Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2003 Pontiac Vibe
NHTSA data on file today
The 2003 Pontiac Vibe has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns and 298 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #20V039000 Front Passenger Air Bag May Not Properly Inflate NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V883000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V285000 Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V286000 Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V043000 Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V029000 Airbag Inadvertent Deployment NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V162000 WINDOW REGULATOR BOLTS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #02V074002 GM/REAR AXLE HUB ASSEMBLY BOLT NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Visibility 74 complaints
- Air Bags 66 complaints
- Power Train 49 complaints
- Structure 24 complaints
- Electrical System 23 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 14 complaints
Of the 298 complaints on file, 27 report a crash; across all 298 complaints, owners report 35 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$8,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2003 Pontiac Vibe has an 'average' reliability, mainly due to its 298 owner complaints and 8 recalls. The majority of issues focus on visibility and airbag systems, with a moderate number of complaints in the powertrain and electrical areas. The presence of numerous airbag-related recalls indicates concerns, although the vehicle overall performs consistently in other aspects. The complaint data provided limits a definitive judgment.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | Unknown | $500–$1,500 | common |
| Power windows | Unknown | $100–$300 | occasional |
| Transmission | 80,000–120,000 miles | $1,500–$3,000 | occasional |
| Electrical system | Unknown | $200–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake pad and rotor replacement
- Coolant flush
- Transmission fluid change
- Tire rotations and alignment
- Battery replacement
- Spark plug replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive airbags
- Power window malfunctions
- Transmission slipping
- Unexpected electrical issues
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2003 Pontiac Vibe at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.