Introduction and a few dilemma questions...

[takearushfan]

Hi all. I have a black Pontiac Vibe from 2006. Its needed thousand in repairs over the years so that's nothing new to me but I'm in a bit of a pickle and could use some answers.
I needed lots of repairs last July that I'm still paying off ($2,000) and now I have THREE new problems...
1. Codes C0215 and C1241 - According to Auto Zone nothing is truly wrong other than some sort of sensor malfunction with the left rear wheel making my ABS, pressure and brake light stay on.
2. My blower doesn't blow at all anymore. That should be fun when it's sweltering out or freezing in winter.
3. What I think is the HVAC blend door actuator. It does stop when the car is off but the dash has a constant clicking that I noticed around the time the heat/cool stopped being efficient, prior to the blower dying completely.
Though the parts themselves probably don't total all that much, good grief, the labor... the only auto repair places that can do all three repairs are notorious (some from personal experience) for being as shady and overpriced as possible.
For those of you that know repairs, what would you say is a ballpark HONEST estimate with parts and labor for all three repairs? I'd like to know which places are quoting me more reasonably and which are trying to pull one over on me.
I appreciate your help,
Thanks,
Justin

[tpollauf]

Welcome to GenVibe, Justin. One big piece of info you left out is your LOCATION. Some of us could be your neighbor OR at least be in the same town or close to where we could recommend a shop or two to go to. Sounds like you got taken advantage of a few times there. Vibes are easy to work on & fix and generally wont break the bank either. Update your profile and maybe another member can point you in a better direction as to where to go. Thanks .................... Tim

[VibeNation2024]

Justin - I can't help with #1 but since it looks like that code can be different causes (speed sensor, wiring, sensor ring, ABS module), this one could be expensive and frustrating if the shop does not diagnose it properly. #2 looks to be a few hour job and the part is less than $100 depending on the brand. I would say this would be a 300-500 dollar repair from a a shop. As far as #3, I recently purchased a 2008 Vibe and had this actuator door clicking. A local shop quoted me $587 since they were going to take apart the dash to get to it! I just ordered the part for less than $50 and completed the repair myself without taking apart the dash. I just removed the glove compartment door and went through that way. It is definately a pain to get to but there are plenty of videos, pics, location info, tips etc. I just used a socket with a rubber band around it to turn the upper screw. I have smaller hands so that made it easier.

As Tim mentioned, a location would help to provide more accurate info and/or a helping hand.

[takearushfan]

Welcome to GenVibe, Justin. One big piece of info you left out is your LOCATION. Some of us could be your neighbor OR at least be in the same town or close to where we could recommend a shop or two to go to. Sounds like you got taken advantage of a few times there. Vibes are easy to work on & fix and generally wont break the bank either. Update your profile and maybe another member can point you in a better direction as to where to go. Thanks .................... Tim

Oh, I'm in Buffalo area, particularly Tonawanda, NY. Yeah, I learned the hard way not to go to Monroe. I can even tell by his smug attitude that he things I'm naive but unfortunately he's good at kind of manipulating things in a way that leaves you no choice.
- Justin

[takearushfan]

Justin - I can't help with #1 but since it looks like that code can be different causes (speed sensor, wiring, sensor ring, ABS module), this one could be expensive and frustrating if the shop does not diagnose it properly. #2 looks to be a few hour job and the part is less than $100 depending on the brand. I would say this would be a 300-500 dollar repair from a a shop. As far as #3, I recently purchased a 2008 Vibe and had this actuator door clicking. A local shop quoted me $587 since they were going to take apart the dash to get to it! I just ordered the part for less than $50 and completed the repair myself without taking apart the dash. I just removed the glove compartment door and went through that way. It is definately a pain to get to but there are plenty of videos, pics, location info, tips etc. I just used a socket with a rubber band around it to turn the upper screw. I have smaller hands so that made it easier.

As Tim mentioned, a location would help to provide more accurate info and/or a helping hand.

Ugh, no wonder people learn to fix things themselves. I'm in a really awful place in life where... I'm basically, scr-wed. Another fuel to the fire situation is that inspection is due by the end of next month. It's not going to pass if the sensor is falsely making the abs and brake light go on, will it?

[joatmon]

1. I'm no help on this one
2. It could be the blower motor itself , the Heater fuse, or the Heater relay. It is not the blower resistor, (even with the blower resistor disconnected the blower will still run at top speed)
-The heater fuse is a big box fuse in the under dash fuse block.
-The heater relay is on top of a junction box above the glove box. Some here have run into problems with relays there working themselves loose. There's a pic of the top of that junction block at download/file.php?id=33 with the block unscrewed and pulled down, you should be able to reach up around with it in place and see if any of the relays there can be pushed down.
- after 18 years, the brushes in the blower motor may be worn out. Some folks have gotten a failing blower motor to work temporarily by giving it a good whack. If its the blower, a lot easier to replace the thing rather than operate on it to replace the brushes
3. This is a very common issue in 03-08 Vibes, a plastic gear has lost a few teeth. Some replace the assembly; some pull it, take it apart, and rotate the afflicted gear 180 degrees; and some just disconnect the electrical connector on the assembly, leaving it in fresh air all the time. Its one of the few Vibe parts that are not the same on a Matrix.

I can't offer any estimates to have a shop fix those things, other than to say it will cost more than I think it should. Typically, having a dealer do repairs is the most expensive option

[takearushfan]

1. I'm no help on this one
2. It could be the blower motor itself , the Heater fuse, or the Heater relay. It is not the blower resistor, (even with the blower resistor disconnected the blower will still run at top speed)
-The heater fuse is a big box fuse in the under dash fuse block.
-The heater relay is on top of a junction box above the glove box. Some here have run into problems with relays there working themselves loose. There's a pic of the top of that junction block at download/file.php?id=33 with the block unscrewed and pulled down, you should be able to reach up around with it in place and see if any of the relays there can be pushed down.
- after 18 years, the brushes in the blower motor may be worn out. Some folks have gotten a failing blower motor to work temporarily by giving it a good whack. If its the blower, a lot easier to replace the thing rather than operate on it to replace the brushes
3. This is a very common issue in 03-08 Vibes, a plastic gear has lost a few teeth. Some replace the assembly; some pull it, take it apart, and rotate the afflicted gear 180 degrees; and some just disconnect the electrical connector on the assembly, leaving it in fresh air all the time. Its one of the few Vibe parts that are not the same on a Matrix.

I can't offer any estimates to have a shop fix those things, other than to say it will cost more than I think it should. Typically, having a dealer do repairs is the most expensive option

With #2 it did used to come back on if I went over a bump and it did turn on briefly yesterday but only at a very low force.
With #3 but won't that mean it doesn't actually cool or heat?
Do you guys typically do repairs yourself or take it in? I'm afraid I'll mess things up.

[joatmon]

With #3 but won't that mean it doesn't actually cool or heat?

#2 is the fan/blower motor. #3 is a different animal. At the top of the HVAC assembly, up under the passenger airbag, there is a little motor and gear assembly that moves a flap inside the air box. This assembly is completely independent of the blower motor and whether or not AC is on and whatever the temperature selection is.. When it moves the flap one way, it closes off outside air and opens the input to inside air, when it moves the other way, it opens up for outside air and closes off inside air intake. Its only function is to switch between fresh air and recirculate.

The problem is that in either position, the motor is always getting power and over time, this constant pressure on a plastic gear causes a few gear teeth to break off. The motor can then spin freely, catching and uncatching the broken gear, causing the repeated clack sound.

The easy way to verify that this is happening is to hit the recirc button, and if the noise stops, you've verified the problem. However, most people prefer fresh air over recirc . The little motor gear assembly has a little electrical connector, and if you disconnect that while its in the fresh air position, then the little motor won't get any power and will stop snagging on the broken gear teeth, so you'll get fresh air and no noise but lose the ability to select recirc. Not the ultimate solution but can get you by until the fresh/recirc motor assembly is replaced or repaired. However, its up over the glove box and can be difficult to see or access.

[takearushfan]

With #3 but won't that mean it doesn't actually cool or heat?

The easy way to verify that this is happening is to hit the recirc button, and if the noise stops, you've verified

Now that you mention it, when it first started I used to do that to stop the clicking. It no longer stops it now for some reason.

[VibeNation2024]

The reason that it no longer stops the clicking is because the teeth on that side of the gear are now broken off. Here is a picture of the inside with some teeth broken off before I replaced mine.

[takearushfan]

The reason that it no longer stops the clicking is because the teeth on that side of the gear are now broken off. Here is a picture of the inside with some teeth broken off before I replaced mine.

They must break much too easily. This is the 3rd time since I've had it, 2014.

[tpollauf]

They must break much too easily. This is the 3rd time since I've had it, 2014.

Yep. Pretty sad Several of us have replaced this part more than once!

[takearushfan]

They must break much too easily. This is the 3rd time since I've had it, 2014.

Yep. Pretty sad Several of us have replaced this part more than once!

Due to multiple circumstances I can't get any of this repaired anyhow so it looks like I'll just have to deal with it all for now, unfortunately.