Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2004 Pontiac Vibe
NHTSA data on file today
The 2004 Pontiac Vibe has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns and 266 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 #15V286000 Passenger Side Front Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V285000 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
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 104 complaints
- Visibility 70 complaints
- Structure 24 complaints
- Electrical System 12 complaints
- Power Train 12 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 11 complaints
Of the 266 complaints on file, 18 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 266 complaints, owners report 33 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $3,500–$6,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2004 Pontiac Vibe has an average reliability rating, primarily due to issues related to airbags and visibility. With 7 recalls and 266 complaints, airbag and visibility problems are prominent. However, the data is insufficient to conclude high failure rates for other components, suggesting average reliability overall.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags | 80,000–120,000 miles | $600–$1,200 | common |
| Power windows | 50,000–90,000 miles | $200–$500 | 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.
- Regular oil changes
- Tire rotations every 6,000 miles
- Brake system inspection every 20,000 miles
- Coolant replacement every 30,000 miles
- Transmission fluid check annually
- Replace spark plugs every 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Passenger airbag malfunction
- Window glass loosening
- Inadvertent airbag deployment
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2004 Pontiac Vibe at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.