NHTSA Complaint #10118532 — 2003 PONTIAC VIBE

CLUTCH BEGAN SLIPPING IN FALL 2004. I PURCHASED VEHICLE IN DECEMBER 2002 WITH 325 MILES ON IT. SOLD TO ME AS NEW WITH FULL BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY, THAT OF COURSE EXCLUDED BRAKE PADS AND CLUTCH LINER. I DRIVER WITH ALMOST 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE OF MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS IS MY 4TH VEHICLE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AFTER BEING ADVISED IN MARCH 2005 THAT VEHICLE COULDN'T PASS NY STATE INSPECTION DUE TO CLUTCH PROBLEM. INSPECTOR WOULD NOT EVEN HOOK IT UP TO MACHINE. OF COURSE DEALER SERVICE SAID THEY NEVER HEARD A NOISE OR ANY VEHICLE NEEDING CLUTCH REPLACEMENT AT 30000 MILES. THEY WOULD NOT ABSORB COST, AND I HAD TO REPLACE TO THE TUNE OF $1300.00 AFTER THEIR GENEROUS DISCOUNT OF 10%. AFTER I COMPLAINED ABOUT ORIGINAL QUOTED PRICE OF NEARLY $1500.00. I SAY THIS, WITHOUT SARCASM, THEY WERE VERY NICE, JUST WOULDN'T ALLOW WARRANTY COVERAGE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IT WAS AFTER HAVING A DIFFERENT ONE OVERNIGHT THAT I DROVE OFF THE LOT WITH LESS THAN 15 MILES ON ODOMETER THAT EXHIBITED PROBLEMS SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. DEALER TRIED TO SAY IT JUST NEEDED AN ADJUSTMENT, BUT I REFUSED TO KEEP THE CAR, AND HAD SERVICE MANAGER AT THAT TIME CHECK VEHICLE. HE ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE VEHICLE WHEN I REFUSED REPAIR. THAT SERVICE MANAGER IS NO LONGER WITH THAT DEALERSHIP, SO I HAD NO WAY TO COLLABORATE THIS INFORMATION WITHOUT GOING BACK TO SALES. I AM HALFWAY THROUGH A FOUR YEAR LEASE. DID NOT DRIVE MUCH BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND FEBRUARY 2003 AS I HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK