had the problem in my 03... it started whirring then it sounded like a broom handle in a bucket of ice! Bearings were a problem at least in 03. I changed the fluid when I got home and drove 1/4 mile and it locked up! I tore it down after I replaced it with a low mileage trans and somethingcame loose and actually took the edges off a few teeth on the ring gear!