PontiacVibe AWD2009Overview/pontiac/vibe-awd/2009/base/

2009 Pontiac Vibe AWD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 Vibe AWD.

Body PASSENGER CAR

2009 Pontiac Vibe AWD is a passenger car that carries a modest four‑cylinder powerplant, as reflected by its 4.4‑quart oil capacity and 5W‑30 API rating. Its compact, all‑wheel‑drive configuration places it within the Vibe lineup as a practical crossover, while the model’s reliability record reveals 527 owner complaints, with air‑bag issues driving nine recalls, a pattern that researchers use to gauge long‑term durability.

Model year20092006200520042003

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 575 CCA battery, PARK low-beam bulbs, OE oil filter 25161880. Note the factory engine air filter, serpentine belt and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 575 CCAOEM · verified
Low beam bulbPARKOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-55R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter25161880 alt 19185486
Engine air filter88975799 discontinued · alt 88975792
Spark plug19185438 alt 19185432
Front wiper blades19184577 alt 19184578
Serpentine belt19185653 discontinued · alt 19185652
Thermostat88974571 discontinued · alt 19185389
Cabin air filter19184673

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length172 in
Overall width69.7 in
Overall height63 in
Wheelbase102.4 in
Curb weight3296 lb
Track (front / rear)58.7 / 59.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 26.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity2.2
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.1
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil5W-30 · API

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts105 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts140 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts140 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts22 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts27 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts22 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts27 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug26.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.96 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.20 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance575 cca
Standard BCI Group Number35

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature179-203 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)44-50.0
RPM44-50 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)44-50.0
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 @ 64-72 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 @ 64-72 degreesF ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle43 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle46 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
1In several stages, using sequence shown, tighten evenly to36 ft. lbs
2In sequence shown90 degrees
3In sequence shown45 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep L4-145-2.4 SFI · Bolts 1-10:

122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2155 degrees.; Front cylinder head bolts; 26 ft. lbs.; Do not re-use old bolts.155 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 30,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Cabin Air Filter (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2009 Pontiac Vibe AWD dominate in one area — the air bags, 340 of 527 reports (65%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the air bags are also the target of recalls 18V-024 and 17V-006 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming they were actually performed. 23 of the reports describe a crash and 2 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

9
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
877
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
527
Owner complaints
23 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 527 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags340
Vehicle Speed Control37
Steering24
Engine21
Electrical System6
Power Train6
Engine & Engine Cooling6
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 9 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V024000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 09/01/2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, IS-F, and GX460 vehicles sold, ever registered… Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air…

17V006000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 09/01/2017

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA… Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 877 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
135982025-09-09Unknown Or OtherNew Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M2025-08-06Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Vibe AWD. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 Vibe AWD take?

4.4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 Vibe AWD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.