19th May 2009, 16:48
I have an 03 vibe GT. original clutch. no problems. 106K miles.
My problem: engine noise. Sounds like a lot of fluttering in the engine when I accelerate at lower speeds. Has a Volkswagen engine sound now or noise like a hole in the muffler (which there is not - had it checked out)
Anyone else experience this?
20th Jul 2010, 14:09
I am the originator of this review and it is now 6 years old with over 100,000 miles and still with the original clutch. My wife has been driving it exclusively for the past few years and is easier on it than I would be.
It's had new tires, a battery, brakes and regular oil changes only. It's been a great low maintenance car so far. No complaints. Too bad it is about to be history though.
The new 2010 Matrix has less cargo space and the passenger seat does not go flat anymore.
4th Dec 2010, 05:07
I am looking to buy a 2004 Pontiac Vibe GT and am a novice at cars. The car I am looking at is automatic. Is there a chance of clutch failure on automatic cars? Please let me know.
5th Dec 2010, 20:08
A clutch cannot fail on an automatic transmission, because an automatic transmission doesn't have a clutch!
22nd Feb 2011, 22:25
I have 2003 Vibe GT with 125,000 miles and my clutch has just now started slipping and it is going quickly. I have read the reviews and I agree that even 125,000 is slightly premature compared to my previous cars.
My question is, is the clutch on the Vibe adjustable?
6th Jun 2011, 18:25
Well I have finally hit the end of the road for the stock clutch in my 2003 Vibe GT... 193,000 plus miles and it has begun to slip. This is the first thing that will ever have to be fixed on this car. It has never been in the shop for anything but maintenance until now.
Not sure I understand the comments about high RPM's hurting the clutch. With the horsepower of the Yamaha racing engine in this car, it is actually the low RPMs that will cause the damage. Shifting below 3k RPMs and accelerating is just asking the clutch to slip, as the engine torque will overpower the clutch.
I shift between 3-4k RPM (or higher when feeling the need for speed) and I never accelerate in 5th or 6th, they are cruising gears. If you need to accelerate down shift and punch it. This isn't your Daddy's old three speed, so get the RPMs up above 3 grand before shifting, accelerate in 1st thru 4th, and enjoy.
14th Apr 2009, 23:29
OK, after reading all the comments, I have come to a conclusion. I am beginning to wonder if it is a problem with the pressure plate. If the plate fails to clamp the disc between the plate and the flywheel, then you would get the slippage everyone seems to get.
What I would do is to get a upgraded clutch disc from Daikin Clutch and an upgraded heavy duty pressure plate. I have had good luck with a high quality organic disc and HD plate.
AVOID racing clutches as they are not needed and can do more damage than good. Only get racing stuff if you are pushing massive power. I find that with a good clutch disc/plate combination you can push much more power than stock.
Also, it does not have to be a Daikin clutch, it just needs to be a Japanese or USA maker, AVOID AVOID AVOID clutch parts made in China (unknown if there are any Korean clutches on the market, but I have not had a chance to examine them yet, so use your own judgment). I have seen cracks in the Chinese made disc's metal hub that is not good at all! I also suspect the material is inferior to the Japanese and USA made friction material.
Also, remember to check the flywheel surface and resurface if needed. If it is showing any type of cracks in the surface, then replace the flywheel also.
Hope this helps.