GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

My lady friend has had her 2006 Vibe since Aug 4, 2010, a little over 2 months now. It is the 1.8L, fwd version with 88K on it. She loves it but at about the first 100 miles of her ownership the ECL came on and stayed on until turned off with a code scanner (which has been done twice now). Each time the code referred to a transmission problem BUT there had/has been no indication the transmission has a problem - it shifts fine at the points it should, makes no noises, etc. She has been waiting for the latest recall letter but it doesn't appear that this recall would have anything to do with this code from the ECL anyway? So.....she was getting worried about and took it yesterday to a transmission shop (which is very highly regarded) about 50 miles away where they diagnosed the problem as 2 electric solenoids in the transmission and they are suggesting that all 4 of them should be replaced at the same time - for a cost of $1100! I have some questions - are these solenoids a chronic issue with the Vibes? Does the rebuild cost seem reasonable? Why is there no apparent symptoms with the functioning of the transmission? The car is out of warrantee by a year and 8K over the mileage warrantee (as I understand it) but is there a case here for a manufacturers decision on whether this issue might still be able to be covered by the maker? It was bought from a longtime Pontiac/GM dealer 300 miles away in another state - they obviously did not disclose this issue (and my guess is that they just turned off the ECL and kept their fingers crossed?) and I told her that she should contact them and possibly their states consumer agency as well while she also contacted GM about it. Does this seem like sound advice and even possibly worthwhile to do? Basically it sounds to me like these transmissions have a problem and the maker probably knows it? Thanks for any advice, comments, etc from all.

i think you meen CEL check engine light... but i see your version works too lol engine check lightDid you happen to get the codes?I recently dignosed a problem similar to what you describe on our work car (pt crapper) lolThey recently had the trans replaced, then just the other day the CEL came on and the car wouldn't shift out of 1st gear.I go out to the car, use my code scanner get the codes and it too said there was a solenoid issue. So I look over the engine bay found two vacuum lines disconnected. Connected them and cleared the code, car has been working great since then.I haven't heard there has been a wide spread issue with the transmission on automatic vibe's

The solenoid issue is a known issue in the Vibe/Corolla/Matrix transmission. But look on the bright side of things. $1100 for a tranny job is pretty good.