GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

every time I start my car after it's sat overnight, the idle settles around 1800RPM. way too high. it will settle down to 1000 after about 5 minutes, and after driving it idles at 600 at a stop light.any idea what's causing this high idle speed?

that's completely normal, it's just warming itself up

Quote, originally posted by drunkenvibe »that's completely normal, it's just warming itself up Yep and if you have a CAI you will hear it too... Loud sucking noise till warm.

I love that sound when cold! It turns peoples heads! As said, it's a built warp up feature in the PCM. Pretty cool, really. Saves wear and tear on the motor.

Quote, originally posted by wicked1981 »Yep and if you have a CAI you will hear it too... Loud sucking noise till warm.ain't it sweet? i love to hear it... weee!

Quote, originally posted by trdvibe »ain't it sweet? i love to hear it... weee!yeah, that sound makes people wonder what the hell you have under your hood!barely tapping the pedal makes a pretty cool pfftsss sound also!

This high rpm idle is to heat up the catayltic converter fast, thereby reducing emisions. I do not like this "feature", especially having to put the auto trans in drive with the increased rpm.

Quote, originally posted by JohnC »I do not like this "feature", especially having to put the auto trans in drive with the increased rpm.exactly my point. I didn't know it was built this way, but it's a stupid feature. Long term it's going to be bad news for the transmission. I can't always sit and wait for 5 minutes for the idle to settle down. Every morning it's "CLUNK" into reverse, then as I'm shifting back into Drive the RPMs shoot up, then "CLUNK" into drive.

Almost every car does this. It also helps combustion while the convertor is coming up to temp. Me likey stick.

Yeah, it's normal. I got the base and it makes that suction sound. I love it. . Inder Singh

i think im gonna buy a AEM intake souly so i can get a sucking noise on cold days, who need the 15hp, i just want a sucking noise

nothing beats that sucking sound, especially on cold mornings

uhg all this is reminding me there is still so much work to be done to the vibe grrrr, i dont even have a CAI!!im such a looser, and i wanna get to 180+ hp to the wheels by next summer, if i could get about that then i could race anything as fast as a mustang GT which would make my day being the Vibe is soooooo friggin not fast looking with the grey trim and roof racks on it hehe, still sexy to me

I got the high idle on cold start this sun am. There was a lot of ice on the windshield & i started it up & it idled high with the defroster on. I could hear a clicking sound uinder the hood then the idle would go highter,then lower. The idle stayed high for about 15 minutes or so just sitting there in park. It returned to normal when i drove it about a 1/2 mile & hit my 1st stop sign. I remembered readen his post awhile ago, so I was expecting it. Base 09/1.8/Auto. I noticed this was a old post,so imagine the 09 hasn't changed much.

When I start mine it idles around 1600 and drops to 1200 after about 30 seconds. It doesn't drop to 700 until it's fully warmed up.

My cold start hits 2100 RPMs! Fully stockYep gas mileage is way worse now too lol. Wonder why

Me too. Gives me something nice (IMO) to listen to in the garage while warming 'er up.

Thanks 4 the replys,i bought the vibe this past summer & this will be my 1st winter with it.i gota check the tach next time & see exacty what rpm it starts in cold mode,by ear i know it was high.i been driven the 85 to work so i havent driven the vibe since sunday.