GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

My 2009 Vibe has been making a croaking or pulsating noise that seems to come from the dash area. It's hard to hear it when I open the hood outside the car. It's mostly apparent inside the car. It comes and goes as it pleases and it seems the engine has to be somewhat warmed up. Sometimes it'll do it at idle or I can slightly rev the engine to about 1,500 to 2,000 RPM's and it'll do it. Sometimes it'll do it when I'm driving. I can't pinpoint where it's coming from and neither can 3 dealers. It's almost out of the 36,000 mile warranty, so I'm trying to find out what it is before then. I've uploaded an audio file of the noise to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjmdu_04vIwI'm wondering if anyone has heard this same noise and if so, can anyone tell me what it is? Thanks a million.

Hmmm.... Can't say for sure without the audio file.

Uploaded an audio file to youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjmdu_04vIwAny help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks again.

Has the maintenance been kept up? Oil changes, air filter?It almost sounds like a mis-fire or a motor mount going bad. Do you notice any vibration?Things I'd look at and try:Pull the spark plugs and have a look at them.Clean the MAF sensor.Try seafoam. http://forums.nicoclub.com/how....html

Sounds to me like something is in contact with something else resulting in a vibrating noise. Doesn't sound like anything serious. Follow the noise to see what you find.

I have got exactly the same thing and the same mileage on my car. Did you happen to figure out what it is? Thanks

I would like to know which engine you have ...1.8L or 2.4L? Auto or manual? Also is it the AWD version? Without this information no one can help. I heard your audio. Does the pulsing sound speed up or slow down based on engine rpm change? Or is it a steady rhythm?

Mine is 2.4 auto FWDI think it is speeds up a bit when the revs go upI can not check it now as it is gone. As Vibeguy2 mentioned before it is on and offFrom other threads a similar sound was made by a faulty pump resistor on RAV 4Any ideas?Thanks

Quote, originally posted by serg151 »Mine is 2.4 auto FWDI think it is speeds up a bit when the revs go upI can not check it now as it is gone. As Vibeguy2 mentioned before it is on and offFrom other threads a similar sound was made by a faulty pump resistor on RAV 4Any ideas?ThanksI have the same engine and is a 2009 as yours. This is the first time I heard about Vibeguy2's problem. He posted the comment a month ago. I would guess it could be the pulleys and/or the serpinteen belt. Does it only happy in Park or N (no load)?

I couldn't hear it outside under the hoodThis noise appeared to be coming from under the dashboard inside the car. I couldn't locate the exact place of it though. It seemed to be close to the gear shifter.This noise was audible in N, P and D. It was quieter at idle and more pronounced with higher revs.Quite a puzzle...

Get a short piece of, say, a garden hose, hold it to your ear while holding the other end to various parts around the dash.

I will definitely try to locate the source of this noise next time I hear it.I think it can have something to do with winter gas quality. As I am analyzing it now I seemed to have that noise between two fill ups. Coincidentally I got the lowest mpg ever on that tank of gas. Not sure if water or some other stuff in gas can make a fuel pump or engine produce such noise.I will keep an eye on itThanks

Quote, originally posted by serg151 »I will definitely try to locate the source of this noise next time I hear it.I think it can have something to do with winter gas quality. As I am analyzing it now I seemed to have that noise between two fill ups. Coincidentally I got the lowest mpg ever on that tank of gas. Not sure if water or some other stuff in gas can make a fuel pump or engine produce such noise.I will keep an eye on itThanksI don't believe it could be the type of gas. Make sure the blower fan is OFF as well as the radio. The sound has to be mechanical and most likely coming from a shaft, bearings, or belts. I would start with the alternator, then what is nearest the firewall like the tension belt pully and its shaft or bearings.

Quote, originally posted by serg151 » I couldn't locate the exact place of it though. It seemed to be close to the gear shifter. Doesn't that piece (the part that surrounds the shifter) come off? Maybe you could pull it off and see if you hear the noise. There's a thread somewhere on here on how to take all the bezels, etc... out, but I'll have to look for it.

You are right. it is NOT the gas. The noise is still there but became a bit quieter.It doesn't actually seem to speed up when RPMs go up in P or N.It looks like transmission or pump relatedI will dig deeperThanks

I will try to take this shifter cover off tomorrow. There should be some relays underneath it.Thanks

vibeguy2: Corolla + mysterious rattling noise = heat shield.

I originally posted this topic and the Pontiac dealership told me they listened to another Vibe and it made the same noise, so they diagnosed it as a normal sound from Vibes.

This is a normal dealer response when they are brushing you off. If that's a normal Vibe noise, why don't we all hear it on our Vibes?

No one else hears that at all? It takes my Vibe about 30 minutes to warm up enough to hear it. My Vibe is a 2009 1.8 2WD.The noise speeds up when revved.It can happen idling or driving.Typically, it looks like it will do it most of the time, if not always, when idling, but only after a 30 minute warm-up.When driving, it happens more off and on.

You should not waste your time and/or try to damage anything by removing the shift cover. The sound (if it is like the Vibeguy2 recording) can only be coming the engine, the exhaust pipes, the alternator or pulleys/belts.Howvever, it could be the blower motor under the dash.... if it was running. It can be a vibrating heat shield from under the floor... that's possible. It could also be the electric fuel pump I think is in the gas tank and coming from the rear of the interior.

Quote, originally posted by vibeguy2 »No one else hears that at all? It takes my Vibe about 30 minutes to warm up enough to hear it. My Vibe is a 2009 1.8 2WD.The noise speeds up when revved.It can happen idling or driving.Typically, it looks like it will do it most of the time, if not always, when idling, but only after a 30 minute warm-up.When driving, it happens more off and on.I thought you had a 2.4L engine? My error. My engine is begining to sound noisier, but it is a very general noise like a leaking exhaust pipe when I accelerate. It is also mixed with a lot of road noise. I listened to you recording again, and to me the "pulsing" sound does not seem to speed up when you revv the engine. I just can't come up with any likely source except pulley bearings looseness and or the belt.

that sound is the spin cycle. clearly, some prankster replaced your engine with a washing machine.

Quote, originally posted by Ivibe »You should not waste your time and/or try to damage anything by removing the shift cover. It's not tricky, difficult, and neither are likely you likely going to break anything if you wanted to try.

The noise is definitely coming from pulleys/belt location. Once I have time I will visit the dealership to get this looked into. Thanks

They say it is a tensioner. It is back ordered and to be replaced next week. I will let you know the results. Thanks.

Quote, originally posted by serg151 »They say it is a tensioner. It is back ordered and to be replaced next week. I will let you know the results. Thanks.I hear that the tensioner and belts are common noise makers on late model cars.

Got a tensioner replaced. So far so good. Thanks everyone