Recall Alert: 2008-2009 Pontiac G8

General Motors is recalling 38,444 2008-2009 Pontiac G8s because of the increased risk of head injury in smaller adult females when the airbag deploys in a collision, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The G8 doesn’t have adequate protection for women who weigh about 108 pounds and are 4-foot-11 or shorter. When the front passenger seat is positioned fully forward, there could be a delay in airbag deployment, which could increase the risk of head injury in smaller adult females. The risk was identified when testing the 2012 Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle, which is related to the G8.

GM dealers will reprogram the sensing and diagnostic module free of charge. For more info, owners can call Pontiac at 800-620-7668 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

What Are Pontiac Owners Buying Today?

Has it been nearly two years since General Motors filed for bankruptcy protection? Yes indeed. The automaker filed Chapter 11 in June 2009, and with that, the fates of Hummer, Saturn and Pontiac were sealed.

The most important of those shuttered brands was arguably Pontiac because of its size. In 2008, Pontiac was the 12th most popular brand in America, slotting between Kia and Mazda. So where is the Pontiac diaspora migrating? They’re mainly going to other GM brands, according to a recent study by RL Polk & Co.

In 2010, of the 57,641 former Pontiac owners looking for a new ride, nearly 53.3% of them purchased another remaining GM brand. Historically, nearly 60% of Pontiac owners have remained loyal to GM, so the figure is slightly down.

GM Plays Matchmaker for Pontiac, Saturn Owners

Saturn and Pontiac were officially dissolved at the end of October when GM terminated all franchise agreements with its dealerships for the brands. To keep Pontiac and Saturn owners in the GM universe, the automaker has set up websites that play matchmaker for them and their next car.

On each site, GM will match your current ride with a new vehicle. The catch is it will only match you with a new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac vehicle, which leads to some interesting matches. For instance, selecting a Saturn Aura will match you to a Chevrolet Malibu, Buick LaCrosse, Buick Regal and Cadillac CTS. The Malibu and Regal are the closest to the Aura in terms of cost. If you have a Pontiac Montana, the website will suggest GM’s large to midsize crossovers such as the Chevy Traverse and GMC Terrain. GM currently has no minivan offerings.

Recall Alert: 2005-2008 Pontiac Vibe

GM has confirmed that the 2005-2008 Pontiac Vibe is included in the previously announced recall of 1.3 million Toyota Corolla and Matrix models. About 200,000 Vibes are included.

As we stated in the earlier recall alert: “The engine control modules in some of these vehicles is defective and can lead to harsh shifting, stalling, or the vehicle could fail to start. Dealers will inspect the part to see if it is one of the defective units and replace it if necessary free of charge to owners."

There is no fix for the defect yet, and owners will receive a preliminary notification in mid-September. When the necessary replacement parts are available, Pontiac owners will be instructed to take their vehicles to an existing GM dealer, where the service will be conducted free of charge.
 
Owners can contact the National Highway Safety Administration at 888-327-4236.

GM Recalling 1.3 Million Cars Over Steering Defects

GM announced today it is recalling 1.3 million cars worldwide for a faulty power-steering system. In the U.S., about 905,000 2005-2010 Chevy Cobalts and 2007-2010 Pontiac G5s are included. The problem is with the power-steering system’s motor, which can make turning the car at speeds below 15 mph harder.

GM says owners will be able to steer the car and that a chime and warning message of “Power Steering” should illuminate. The company says this is more likely to happen as the cars age.

Unfortunately, GM doesn’t have a remedy in place to fix the problem for so many vehicles. It will likely include power steering motors being replaced. GM will contact owners when it has a plan, and we’ll make sure to update our readers when they can get their cars serviced.

Concerned owners can contact GM’s owner center at www.gmownercenter.com or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle safety hot line at 888-327-4236. 

Toyota Recall Update: Pontiac Vibe Gets Fix

Worried owners of 2009 and 2010 Pontiac Vibes should now be somewhat relieved that GM dealers are getting the parts they need to fix that vehicle, which was included in the recent Toyota recall of 2.3 million vehicles for sticky accelerator pedals.

Parts are being shipped this week, and letters will be sent to owners Feb. 16. Owners are being instructed in that mailing to contact their dealers after Feb. 22 to schedule an appointment.

Other news surrounding Toyota’s recent recall issues:

• An official announcement from Toyota regarding the 2010 Prius and reported braking problems is expected this week, some say as soon as Tuesday.
• NPR says a Lexus hybrid may also be included but doesn’t say which one.Other reports mention the new HS 250h.
• Toyota’s assembly plants that were shut down last week will start back up as early as today.
• Idled assembly workers spent their downtime on, among other things, improving quality control.

GM and Toyota Sorting Out Pedal Fix for Vibe

Toyota announced that parts to fix sticking accelerator pedals will be arriving at Toyota dealerships by the end of the week. For owners of 2009 and 2010 Pontiac Vibes — a mechanical twin to the Toyota Matrix — GM says in a press release that the automaker and Toyota are sorting out how soon parts will be available for service at GM dealerships.
 
Owners can expect to be contacted by GM when a fix is available. There are 99,293 2009 and 2010 Vibes in the United States and Canada included in Toyota’s sticking accelerator pedal and floormat entrapment recalls. You can contact Pontiac at 800-620-7668 or visit GM’s owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Where Do Recalled Pontiac Vibe Owners Go?

There are currently 99,293 2009 and 2010 Pontiac Vibes on the road that are also part of Toyota’s floormat and accelerator pedal recall, according to General Motors. If you’re a Vibe owner, you should expect a letter soon from GM explaining that you’ll be able to take your car to a local GM dealership once it has been informed from Toyota about repairs to address the recalls. As of now, there is still no official word of a timeframe for a fix, but owners will not be dealing with Toyota dealers directly for the repairs.  
 
The two recalls that affect 2009 and 2010 Vibes revolve around unintended acceleration. One recall is for floormats that can interfere with the accelerator. Toyota recommends removing the floormats until repairs can be made.
 
The other recall is for a potential faulty accelerator pedal, which could feel balky, stiff or slow to return to idle position. If your pedal suffers from any of these symptoms, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says you should contact Pontiac at 800-620-7668 or visit GM’s owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
 
Currently, GM says it hasn’t identified any incidents or customer complaints of sticking accelerator pedals with the Vibe. Like Toyota, GM has halted sales of Vibes, though at Cars.com we show only 13 Vibes in our national inventory.

Two Toyota Recalls Explained

After last night’s news that Toyota is adding another 1.1 million vehicles to an October 2009 recall involving floormats getting stuck under accelerators, we think it's a good time to explain the two recalls and the vehicles included in each one.  In all, 13 models are included in both recalls, totaling nearly 6 million cars, and 1.7 million of those are involved in both recalls.

Last week, Toyota announced a recall of 2.3 million vehicles because of a faulty accelerator pedal that could become stuck and lead to unintended acceleration. This recall is for a completely separate issue than the floormat-related recall. However, both lead to the same end result — unintended acceleration. The vehicles in the accelerator pedal recall include:

• 2009-10 RAV4
• 2009-10 Corolla
• 2009-10 Matrix
• 2005-10 Avalon
• Certain 2007-10 Camry models
• 2010 Highlander
• 2007-10 Tundra
• 2008-10 Sequoia
• 2009-10 Pontiac Vibe

2009-10 Pontiac Vibe Recalled Along with Toyotas

Last week, we posted a story about GM recalling its 2009 model year Pontiac Vibe as part of Toyota’s 2.3 million vehicle recall involving accelerator pedals that can become stuck. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall for Vibes from both the 2009 and 2010 model years.

Mechanically, the Vibe is the same as a Toyota Matrix, which was also recalled. Vibe owners should be on the lookout for the same signs of accelerated wear of the pedal as Toyota owners, which is described as “it might feel a little balky or stiff or rough when you depress it. The pedal may be slow to return to its original position after you let up on it. It won’t spring back like it used to.”

There is no fix at this time. GM will notify owners of the recall and eventually of the fix. In the meantime, concerned owners can call GM at 800-620-7668 or NHTSA’s hot line at 888-327-4236.