repaired · 2022 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
2005 Pontiac VibeProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 301 owner complaints about the 2005 Pontiac Vibe, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-627 the manufacturer reports only 33% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 19, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Pontiac Vibe has problems
301 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
174Air bags10 crash/fire/injury
34Power train
33Engine and engine cooling
17Visibility
15Electrical system
11Engine
8Vehicle speed control
6Tires
6Structure
2814 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 174 | 10 |
| Power train | 34 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 33 | 0 |
| Visibility | 17 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 2 |
| Engine | 11 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 1 |
| Tires | 6 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 1 |
| 14 other systems | 28 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2005 Pontiac Vibe recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2021 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2021 Q3
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
repaired · 2021 Q3
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Engine and engine cooling
Risk. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WARNINGS AND CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Pontiac.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
118kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 40 air bags complaints. 40% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 49% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
6under 30k miles16under 100k miles24100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2005 vs. every other Vibe year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Vibe median. How we score
'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'14
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 Pontiac Vibe safety ratings
2005 Pontiac Vibe 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 4 stars (14.0% risk)
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 Pontiac Vibe, and the recalls they led to.
- Engine StallLed to recall 10V-384
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 14V-668
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 13V-172
In owners' words
What Vibe owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V285000 (Air Bags); and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.
The contact owned a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V883000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac Vibe. The contact received a recall notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V883000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact…
Own a 2005 Vibe?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.