2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Handling, suspension, and brake tuning discussions
Caretaker

Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Caretaker »

After receiving my second recall notice on the airbag spiral cable, I'm getting mine done some time this week. When I was at the dealer ordering the part, I asked the Service Writer how far the cable "spiraled" down the steering column and whether they had to remove the column to put the part in. Why? Because if they were going to remove any part of the column, I would seriously consider having them put in a new intermediate steering shaft to (at least temporarily) eliminate my noisy rattle. But alas, it looks like the techs will only have to remove the steering wheel to do the spiral cable replacement/repair. :evil:
dartyb
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by dartyb »

Following up: After speaking with our Chevy dealer, they agreed to replace the intermediate steering shaft (again) to try and fix the rattle. It didn't work (again). They then replaced the steering column. The rattle was fixed.

The mechanic told me that rattle (described above) can come from either part, and it's often not clear which it is. If it feels like its coming from the top joint of the intermediate steering shaft where it connects to the steering column, it could be in either one. This particular mechanic's experience was that the steering columns don't usually fail again, but the intermediate steering shafts often do, which is the opposite of what other posters above stated. I think this means that neither part is reliable, and both are poorly designed.

Both the GM mechanic and our local independent mechanic think GM/Toyota will eventually issue a recall on the steering columns. They both estimated that 1/3 to 1/2 half of the Vibes made in 2009-2010 have this problem, and that if left for many thousands of miles, it could lead to a safety concern.

After having the column replaced, I also immediately noticed the steering feels more precise.

I also had them give me the old parts. I may try to open it up and see if anything is visibly worn. I can't reproduce the rattle with it off the car, of course.
tpollauf
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by tpollauf »

dartyb wrote: I also had them give me the old parts. I may try to open it up and see if anything is visibly worn. I can't reproduce the rattle with it off the car, of course.
Yes, definitely attempt to open up & dismantle the column and see if there are any obvious worn parts or similar, to where you could possibly find out what is going on inside the column! I'm one of those guys who wouldn't hesitate in tearing something apart if it were a spare and not needed. Keep us posted!
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davekk
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by davekk »

Just wanted to chime in and say I have had the rattle for about 2 years now on my 09 Vibe. Some days it bugs me more than others but it hasn't gotten any louder so I havent worried about it too much. I am very hopeful there might be a recall on this. Also curious what the column looks like inside.
2009 Vibe base Manual
gnarsky
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by gnarsky »

"not a safety issue" <-- I beg to differ, and here's why:

According to my mechanic, it's the first generation shaft-mounted EA steering computer that is causing the scariest part of my problem...maybe the rattle too, who knows?

My 2009 1.8L base automatic (which I have only made 2 payments on) drives like a schizophrenic hovercraft. There is play in the steering column that "confuses" the computer and causes it to veer into the next lane if you hit a bump going at a certain speed. This is completely unpredictable. And, it happens fast. In just 2 months I have almost crashed 3 times on the highway because in the time it takes you to look over your shoulder, by the time you look forward again you have magically "hopped" into the adjacent lane. There is also no tactile feedback to alert you to this veering as it happens independently of the steering wheel.

These "auto steer" events (as they call them) cannot be duplicated at will. It's a tricky combination of speed, degree of curve and whether or not there are bumps.

I cannot take this car on the highway and won't until the problem is fixed. This car feels like it is actively trying to kill me. It's not just a rattle. That rattle is the symptom of a much larger problem - my steering wheel's brains are scrambled.

Can someone please advise me what parts absolutely work? I'm not a mechanic, I'm just a lady from Michigan who wanted to buy herself a reliable car. I'm depressed and scared and at the point where I'd rather cash out some early retirement to make sure I survive owning this for the next 6 years. If I do that, I want to make sure the repairs are done with the right parts, and done right the first time.

My father had 32 years on the powertrain at Willow Run - I come from a GM family and have never owned anything but GM automobiles my entire life. This all makes me want to run screaming. I traded in my last car because it had impossible tricky steering issues. And I got this. I feel like a stupid female who has been taken for a ride. They harvested their cash and don't care that I feel completely unsafe.

I tried consulting with a Toyota dealership and they were clearly annoyed that I called asking about a Vibe, and offered me little hope but for to say that "some of those electrical steering problems are better left alone.". Not acceptable.

I have already filed a complaint with the NHTSA and encourage you to do the same, if you find yourself reading this and scratching your head as to why nobody really wants to help you stop your car from trying to kill you. https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleCo ... ndex.xhtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;




Please, if anyone can update me on this as it stands now:

1) What are the exact part numbers that I need to replace the intermediate shaft and EA steering computer?

2) If I replace both the intermediate shaft and the computer, will that permanently fix the rattle and the "auto steer" that's trying to kill me?

3) How much help can I even expect from GM as far as these repairs go? Anything?

4) Now, as of this week (11/17/2014) - whenever I cold start this car it grinds like I'm trying to start a car that's already started. Although this is not my video, it does this exactly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTHRqjIZ9Zc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

5) If you are from the greater Detroit area, I could use a non-smarmy referral if you can vouch for someone that can take care of this problem.
Caretaker

Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Caretaker »

Regarding the grinding noise at startup especially as the weather gets colder, that noise is the bendix gear inside the starter. It is failing. The starter will need to be replaced at some point, although many of us have gone many, many months knowing it is just another noise to put up with. I had GM specifically put in a new Denso starter for free in case the OEM was some local yokel model. My noise is gone for good.
Regarding your steering issue, all I can offer is sympathy. Us Malibu Maxx owners, and older Malibu sedan owners for that matter, had frightening experiences with our electronic steering as well, including the steering cutting out in the middle of the drive, forcing a driver to perform the herculean feat of steering the car to a safe stop in the middle of traffic. I got rid of mine before it put me in a coffin. Your issue, as you report it, has nothing to do with the slow speed rattle the rest of us are reporting. My only advise to you is:
1. bring the car in to the dealership at once if it is still under warranty
2. sell the car for piece of mind
As far as finding a good mechanic, you can go to the car talk website (R.I.P. Tom Magliozzi) http://www.cartalk.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and enter your zip code in the box in the lower right section of the main webpage. Or you can use the repair pal website in the same manner http://repairpal.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Good luck.
draygen
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by draygen »

I have been dealing with this for the past few months (I bought the car about 4 months ago, at 29k miles).. It's driving me insane.. I brought it in, and they found a worn sway bar linkage, which I found odd at such low milage but I let them replace it. Of course the rattle is still there, and its getting worse. Now on the highway when i'm driving, and the steering wheel is completely straight, its like a constant click-click-click in rapid fire..

I'm bringing this back to the dealership, I have the most expensive extended warranty - but I'm not sure they will fix it. A few of the posts here claiming that it *could* be a safety issue has me a bit freaked out, so they will replace the damn steering column as god is my witness!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
2009 Pontiac Vibe 2.4L Auto - Steel Blue Metallic
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tpollauf
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by tpollauf »

draygen wrote:I have been dealing with this for the past few months (I bought the car about 4 months ago, at 29k miles).. It's driving me insane..
Welcome to the club :x Unfortunately all of us with 09-10 Vibes will eventually experience this condition. Junoir's Vibe I would call mildly bad and it is a nuisance. His car was one of several "leased" Vibes all over the country and when we bought it at just under the 36000 mile threshold, it clearly had signs of abuse which is why we got it at a very good price at the time. Fast forward to today and he's at 65000 miles and the rattle is here to stay. I don't think his will get any worse though and he's adjusted to it (loud radio always helps :lol: ) My Vibe only has 19000 miles on it and it is smooth & quiet but I'm sure one of these decades it will go bad. Also I've never heard of any serious crash/injury happening to any of the 2nd gen Vibes due to a faulty steering column!
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ctgottapee
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by ctgottapee »

I can pretty much re-create the sound of the low speed rattle by heavily shaking/jarring the steering wheel (sitting parked)
-the shade tree mechanic in me thinks somehow duct-tape can fix this ;)
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Rayven01
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Rayven01 »

Mine has gotten worse with age. It now rattles pretty badly when braking hard. It still doesn't vibrate the wheel and doesn't effect turns at all, so it doesn't feel like a safety issue, but it sounds bad enough that I'm still holding out hope they eventually recall it.
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Capt.Vibe
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Capt.Vibe »

Rayven01 wrote:Mine has gotten worse with age. It now rattles pretty badly when braking hard. It still doesn't vibrate the wheel and doesn't effect turns at all, so it doesn't feel like a safety issue, but it sounds bad enough that I'm still holding out hope they eventually recall it.

Have you logged or filed a complaint with NHTSA? I have done so to both Transport Canada and NHTSA about this issue. I suggest everyone who has this problem to log a complaint to NHTSA, if they receive enough complaints they will investigate.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/
2010 Red Hot Metallic 1SA
vibedrivermatt
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by vibedrivermatt »

I remember this strange sound from the dashboard of the vibe after I put a few tens of thousands of miles on it.. to me it sounded like a pebble being shaken in a paper cup.. I've since ignored it and learned to live with it..

lately my vibe is sounding like a creaky old sailing war ship from an era when iron cannons were mounted to fight off pirates or whatever.. my drivers side door makes an annoying sound when its speaker vibrates the the plastic door panel. I can make it quiet though if I press my leg up against it.
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Rayven01
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Rayven01 »

Capt.Vibe wrote:Have you logged or filed a complaint with NHTSA? I have done so to both Transport Canada and NHTSA about this issue. I suggest everyone who has this problem to log a complaint to NHTSA, if they receive enough complaints they will investigate.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/
I hadn't, but I just did.
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Caretaker

Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Caretaker »

same here
Capt.Vibe
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Capt.Vibe »

Capt.Vibe wrote:
Rayven01 wrote:Mine has gotten worse with age. It now rattles pretty badly when braking hard. It still doesn't vibrate the wheel and doesn't effect turns at all, so it doesn't feel like a safety issue, but it sounds bad enough that I'm still holding out hope they eventually recall it.

Have you logged or filed a complaint with NHTSA? I have done so to both Transport Canada and NHTSA about this issue. I suggest everyone who has this problem to log a complaint to NHTSA, if they receive enough complaints they will investigate.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/
Just a bump for whoever has this problem and hasn't seen this thread. Keep the complaints to NHTSA rolling...

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/
2010 Red Hot Metallic 1SA
jolt
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by jolt »

I have not heard of any deaths caused by this. If it is not safety or emission related, do not expect the NHTSA to do anything as it is not their job. Poor designs happen every day in cars and the government is not going to fix that. I would not be holding my breath waiting for this one to get fixed by a recall.
bagelstein
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by bagelstein »

Hello friends! First post on this board, wish it was under sunnier circumstances. My 2009 vibe Awd is suffering from this condition.

I'm getting the impression that an intermediate shaft replacement is of no use. I'm also not stoked to pay $500-900 for a new column, and hoping to see if anyone has been successful with any temporary solutions.

Thank you!
Ross
Caretaker

Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Caretaker »

I have heard that there are other models that suffer from this affliction to include the Equinox. Just treat it as a quirk of the car and keep on piling up the miles. It seems to be just a noise, not a hazard. For me, I had to replace my drive belt (aka: serpentine belt) today after I noticed a small sliver of rubber tearing off the side. My mechanic said the sliver was the only bad section, but alas, a new one is on now. 111,000 miles. I'm going to take it back in for more service: I am getting oil seepage from what appears to be the timing chain cover. My mechanic said he sees this all the time where the "robotic" silicone is not applied very well or is a poor quality. He showed me where my seepage has reached all the way down to the oil pan. He will power wash the engine and add a die to the oil to find out where the seepage is coming from. He said he hates just guessing where it originates from. He also wants to do another Amsoil tranny service due to my fluid starting to darken. I just had the fluid "drained" last year, but recall the local tranny place saying they suggest I do this every year. I asked whether they "flushed" the fluid and they said no; they don't recommend it. That was the first and last time I pay for some highly recommended shop to merely drain my fluid ($130) with World Standard. I'll have my trusted mechanic's machine (BG-like) run through all the fluid (to include the torque converter) until it comes out clean and pay the (much) higher cost. The Amsoil synthetic will be good for 60,000+ miles as well. I feel like I wasted the money at the other place, despite their glowing reviews. :oops: At this point, I'll do anything to keep my Vibe alive given that I have lifetime XM in the car. :lol:
ralphgonz
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by ralphgonz »

I just got a 2009 Vibe AWD with 77k miles. It's in great shape except I identified the steering shaft rattle during the test drive and talked them down to $6750. My mechanic gave me an estimate of $500 to replace the intermediate steering shaft ($350 parts/$150 labor), but based on this forum I'm not sure this will solve the problem...
  1. Is this estimate accurate?
  2. Will I wind up having to replace the entire column instead?
  3. Is the current thinking to pack the shaft with grease instead of replacing it?
  4. Did anyone else try the zip-tie solution or is that too risky?
  5. How common is the (unrelated) electronic power steering defect? Should I be worried?
It would be very helpful to other Vibe owners if someone with experience with this problem can please summarize!
ralphgonz
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by ralphgonz »

OK from rereading the thread it looks like the real solution is to get a mechanic to replace the intermediate shaft with the updated Toyota part following the Toyota TSB:
  • 2WD: 45260-02110
  • AWD: 45260-02120
ralphgonz
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by ralphgonz »

Just thought I'd followup after having my mechanic replace the intermediate steering shaft. I showed them the Toyota TSB and made sure they got the right Toyota part for my AWD 2009 Vibe (45260-02120). The mechanic did the work and then came to me to say that there was absolutely no change in the rattle!

He suggested that it seemed that the steering column itself was at fault, and that this would be a 4-figure repair. To rich for me so I'm going to live with the rattle. Truthfully it is not a real annoyance beyond knowing that it should not be making that sound, and it does not occur for the 90% of the time I'm on smooth roads or driving at low speeds.

I thought it might help anyone else on the fence about this to be aware that the Toyota TSB does NOT address the problem -- at least not for me and at least one other person earlier in this thread.
Transylvania
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Transylvania »

Purchased a 2010 base Vibe with 160k and it has the rattle issue. Replaced the intermediate shaft with a new GM shaft, based on the part numbers listed in this forum {thanks guys} and the rattle is the same. The mechanic still thinks it is the intermediate shaft. Based on the above, not sure if replacing with a Toyota intermediate shaft would solve the problem.

The rattle is present when moving the steering wheel side to side whether the car is on or off. It is also noticeable when going over bumps at low speed or any rough road. Not only audible, but I feel it thru the steering wheel. Very annoying, to say the least and would love to be able to fix it. It would elevate the enjoyment level much higher.
Capt.Vibe
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Capt.Vibe »

I'm actually amazed no one has figured out a way to fix this. Changing the intermediate shaft ins't the issue. It is most likely a bushing in the column. In the second comment on this video he managed to stop the rattle going over bumps by spraying lithium grease or Fluid Film into a 3 inch opening on the left of the column. Anyone else tried this??


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv8jRd8sads
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Transylvania
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Re: 2009 Vibe Steering Rattle

Post by Transylvania »

Yes, finally, after one year of constant rattle and a new intermediate shaft, I did spray a liberal amount of lithium grease into the small opening on the steering column and... It's quiet! No more rattle at low speeds or over bumps. The steering wheel still has play in it and makes noise when turning side to side, but the annoying rattle is gone.
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