Pontiac Vibe, representative photo
Representative model. Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Bill Crittenden assumed (based on copyright, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5

Recalls & complaints · NHTSA data

2003 Pontiac Vibe recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint NHTSA has on file for the 2003 model year. Not every vehicle is affected by every campaign: check a specific car by VIN below.

Recall campaigns
8
Park-it warnings
0
Complaints
311
Latest campaign
Jan 23, 2020

Recall summary by component8

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h
ComponentCampaignsLatestCampaign IDs
Air bags6Jan 23, 2020
Visibility1Apr 10, 2008
Power train1Mar 11, 2002

Safety recalls8

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h
0Park-it warnings
0Fixable over the air
Jan 23, 2020Latest campaign
Jan 23, 202020V039000

Air bags: frontal passenger side

An air bag that does not inflate properly increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

DetailsHide details for campaign 20V039000
What's wrong
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The replacement air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation in high temperature conditions, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly.
Risk
An air bag that does not inflate properly increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the passenger air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2020. Owners may contact Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is N192278940.
Campaign
NHTSA 20V039000 · Jan 23, 2020
Dec 12, 201818V883000

Air bags: frontal passenger side

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

DetailsHide details for campaign 18V883000
What's wrong
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for these recalls are J0A (Zone A Toyota), J0B (Zone B Toyota), J0C (Zone C Toyota), JLI (Zone A Lexus), JLJ (Zone B Lexus), and JLK (Zone C Lexus). Note: This recall includes vehicles that have had their air bag previously replaced under an earlier air bag campaign.
Campaign
NHTSA 18V883000 · Dec 12, 2018
May 13, 201515V285000

Air bags

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…

DetailsHide details for campaign 15V285000
What's wrong
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.
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 injury or death.
Remedy
2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag. The recall began on July 13, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-762-2737. NOTE: This recall supersedes recall 14V-312 in its entirety.
Campaign
NHTSA 15V285000 · May 13, 2015
May 13, 201515V286000

Air bags

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…

DetailsHide details for campaign 15V286000
What's wrong
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that were not previously included. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.
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 injury or death.
Remedy
2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota began the recall on July 13, 2015. Pontiac Vibe owners may contact GM at 1-800-762-2737. GM began the recall on June 29, 2015. NOTE: This recacll supersedes recall 14V-655 in its entirety. For vehicles located in the U.S. states not listed above, please see Toyota recall 15V-285 which covers all other U.S. states.
Campaign
NHTSA 15V286000 · May 13, 2015
Jan 28, 201515V043000

Air bags: frontal

Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.

DetailsHide details for campaign 15V043000
What's wrong
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Risk
Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.
Remedy
Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. GM issued an interim notification to owners on March 27, 2015. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V-029 and 14V-147. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for one of those campaigns need to have the air bag control module replaced under this campaign.
Campaign
NHTSA 15V043000 · Jan 28, 2015
Jan 30, 201313V029000

Air bags

Inadvertent deployment of the airbags or the seat belt pretensioners may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.

DetailsHide details for campaign 13V029000
What's wrong
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits. This could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Risk
Inadvertent deployment of the airbags or the seat belt pretensioners may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Toyota will re-notify their owners who have already had their vehicles repaired with a noise filter, but did not receive a new airbag control module, and General Motors will re-notify theirs. Dealers previously installed a supplemental harness containing an electrical filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness, free of charge. Dealers will replace the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on March 13, 2013. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for second notices. For more information, Toyota owners may call 1-800-331-4331 and Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668.
Campaign
NHTSA 13V029000 · Jan 30, 2013
To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer (federal law; see limits).

Buying a used 2003 Pontiac Vibe? Recalls cover the model; a history report checks one car's title, odometer and accident records. VinAudit history report → Sponsored · disclosure

Owner complaints by component311

NHTSA Complaints API · cached ≤24 h
311Complaints filed
28Involving a crash
1Involving a fire
37Injuries reported
ComponentShareComplaints%CrashesFiresInjuries
Visibility7424007
Air bags662116018
Power train4916100
Structure279102
Electrical system248010
Exterior lighting145000
Vehicle speed control134503
Engine and engine cooling134000
Unknown or other93101
Seat belts93307
Tires83203
Steering72305
Service brakes72301
Fuel system72000
Suspension62000

13 more components with fewer complaints not shown. An owner can tag several components, so percentages add up to more than 100. Complaints are unverified owner reports, de-duplicated by NHTSA ODI number.

Latest reports

  • Unknown or other

    “Vehicle wright capacity on manufacturing sticker lists total capacity weight as 8601 pounds or 390KG. Converting 390kg to pounds is 860 pounds.”

    Filed 09/14/2026 · ODI 11764214
  • Air bags

    “The 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe was manufactured by Toyota and is for all intent and purposes is a 2003 Toyota Matrix.”

    Filed 01/30/2024 · ODI 11568755
  • Seat belts

    “Buckle came unlatched and latch will not lock at all driver and passenger”

    Filed 11/05/2022 · ODI 11492395

Other Pontiac Vibe model years

Other Pontiac models

2003 Pontiac Vibe recall questions

How many recalls does the 2003 Pontiac Vibe have?

NHTSA lists 8 safety recall campaigns for the 2003 Pontiac Vibe. The most recent, 20V039000 (reported January 23, 2020), concerns air bags. Not every vehicle is covered by every campaign; check a specific car by VIN.

What are the 2003 Pontiac Vibe recalls for?

The largest group is air bags, with 6 campaigns. Others: visibility (1), power train (1). Each campaign below lists the defect, the risk and the free remedy.

What is the most common complaint about the 2003 Pontiac Vibe?

Visibility is the most-reported component, named in 74 complaints out of 311 filed with NHTSA (24%). Across all complaints, owners reported 28 crashs and 1 fire. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

How do I check if a recall is open on my 2003 Pontiac Vibe?

Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. That shows campaigns still unrepaired on that exact car. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.

Check a specific Pontiac by VIN

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