GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hi Guys/Ladies...

Haven't been on in a long while, mainly b/c I've had no issues! However, my poor baby has a serious problem now & I'm wondering if I can get your opinions as to what it might be? It's been getting progressively worse over the last month, but I feel like it's been building up for at least the last 6-8mnths. Mainly I'd like your input so I can decide which garage to bring it to, since I'm sure it's far beyond my reach now.

Basically, I've been losing acceleration on hills over time & now it's at the point where ANY sort of incline is difficult to deal with. Initially, it was only if I had a heavy load or had a few people in the car. Last month, I changed the oil & spark plugs & both helped a little, but over the last week it's gotten REALLY bad. I can't accelerate from a dead stop unless I bring it up to about 4500rpm. I have to stay in 1st until almost 40kms/hr, then when I switch to second it slows again. Over-revving occurs whenever I shift, but there are no other extraneous noises/clunks/hitches/etc. Once I'm able to get into 3rd to 6th, I'm okay, but any incline will force me to downgear again.

I'm now afraid to drive it at all, as I seriously do NOT want to burn out the clutch or #%$! up my engine. So, what do you guys think? Fuel injectors, fuel pump, clutch?

Thanks for any input!
Jen:)

If the engine is revving but the car is not moving the problem is most likely the clutch has worn out.

JohnO wrote:If the engine is revving but the car is not moving the problem is most likely the clutch has worn out.

Darnnit...that's exactly what I hoped you wouldn't say...

So, since it is a manual transmission, try this. Once you get going to say 20 mph in first, leave the car in gear, don't touch the clutch and slow down to almost a stop. Your motor should die pretty quickly if the clutch is good. If it is slipping, it will keep trying to run as the clutch slips. On my Mustang I had a clutch that slipped so bad, I could not even drive up my driveway without a good running start. And the incline was not more than 2' from the street to my garage about 40' away.

My other thought was a clogged catalytic converter. I had one on my first car and it was so bad, I had to floor it just to get on the freeway and get up to speed. The car overheated while I was driving to the dealer it was so bad.

If the clutch has been slipping for a while, you will need to resurface the flywheel, or probably need to replace it also, along with the clutch disc and pressure plate. When they slip a lot, they heat up the flywheel and cause stress cracks in it. Not a good thing.

JohnO wrote:If the engine is revving but the car is not moving the problem is most likely the clutch has worn out.

This. If the clutch was not slipping, the engine speed would be directly proportional to the vehicle speed. (unless you had a broken driveaxle, then the car would never move)

There are a number of threads here about the early GTs eating clutches. How many miles on yours?

My first Vibe needed a new clutch when I got rid of it. That slipping clutch is a terrible feeling, makes one a timid driver, especially when pulling out into traffic. On mine, stomping on the gas made it slip bad, but a gentle gradual slow tedious turtle-mode acceleration gave me better chance of actually getting the car to move from a stop. It would have been the second clutch replacement for mine, at 288K miles. Not sure if that is ok and typical, or if it means I suck at driving stick. So I traded it in on an equivalent auto tranny Vibe, and haven't looked back. Don't miss driving stick, but that's ok because I'm not a "real woman"

Good luck

@ trb: I brought it into the garage Saturday. Unfortunately, it got to the point that I couldn't even move forward at all, so I got it towed in... There was no opportunity to check if it's anything else. I'm sure the flywheel will need to be resurfaced...a burning smell started right before it crapped out.

@ joatmon: My GT is @ 142K, so I'm not surprised it's gone...especially since I drive like Andretti! Btw, I would never buy an automatic, I like to actually drive, not just float along...

What REALLY ticked me off on Saturday though, is that apparently some !d!0! decided to use my back bumper to give him/her some leverage to get out of a parking spot! There are repeated marks, both lengthwise & circular all along it, which weren't there Thursday. I noticed when my baby was being lifted onto the tow deck...it looks like the edge of a license plate & screw!