Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Pontiac Vibe, and it carries 4 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 46 | 73% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 3 | 5% |
| Steering | 2 | 3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 3% |
| Tires | 2 | 3% |
| Engine | 1 | 2% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 2% |
| Seat belts | 1 | 2% |
| Power train | 1 | 2% |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER AIR BAG WA
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. HONOLULU BUICK GM
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL LETTER FROM PONTIAC IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN DATED OCTOBER 2019 STATING THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG ASSEMBLY CONTAINING AN INFLATOR IS DEFECTIVE. THE AIR BAG MAY NOT UNFOLD AS DESIGNED DURI
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIRBAG) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER KINGMAN C
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER :19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EX
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I CONTACTED GM ABOUT THE RECALL AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE PART YET AND WHEN THE GET THE PART IN THEY WOULD CONTACT ME TO REPLACE IT BUT THAT WAS IN 2019 AND NEVER HERD FROM THEM THIS VERY DAY. *TR
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
RECEIVED LETTER FROM PONTIAC DATED OCT 2019 THAT FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE AND MIGHT NOT INFLATE AND COULD INJURE PERSON IN A CAR CRASH. REPAIR PARTS WERE NOT READY IN OCT 2019. IT IS NOW SEVEN MONTHS LAT
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V627000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANU
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Pontiac Vibe. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Corolla, 2005-2008 Corolla Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation under high temperatur
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly or sub-assembly, free of charge. Toyota owners may contact Toy
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Lexus SC vehicles manufactured August 3, 2007, to July 30, 2010, 2008 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured May 25, 2007, to December 21, 2007, 2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to
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 occupants potentially resulting in serious inj
Fix: The recall began on March 25, 2016 for Toyota and Lexus vehicle owners. The recall began on June 23, 2016 for GM owners. The respective dealers will either replace the front passenger air bag infla
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Lexus SC vehicles manufactured August 3, 2007, to July 30, 2010, 2008 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to December 21, 2007, 2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured June 1, 2007, to
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 occupants potentially resulting in serious inj
Fix: The recall began on March 25, 2016 for Toyota and Lexus vehicle owners. The recall began on June 8, 2016 for GM owners. The respective dealers will either replace the front passenger air bag inflato
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 PONTIAC VIBE VEHICLES. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) FOR THE SUBJECT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH THE 1ZZ-FE (LV6) ENGINE AND TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A CRACK MAY DEVELOP AT CERTAIN SOLDER POINTS OR ON
Risk: THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WARNINGS AND CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT. THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP COULD BE ILLUMINATED, HARSH SHIFTING COULD RESULT, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START, OR THE ENGINE COULD S
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PRODUCTION NUMBER OF THE ECM AND REPLACE THE ECM IF NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 8, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTAC
| Reliability raw | 75 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 75 | good |
| Maintenance | 90 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 60 | average |
| Performance | 43 | below average |
| Efficiency | 49 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other wagons in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 46 of them (73%). There are 4 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 75/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2008 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.