2009 Pontiac Vibe Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

33Steering complaints

6.3%Of all 527 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS352 · 66.8%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL39 · 7.4%

STEERING33 · 6.3%

ENGINE29 · 5.5%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL19 · 3.6%

Share of the 527 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2009 Pontiac Vibe overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC VIBE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE…”NHTSA complaint 10639229 — filed 09/26/2014

“WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS (LESS THAN 35), THERE IS A NOTICEABLE SHAKING / VIBRATION / RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM EITHER THE STEERING COLUMN OR…”NHTSA complaint 10489303 — filed 12/19/2012

“AT SPEEDS BELOW 25 MPH, A RATTLING IS HEARD AND FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER STEERING COLUMN BUT…”NHTSA complaint 10450116 — filed 03/02/2012

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Pontiac Vibe have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2009 Pontiac Vibe: 33 of 527 complaints on file (6.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2009 Pontiac Vibe have in total?

527 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 23 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 10 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.