GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Started up our new (to us) 04 Vibe this morning, and it idled in Park at around 2000 rpm for a good long while...perhaps 2 minutes. After that, it finally started to SLOWLY drop down to just over 1000 rpm, but it took another minute.

Is that normal?? On our other cars, we're at around 1500rpm on startup, followed by 500 to 1000 rpm after only 15-30 seconds or so.

Does it especially do it on cold mornings? How many miles on the car? Is the check engine light on?

I suspect the Intake Manifold gasket needs to be replaced. It's a common problem with the base engine.

SeattleJeremy wrote:Does it especially do it on cold mornings? How many miles on the car? Is the check engine light on?

I suspect the Intake Manifold gasket needs to be replaced. It's a common problem with the base engine.

Haven't noticed it until now; we just bought the car a week ago. Has 110,000km on it (I guess that's around 65,000 miles). Check engine light is not on.

Is there any way to verify that the gasket needs to be replaced, other than taking it in to a dealer?

It is normal. My '06 idles at 1800 rpm when first started. What I have found is that the idle slows when the O2 sensor warms up enough that the engine goes into closed loop control. I think it is an emissions control "feature" that cuts down the time that it takes the engine to go into closed loop control. Other manufacturers use different methods such as air injection pumps to accomplish the same thing.

The length of time it takes for the engine to go into closed loop control depends on several factors such as ambient temperature and how recently the engine has been run. In warmer weather after sitting overnight my idle will start to slow in less than a minute. I suppose if it takes an excessive amount of time to slow it could indicate that the O2 sensor is starting to go bad, although I think that should set an error code.

Vibers have been complaining about this for, oh, 11 years. Sucks but is perfectly normal.

Just remember to use firm brake pressure when stopping, it will try to get away from you...

After a few years of living with this "normal for a Vibe" situation I had my mechanic change the gasket. I'm much happier with my Vibe on cold starts now.
It's a simple process, the gasket is only $10, and takes less than an hour for any place to change.

Edit: I only had the check-engine light come on a few times on really cold days (below freezing).

Interesting! Mine idled at 2,000 RPM when cold since the day I bought it.

Well, the idle on ours isn't what I'd call "rough" like my just-about-dead 02 Elantra, so the only reason I guess I'd really want to address it right now would be if it was hurting fuel economy. Sounds like it's a bit of a question mark on that score though.

You should try cleaning your MAF sensor and throttle body. Its a pretty simple process. That usually helps a lot.

triz wrote:You should try cleaning your MAF sensor and throttle body. Its a pretty simple process. That usually helps a lot.

Is there a guide how to do that, somewheres?

canadave wrote:

triz wrote:You should try cleaning your MAF sensor and throttle body. Its a pretty simple process. That usually helps a lot.

Is there a guide how to do that, somewheres?

Here you go, make sure to read the first and second post.
viewtopic.php?t=29887" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks very much, I appreciate it!

I had the exact same problem on my 2003 with 95,000 miles until I changed the plugs. I took the car in for service and the mechanic told me that the car was throwing a code for a misfire on the number one cylinder. He was asking over $300 for a tune-up (oil change, transmission fluid, plugs and air cleaner) so I went to the auto parts store and got the parts myself.

I did the oil change and transmission fluid one weekend, then did the plugs and air filter the following weekend. I didn't notice the improvement until after I did the plugs and air filter.

So, I finally decided to take Ginger in to the local shop and have them investigate the high idle and possibly replace the intake manifold gasket. My wife drove the car over, while I made my way over in my other car. When I got there, she was standing next to Ginger while the mechanic was studying his OBD2 reader scan. "Hmm," he says, "I really can't see any issue." I told him about how this forum said often the issue was the intake manifold gasket, and he said, "Well, that may be, but I gotta tell you that I've done many services on these cars, sometimes with 300,000km on them, and I've never seen a problem with the intake manifold gasket."

Well, be that as it may, I figured that if nothing else, it would be cheap preventative maintenance, so I had him do the replacement anyway.

And lo and behold, when my wife and I got back home (she drove Ginger), she said "you know, the idle seems better." We're going to see how it is tomorrow morning when it's cold, but I'm betting it'll be much better.

Well, good thing I'm not a betting man I tested the idle just now first thing this morning, and here's what I'm finding:

-- On turn of the key, the idle goes to around 1,500rpm, holds there for a few seconds, then zooms up to around 2,000rpm.
-- It stays around 2,000rpm, maybe a little lower, for another minute or two, then starts to settle back down toward 1,500rpm.
-- From there on, as the engine temperature gauge needle starts to slowly move higher, the rpms start to slowly move lower. By the time the temperature gauge is close to normal, the rpms are at a nice and steady 1,000rpm.

So I guess now I'm wondering whether it'd be worth my while to take off the IAC valve and try to clean that, see if it makes a difference. The mechanic also mentioned something about possibly a malfunctioning coolant sensor being the culprit, so I wonder if replacing that would make a difference too.....

I suppose in the end it's not a huge major deal, but I just want to make sure I keep this older car operating at as close to peak efficiency as possible.

If you are interested in cleaning the IACV valve I posted some pictures on the process when I did mine here: viewtopic.php?t=36489" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;