NHTSA Complaint #10218736 — 2003 PONTIAC VIBE

WE WERE DRIVING TO MY PARENTS HOME FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. ON THE INTERSTATE, IN FIFTH GEAR, AT A SPEED OF 65 TO 70 MILES/HR, THE CAR STARTED MAKING A HIGH WHINING SOUND WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A CLUNK AND GRINDING NOISE. WE PULLED OVER. NOTHING WAS VISIBLE. WE LIMPED TO THE EXIT AND HAD THE CAR TOWED. UPON INSPECTION, THE REAR PINION SHAFT BEARING HAD FAILED IN THE TRANSMISSION, RUINING THE REAR CASE ASSEMBLY, PINION SHAFT AND BOTH FIFTH GEARS. BOTH FIFTH GEARS HAD BROKEN TEETH AND WERE REPLACED. THE INITIAL REPLACEMENT SET OF 5TH GEARS WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ( THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF 5TH GEAR). THE SECOND REPLACEMENT SET WAS INSTALLED AND FOUND TO BE THE WRONG RATIO AND HAD TO BE REORDERED. THE THIRD SET OF REPLACEMENT FIFTH GEARS WAS INSTALLED ON FEB. 12TH 2008 AND SEEMS TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY AS OF TODAY. THE WHOLE PROCESS TOOK 7 WEEKS TO COMPLETE. *TR