NHTSA Complaint #10524082 — 2003 PONTIAC VIBE

THE PROBLEM EXPERIENCED RESULTED IN A CRASH, ALTHOUGH THE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY AND IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES (SEEMS LIKE A HYDRAULIC ISSUE?). THE ENGINE DOESN'T CUT OFF. YOU CAN RESTART THE VEHICLE AND STEERING FEEL IS RESTORED. WHEN POWER IS LOST TO THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO STEER. NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED, BUT OCCASIONALLY, WHEN COMING TO A STOP WITH THE FOOT ON THE CLUTCH, THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLS, AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU LOSE ALL POWER. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD A SLOW SPEED CRASH WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING THIS WEEK WHERE THIS VERY INFREQUENT, INTERMITTENT PROBLEM OCCURRED. THIS IS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE GT PURCHASED JULY 31, 2002. THE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ONLY A FEW TIMES OVER THE ALMOST 90,000 MILES BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, THE POWER STEERING FAILURE THIS TIME RESULTED IN A CRASH. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE ENGINE GENERALLY DOES NOT STALL BUT YOU ARE PUT IN A VERY SCARY SITUATION. *TR