GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

2003 vibe awd auto 178k miles. 2 weeks ago it wouldn't move in any gear, acts like parking brakes on. Checked trans oil was a little low & dirty. Added 12 oz of Lucas, no help, unhooked batt to reset, no change. 2 hours later it went into gear & drove great for 2 weeks. Now it is in driveway, won't move! You can feel it go into reverse, drive, park, neutral etc.. It moves about 1 foot at 2500 rpm+ acts like parking brakes on. Dragging passenger side rear wheel.

For at least a year could hear winning noise from rear end. Possibly wheel bearing?

At least 80k on all rearend parts.

Can feel car going into every gear. It just won't move!

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Jack the rear wheels off the ground and try turning each wheel by hand, then put the transmission in neutral and try turning each wheel by hand. Watch both rear wheels when you do this. What do you get?

Pass side break seized up. Broke a wheel cylender removing. Goin to get new shoes & a new cylender now.

If the wheel cylinder seized up, you may want to replace both rear wheel cylinders and be sure to flush out all the old brake fluid from the system. If you use your hand parking brake then check your cables to each of the rear wheels. If the parking brake cables are not releasing then that could lock a wheel too. The cables must release on their own. If they don't release, you can try lubing them but most of the time the cable is frayed inside and has to be replaced.

Put new set shoes on rear, replaced cylinder, bled all 4 brakes. Drives good, still seems spongy on brakes. Possibly shoes adjusting ??

Spongy is air still in the fluid. Pedal travel is shoe adjustment. If the brake parts are clean and working properly, the self adjuster will set the brake shoes. The self adjusters work by driving the car backwards and forwards. That rocks the shoes in the drum and works the adjuster lever. The shoes do have to be adjusted in the ball park to start with for the self adjuster to work. Normally you would put the drum on, and through the adjust hole in the backing plate, manually adjust the shoes out until you feel some drag as you spin the drum by hand. Now go and work the car forward and backward about 10 times with hard braking and the self adjusters will take care of the rest. Check for leaks.

Thanks Jolt for all your expertise. Going to drive it today & see if they adjust & this evening Chk for leaks. Thanks again!