GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I just purchased a used 2010 Pontiac Vibe with 19000 miles a week ago. I've noticed the gas cap won't tighten beyond a single click--a click that feels different than other ratcheting gas caps I've had. Is this normal?

I ask because the check engine light has come on three times since we've gotten it, reporting "O2 sensor or gas cap" according to the autozone techs that have read the error codes.

Each time, we reset the codes, and after 230-300 miles, the check engine light comes on. Each time when tightening the gas cap, I can't get it past a single click, which seems strange to me.

The auto zone workers aren't technicians, they have no idea what they're talking about. If you get the actual code, we can help out because some of us are actually secretly mechanics

It may be broken if it only clicks once. It should be cheap to replace, maybe go ahead and try? If you have a second car, I suspect gas caps may actually be practically universal, although my search results are only turning up hordes of people on Yahoo Answers asking if it's ok to go without the cap entirely?

The code was P0440 on the second and third visits. I didn't ask on the first.

It sounds like a gas cap that only clicks once and won't continue to tighten is suspect. I'll try swapping it out.

On all other GM autos I can remember, the gas cap clicks repeatedly until it's too tight to turn. On our Vibe, the gas cap sort-of weakly clicks once and won't continue to twist.

dartyb wrote:I just purchased a used 2010 Pontiac Vibe with 19000 miles a week ago. I've noticed the gas cap won't tighten beyond a single click--a click that feels different than other ratcheting gas caps I've had. Is this normal?

I ask because the check engine light has come on three times since we've gotten it, reporting "O2 sensor or gas cap" according to the autozone techs that have read the error codes.

Each time, we reset the codes, and after 230-300 miles, the check engine light comes on. Each time when tightening the gas cap, I can't get it past a single click, which seems strange to me.

First off ... WELCOME to GenVibe When you get a chance, open a separate post to introduce yourself, post pics of your Vibe, and update your profile showing location! As you read down here you'll notice that I combined your two topics of interest into this one post.

The gas cap issue. For you to be asking about the "one click" rule, I'm to assume that your gas cap does NOT look like this ...............











Check to make sure the large "O" ring is there and not cracked/damaged. Is the internal spring present and has tension on it? Is your cap attached with the rubber factory lanyard like that shown in the pics? If not then it's possible that the cap was replaced BUT with one that is not compatible with our Vibes.

As far as going 200-300 miles or so before throwing a code, this is normal as the Vibe's 'puter allows room for error before immediately posting a code. Otherwise several of us who leave the gas station and forget to put our cap back on (been there - done that) would be constantly resetting codes!

dartyb wrote: Can anyone confirm that the Toyota Matrix intermediate steering shaft is compatible in 09-10 Vibes
We got out 2010 Vibe last week and at exactly 20000 miles ours started the tell-tale knocking/clunking so may others have described. I'd have it replaced in a heartbeat if I knew the repair would last. It sounds like the updated Toyota Matrix part is the best bet, rather than replacing with a potentially similar defective part from GM--if it's compatible.

Now onto this dreaded and confusing topic. If you undertake this rather involved task of changing out the steering column, make sure you have the latest IMPROVED designed part. Otherwise you're wasting your time. One member here, who happens to work at a dealership, changed out 3 or 4 columns before he got a good one. This was a couple years ago or so. I believe they are the identical part (your original question) but not 100% sure. My Vibe, like yours, has under 20k miles and still does not have this annoying condition. My son's Vibe had this from day one over THREE years ago when we bought it used @ 35k miles. It is annoying BUT not a serious driving threat ..... yet! He just lives with it for now. Do a lot of research before diving into this repair to make sure it WILL fix the problem.

Hope some of this helps ..................... Again... WELCOME

Thanks for the replies. That is exactly the design of the gas cap on mine.

My wife and father-in-law have similar GM/ACDelco gas caps with the same "Turn until 1 click" on the cap. Their caps both continue to tighten through multiple clicks. I have to twist fairly hard on mine to get a single click--hard enough a typical grandma could struggle with it. What's more, the click is not satisfying, almost as if the ratchet is jammed. Does any of that make sense or sound broken?

For the intermediate steering shaft issue. I'm working with Chevy dealer we got the car from to sort through that. We love the car--it's gotten between 33.5 and 37 mpg on 3 fill-ups with a Rola roof rack on top, and the cavernous cargo area is great, but these annoyance issues are discouraging considering we just bought it.

Welcome! Regarding the gas cap, the one on my 2010 GT would only click once. I remember trying to turn it more than that like the one in my son's 06, and could not. Might be the difference between a Toyota gas one click cap and a GM one. Maybe yours is the same, but mine was not difficult to click. If the seal is good, then it might be worth it to get a replacement.

Good luck on it!

dartyb wrote:The code was P0440 on the second and third visits. I didn't ask on the first.

They really said O2 sensor? The O2 sensor has absolutely nothing to do with the EVAP emissions system!

Anyway, just go ahead and get a new cap. That's the cheapest solution for an EVAP system malfunction. Worst case scenario, it's the EVAP charcoal canister. Other scenario, purge solenoid. Last scenario, but cheapest: gas cap. You won't know if you've fixed it until a few hours of sitting later, when the EVAP system tests itself.

Welcome to GenVibe! As tpollauf recommended, start a thread in the GenVibe Lounge to introduce yourself and give us more info on your "new" Vibe.

As far as your gas cap issue goes, we don't have this problem on either of our 2009 Vibe GTs. As others have said, I would start with getting a new OEM gas cap since that's the cheapest and easiest place to start. Keep us updated...

New gas cap arrived. It's identical to the first--stops at one very weak click. This seems like a really flimsy design to me.

A friend of mine who is an engineer with Toyota also pointed out this was the same cap design used on his 2010 Toyota Prius, which he ended up replacing with a generic non-ratcheting cap because he was having similar issues. He thought it could be two stupid things: 1. The gas cap has too much play, and can be tightened or jolted slightly crooked, leaving a slow leak around the seal. 2. The seal gets easily deformed if left in place too long.

In my case, however, the check engine light hasn't returned in over a week, 300+ miles, and over 20 engine cycles. If there was a consistent vacuum leak it seems like it would have been triggered by now. I'm beginning to suspect this has something to do with a humidity-induced short somewhere. The CEL has only illuminated when I've left the car parked for hours over a sandy/grassy driveway following moist weather.

I'll follow up if I can confirm anything.

The Check Engine Light, VSC, and traction control lights all came back on a couple days ago. I got an OBDII code reader. It was $25 and both our cars are throwing codes right now.

I'm getting P0441 and P0455.

P0441: Evaporative Emission Control System Incorrect Purge Flow
P0455: Evaporative Emission Control System Leak Detected (no purge flow or large leak)

Anyone have unfortunate experience with this combination?

The traction control system will probably be part of an ABS system; you need a code reader that can access ABS codes to read those.

Both of those codes basically say you have a big EVAP system leak. Did you ever replace the cap at all? You never specified yes or no.

You may consider visually inspecting the entire EVAP system or taking it to a mechanic.

I did replace the gas cap with an identical ACDelco one. No change.

Reading on other threads here, an evap leak can shut down the Sensatrack and VSC. Even a loose gas cap can apparently cause the same issue.

It seems odd to me that the issue would only reappear 300+ miles after each reset. It seems like brake problems would trigger on any trip, and a continuous leak in the system seems like it would trigger the CEL more frequently.

http://spyderchat.com/forums/archive/in ... 31054.html

http://www.spyderchat.com/forums/showth ... I-fixed-it

Hope that second one helps if all else fails. It's a dreaded code on Spyderchat as well.

dartyb wrote:It seems odd to me that the issue would only reappear 300+ miles after each reset. It seems like brake problems would trigger on any trip, and a continuous leak in the system seems like it would trigger the CEL more frequently.

It doesn't test the system until the car hasn't been running for a while.

Just to tie up this thread: The evap leak was a hole in one of the vacuum hoses. The car sat with the previous owner, and it appears a chipmunk or other rodent had some fun. I wasn't able to find the leak, but the dealer did and covered the repair, admitting they should have noticed it before selling the vehicle. Good on them.

So: P0441 and P0455 OBDII codes thrown for a hole in a vacuum hose.

Very lucky the rodent didn't chew ABS or knock sensor wires!