GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Last night I noticed the tach going crazy. It that what shows RPM's? The engine was running fine as far as I can tell.I've never seen it before. Could it be due to cold or does something need to be replaced?My friend says he had it once before and for him it was something very easy to replace. Like unscrew something and screw in something.I started the car up.. started driving and let's say it was at 2500rpm. All of the sudden it started jumping up and down. It then would go back to whatever it should be at, then it started jumping again. This didn't go on for too long, only did it a few times, total incident lasted 30 seconds or so before it started behaving for good.

That is your tach, yes. Secondly, there a number of possibilities at play here. My recollection leads me to say the tach in the Vibe is not mechanical and thus would not be just a simple unscrewing/screwing of a cable. Not saying your friend is wrong, just not entirely aware of the situation.In any case, my Cobalt would do this from time-to-time and it ended up just being an electrical connection that would play up when it was particularly cold or humid. That's all the further I ever bothered tracking it since it just wasn't a sufficient annoyance to warrant much of my time.

They are electronic tachs and get an RPM signal from the ECU. What millster said: loose connection or moisture in the connector. From what I read the car is not really idling all over the place just the tach going nuts. Is this correct?

First, my friend doesn't have a Vibe. I had just asked him to ask since he showed up at my office today for something else and he's more knowledgeable than me. He didn't have an answer for me, only related his situation in the past.So, today I came home and my Girlfriend tells me this (she did not tell me this yesterday):Yesterday she drove to the store for crickets and the temperature gauge shoots from 0 to half quickly.I said half is where it usually sits at, so no problem there, but it goes from 0 to half instantly. Is that normal? I don't recall what it did earlier. I told her to watch if it goes any higher. But I drove the car just now and it does go from 0 to half pretty quickly. She got home around 4pm. I got home after 5pm, so the car should have been cooled down by then. I'd say within 1 to 2 minutes of me driving it was at half.So, she went to work today and the check engine light came on today.. she also said it's running rougher.. I do think it's running a little rougher. I think the check engine light is on for an oil change.. I checked all the fluids and they looked fine. I'm going Friday to get an oil change.. we don't get paid until Thurs and she's 200-250 miles overdue.. could that cause the check engine to come on?I'll probably take it to Meineke.. the owner's Son seems nice.. he seems honest and like a genuine guy when he talks to me. Even just mentioning my name on the phone he remembered who I am and my Girlfriends Vibe. So, I'll make an appointment for oil change and ask if there's a charge just to look at it for now. If we need to fix it then what can I say we need to fix it.

Sounds like an ECU issue or a connection issue to the Display. Are you getting any moisture in to the car on the passenger side under the dash? That's where the ECU sits and if you get water in the connections weird things will happen.What year is it? If 05+ did you do the PCM/ECU recall?

I will go outside in a little bit and check for moisture.It's a 2008 Vibe. Short story, we had a hell of a time getting that ECU replaced, but yes it's replaced. Long story (probably posted on these forums). Gave us the runaround, but eventually fixed it when the car wouldn't run anymore. I got them to pay for towing also.

I did not see any moisture, but anyway Friday we're going down to Meineke near me.If it's nothing major and he suggests a tune up, how much should I expect to pay? 89,000 miles, 4 cylinder.

I called one place near me trying to get a rough estimate, but he won't give me one over the phone without looking first.I said again I just need a rough ballpark.. He asked if any check engine lights are on and I said no. He said something about fuel filter, and some other stuff I forget, but he said $275! Yikes!

Sounds like a ground or other electrical issue to me if the tach and temp gauges are acting up. If the check engine light came on, it detected a trouble code. These cars do not have an oil change monitor light, so the oil change has nothing to do with it. If you have an Autozone or other big name parts store close by, they can check the OBDII codes for you and see if it saved anything in the memory. The only time the light on our 06 came on, I had them check it since it was running rough too, and the gas cap was not tight! My daughter did not turn it all the way when she filled it up the day before. Most shops, unless you know them well, will charge to check the OBDII codes. Autozone does it for free.

Yeah, last time I had issues due to the ECU recall I had AutoZone read my code. Going to have them read it tonight just so I can be informed before I go to Meineke.By the way, probably unrelated to this issue, but awhile ago the light on the dashboard went out for the heater.. there's three.. one to control where air comes out, one for low, med, hi, etc, and one for hot or cold. The left one that controls where air comes out.. the light is completly off. Also, the dome light you have to fiddle with it to get it on. The switch is broke or something in there.

Just got back from AutoZone..P043E - Evaporative Emission System leak detection ref orifice low flowP043F - Same thing as above, but high flowP2401 - Evaporative Emission Leak Detection Pump control circuit lowP2402 - Same thing as above but high flowP2419 Evaporative Emission Switching Valve control current lowI located this:http://forums.genvibe.com/zero...33783That person had exactly the same codes.

He said they looked at it. Not sure why first two errors are on, the last three he said something about an electrical problem. He wants me to pay for a diagnostics fee, which I am going to unless someone here thinks I should go see a dealer.We do have some sort of electrical problem as stated earlier the knob where you control where the heat comes out does not light up, and the dome light is touchy doesn't always work. Oh, also where you put the car in reverse, drive, etc, that does not light up either.

So mad.. I went to pick up an OBD II at Wally World. I figure I can always return it if I need. Drove 25-30 minutes to a store that had it, and they wouldn't help me. Said if it's not on the floor they don't have it, yet their website shows they have it.

Not sure if I totally fixed those Emissions related problem, but I put on a new gas cap, filled up, and the CEL went off. Now to look at electrical issues.

Did you end up figuring this out? My tachometer started going crazy after a dealership replaced a recalled PCM on my 2008 Vibe. When I called to ask what that was all about they said they would need to replace the tach sensor for some ungodly amount. Any help is GREATLY appreciated. I would like to sell my car within the next month or so (leaving the country for awhile) and don't want to drop too much cash to fix this problem.

Thanks!

yuppicide wrote:Just got back from AutoZone..P043E - Evaporative Emission System leak detection ref orifice low flowP043F - Same thing as above, but high flowP2401 - Evaporative Emission Leak Detection Pump control circuit lowP2402 - Same thing as above but high flowP2419 Evaporative Emission Switching Valve control current lowI located this:http://forums.genvibe.com/zero...33783That person had exactly the same codes.

I am actually the new owner of a 2008 vibe mentioned in this exact forum. When I purchased it the owner explained that the tachometer had started going crazy after a dealership had replaced a recalled part. However, after a minute or two the tachometer settles down and seems to work fine. The car was checked out before and after I purchased it with no other major issues. But a week later the engine light went on and the diagnostic codes were: p2401: Evaporative Emissions System Leak Detection Pump Control Circuit Low Voltage and p043F: Evaporative Emissions System Reference Orifice Flow Excessive. I took the car in to my mechanic and was told the leak detection pump canister needed to be replaced and that it would cost $635. Gulp. But I went for it because. ONE WEEK after this part had been replaced and the mechanic handed me back my keys my engine light went on again. This time the codes are:
p2401: Evaporative Emission System Leak Detection Pump Control Circuit Low (same code as before I had canister replaced)
p043F: Evaporative Emission System Leak Detection Reference Orifice High Flow (same code as before I had canister replaced)
p043E: Evaporative Emission System Leak Detection Reference Orifice Low Flow
p2402: Evaporative Emission System Leak Detection Pump Control Circuit High
p2419: Evaporative Emission System Switching Valve Control Circuit Low

I'm extremely irritated since I JUST shelled out the money to have this issue fixed...or so I thought. Anyone have similar experience? Any advice?

I know this thread is old but I've had the same issue with my 2007 Vibe, the bouncy or dead tach. The air conditioning compressor and engine fans also shutdown when the tach starts acting up.

From what I can find online it's caused by a faulty ECM. Even if the recall has been done. The service manager at my local GM dealer agreed with me and is going to be replacing it for me in a week or so. I will update once it's been done.

c2cummin, has the replacement ECU fixed the problem?

antdes45 wrote:c2cummin, has the replacement ECU fixed the problem?

I replied in other thread viewtopic.php?f=20&t=43694

But yes it seems to have fixed the problem!