7th May 2007, 14:07

We have a 2003 Vibe GT. The clutch went with about 28k miles on it. Same story as repeated here... Bad driver, improper use, etc. Similar to other posts, I read that the second clutch was going out of some cars. Answer: Great car, lousy clutch. We put a Nippon Power clutch in the car. It now has 65k on it with no signs of clutch wear. And you can run the great Toyota engine the way it was meant to be - HARD!

26th Jun 2007, 12:17

I'm replacing the clutch on my 2004 Vibe GT at 66,000 miles. I agree with others that this clutch doesn't live up to Toyota's reputation. Of course, nobody can get it right every time. Independent shop in northern NJ quoted me $850.

27th Jun 2007, 08:23

I thought my 2004 Vibe GT was a dream car, but the clutch failed at 55K miles on a long trip from San Antonio to Detroit. I've put as many as 175K miles on original clutches in my previous cars, so the problem is not my driving style. From reading this message board, it is clear that we have a systemic problem here. The dealer wants $950 for a replacement. I should have bought the extended warranty...

23rd Sep 2007, 08:49

I just purchased a 2004 Vibe GT with 28k two days ago. The check engine light is on... shops are not open today. Any thoughts about what the problem may be?? I bought it out of state, and the gas cap, fluid levels, etc are all OK.

2nd Oct 2007, 10:53

I have had my 2004 Vibe GT since September 2004 (purchased new). In May of this year, I replaced the clutch, at about 60,000km. This has to be one of the best smaller cars that I have ever had, but there must be some kind of problem, with the clutch used in these vehicles.

I was more concerned recently when I had to replace the low profile tires, man are they pricey. I went with Toyo tires, and what a great d4ecision that was/ they really do hold the road, wet or dry.

15th Oct 2007, 07:48

I have an 03 vibe with 80,000 with original clutch and definetley don't take it easy on it. very fun car to redline.

22nd Oct 2007, 17:26

Mine is an '03 Vibe GT with 78K miles, and the clutch's been slipping a lot recently. I was hoping the clutch hydraulic system was running low on hydraulic pressure, but after reading so many posts about the clutch burning problem, I am starting to accept the possibility of having to replace the clutch altogether... Darn...

I believe the theory that the clutch is not strong enough for the high HP at the higer revs. I will try to get a nice strong clutch in the aftermarket.

Thanks for all the posts.

-CH (Florida, USA)

28th Nov 2007, 18:00

Bought a used '03 Vibe for my husband back in Feb with 44K on it. The clutch went out on it this week. Thought it was his driving, but after reading all these posts I'm guessing it's the car.

24th Mar 2008, 23:34

My 2004 vibe GT has 33000 miles and still no clutch problems. The clutch is very touchy and I have trouble getting traction when I take off fast in a turn. (Outer wheel just spins) Its still a fun car to drive and I like the fact that I'm one of the few people that have a vibe GT. I don't see many of them on the road.

3rd Apr 2008, 10:09

I have the Pontiac vibe GT with 150,000 miles, I bought it used at 18,000 miles. I still have the original clutch. Don't drive it very hard except occasionally, I suspect individuals that are younger than myself are probably pushing the engine which is quite a high performer to the limit. With high RPMs comes additional wear and tear on the clutch, probably the clutch designed for the original equipment was insufficient for the amount of torque that is produced at high RPMs. It has been a great car for me, I do have a new problem to that I need to get a proper diagnosis on, the cruise control keeps cutting out while driving on the highway.

21st Apr 2008, 21:27

It's really a shame that so many people are willing to fault the driver when there is clearly something going on with clutch life expectancy in Vibes.

If you have a Vibe GT and have enjoyed a reasonable service life for your clutch, you should consider yourself lucky.

I have used my Vibe for light duty commuting, and I am not a satisfied customer. I may occasionally exceed the speed limit a bit, but I know how to drive, and I am not abusive (and for what it's worth I have a clean license).

I have been driving manual transmission cars for more than 30 years, and I have never had to replace a clutch before 140,000 miles - even in my tow vehicle (s). Then I get a six speed Vibe and I can't go 30,000 before I get slippage, and all of a sudden I don't know how to drive a manual transmission vehicle?

I really like many things about this car, but after a bad clutch, window related recalls, weather-stripping issues, problems with my rear wiper, and unbelievable wind roar when the back windows are open, I am quite cynical when it comes to Toyota quality. My Honda and Subaru have both held up better.

16th May 2008, 14:06

2003 Vibe GT owner here, getting ready to put a new clutch in at 64,000 miles. I learned to drive on a manual transmission and that's all I've ever owned. I've never had to replace a clutch before and I've been driving for 30 years now. Very disappointed. GM should own up that there is a problem with the clutch they chose to put together with the GT engine.

1st Sep 2008, 20:07

To the original review.

I have an 04 GT and I tested a Mazda 3, sure the Mazda has more torque but if you think for a second that the Mazda 3 is faster than this car there must be something wrong with yours. Once these cars have a little bit of room to "breathe" a Mazda 3 will be left in the dust.

1st Nov 2008, 12:12

I have a 2003 Vibe GT with about 80,000 on it, and my clutch is beginning to slip badly. I was hoping it was just an adjustment, but it sounds like I may have to bite the bullet.

Has anyone had any success with petitioning GM for covering any of the cost of a replacement? At 80K should I get a stock clutch or a higher performance one?

Also I apparently have blown a leak in my front donut gasket of my exhaust system. I have replaced these myself in other cars for short money, but have been told that I can only get the GT version through a dealer, and that their price is way higher than the non-GT version, and much higher than I expected.

I saw on another page that someone has posted instructions for replacing a Vibe clutch yourself. I have some ability, but it looks like a little more than I want to try and tackle on a weekend.