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Pontiac Vibe: Audio & Entertainment Questions

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Comments

  • gliattitdgliattitd Member Posts: 2
  • gliattitdgliattitd Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2009 Vibe. Does anyone know how to set up the favorites on the radio? And then, how do you access them?
  • marvibmarvib Member Posts: 1
    WOW! Thanks for the great advice. I have a 2003 vibe. cd wouldn't load or eject.
    radio worked find. I disconnected the positive lead on the battery and reconnected.

    problem fixed ">
  • barriemaverickbarriemaverick Member Posts: 2
    My radio seems to only work when I have the key turned to the ACC mode. When I start the car, the radio goes off. But, if I press the clock button the times displays, and, when I press the CD button, the displays says "no cd loaded"......I have checked the fuse, pulled the radio out to check the connections in the back, and they are all fine......my head unit comes with XM Sat radio as well......
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    barriemaverick,

    Were you planning on taking the vehicle in to have the radio looked at? Please keep us posted when the issue has been taken care of.

    Thank you,
    Caron, GM Customer Service
  • barriemaverickbarriemaverick Member Posts: 2
    Hi Caron,

    I would but the Vehicle has 80,000 kms on her and the Shop Rate at a Dealership up here in Canada is more than I can afford to have it looked at. I will apprise when i have a solution.

    Regards,

    Chris
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    barriemaverick,

    I understand. Please keep me posted on any information.

    Thank you,
    Caron, GM Customer Service
  • cjimisoncjimison Member Posts: 1
    Can a 09 pontiac vibe stereo be compatible with an 05 pontiac vibe?
    if not can any other year be compatible?
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    Hi Caron. I am sad to say that the only problem I ever had on my 2003 Vibe was the radio, with the back lighting going blank. Today, with my 2009 Vibe, the volume control button has malfunctioned. I went to the dealer and they said they most likely will have to put in a new radio (out of warranty). I know this knob issue is common in the 09-10 Vibe. I believe this is the same radio found in the Matrix as well. It is sad that the radio continues to be an achilles heal on both models. Other Vibe websites have posted instructions for removing the radio and replacing the knob. I'll report back on what the Service Manger wants to do on Tuesday.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning maxx4me,
    I'm sorry that you're having difficulties with your Vibe's radio; we're looking forward to hearing more from you tomorrow! If we can be of any assistance, let us know.
    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited May 2012
    I talked the dealer into trimming two radio knobs so that they can be installed through the front. They broke out the malfunctioning volume knob and put one of the new ones in. It cost $7 per knob and $59 for labor. After my $25 gift card for any service provided, and one donut and hot chocolate later, I have a working radio again for $34 + $7. As posted on some other Vibe forum, there was a slight blemish to the area around the face plate where they had to use tools to get the old knob out through the front. It is barely noticeable and was expected, especially had I attempted this myself. It is nice to be able to crank the volume on my favorite songs again :shades:
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Great news, maxx4me! Wishing you many happy, musical miles!
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • rlgglrrlgglr Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2012
    Hell my name is Robert Gray and in 2009 I bought a 2009 new Pontiac Vibe from Payne motors at 2401 E Exp 83 Weslaco Texas 78596 phone # Sales 956-246-4079 or Service 956-969-4488. Well my radio volume button broke I could not turn it up or down so I took it back and my sales man got it fixed. Well later down the road the same thing happen and the radio volume button broke again. I took it back and my sales man got it fix again. Well it happen again I talk to the service manager and he pulled my records up and said he only found it one time. I told him to talk to my sales man in which I gave his name because he stills work there. He stated it does not matter I would have to pay for it. I told him this got to be a problem it should be a recall. The way he told me I was the only one having this problem. I informed him that I bought two vehicles from Payne motors and that did not make a difference to him. I went to my sales man and inform him of my problem. He stated he remembers both times I brought it in and told me he would get it fix again. He left then came back and told me the service manager would not let him fix it and the manager said that I only brought it back once. I told him that's not true that you knew about both times . He said yes he knew about both times and the manager was new there was nothing he could do. Well now I found out other people are having the same problem. We have to band together and let everyone how the deals where you buy your vehicle is treating you.I believe once they fix it and it happens over again the same problem they should stand behind their work.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    rlgglr,

    On that most recent visit, did you have the radio volume button fixed? If you would like for us to check into anything for you, please contact us via email at socialmedia@gm.com (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and the name of your dealership, as well as a brief recap of the situation, with your inquiry).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • rlgglrrlgglr Member Posts: 2
    call me Robert Gray 956-570-3905. I live in Pharr Texas and I bought the car at 2401 e expressway 83 Weslaco Texas 956-969-2525. The salesman still works there and he knowns they work on the radio volume control twice even though the new service manager told me its only in my records once. My salesmen is Mark D. Salinas. The vin#5y2SL67049Z403108.
  • leasterleaster Member Posts: 5
    I just read a message about repairing the broken knob on my radio but I can not recover the message again. Please post it again. It discribed removing the rear plate to access the front and removal of the broken button. I am a retired elctronic engineer and feel confident I can repair it if I can find the right replacement parts. Both knobs are broken on my radio. Thanks for all the help in advance.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited January 2013
    another method is to trim off (hacksaw) the front of the broken knob to expose the raised area preventing the broken knob from being pulled out from the front. Snip off the rest of the broken piece and discard. Once off, you can use a dremmel or your favorite tool to trim off the raised area of the new knob and then slide it on the radio's stem. Why do it this way? Because the cause of your problem is that the plastic sleeve inside the original knob is cracked and can no longer grip the stem inside the radio. The new knobs are the same, with the same plastic that will break again and again over time. With my method, the next time my knob's plastic core breaks, I simply pull the knob out of the radio since I have already trimmed off the raised area. I have two more radio knobs already trimmed and ready to go when my existing ones break again some day. Since Toyota/GM has not come up with an improved replacement for the knobs, I don't see much point in pulling out my radio every time, and then tearing it apart simply to put on a knob.
  • rtpbobrtpbob Member Posts: 3
    Just picked up a 2009 Vibe with a bad knob and am not very familiar with this issue or repair. What exactly do you mean by the "raised area" of the knob? Would love to obtain something (drawing or picture) that would show exactly what to cut off or a before and after drawing or picture.

    Any help you can give would be appreciated.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited February 2013
    Two picture tutorials in the link below will outline different solutions. One is on how to remove the radio and back plate to access the knob, and the other is what I recommend: sawing and snipping off the knob at the front, trimming off the raised area of the new knob so you can simply slide it on from the front without removing your radio. Why do I recommend this? Because any new knob you put on will fail again. The metal piece that separates from the plastic inside the knob (shown in the enclosed link) will separate again at some point in the future. I don't think you want to keep taking apart the whole radio each time the piece fails. The raised area is the back part of the knob that is stopping you from simply pulling the knob off in the first place. By trimming off that raised area on your new knob, you will be able to slide your new knob on/off without removing your radio when your new knob fails again sometime in years to come.
    link title
  • rtpbobrtpbob Member Posts: 3
    Thanks...understand the problem better now.

    If I understand this right, it's the flange that flares out at the back of the knob that prevents it from being removed by simply pulling it out...correct?

    If I use a Dremel tool to cut the cap off of the knob, the next challenge is to somehow break the plastic flange into pieces so the remaining knob can be pulled out...correct? Suggestions on how to do that gently? Can you drill thru the knob and weaken it?

    Then using some form of sanding tool, trim the flange diameter so that it will just slide into the hole left by the removal of the old knob...correct? That would leave the smallest amount of light coming from behind the knob.

    Thanks for the help.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    edited February 2013
    one of the pictures shows the three tools needed to do the job. I actually took mine to the dealer who performed the frontal lobotomy procedure successfully using a dremel tool. As you saw from the last picture in the link, as was the case with my radio, a small nick was evident after the procedure since the surrounding casing is also plastic. But yes; the key is to snip the raised flange that is preventing you from pulling the knob straight out, and then trimming off the flange on the new knob so you can just slide it on. The new knobs have the metal core inside them so you don't have to take the core out of the old one and insert it into the new one. You can buy these knobs on ebay or from your GM dealer. It is the kind of job worth trying yourself because if you are unsuccessful at removing the raised flange, the most you are left with is a broken knob; same as before. I don't think it is difficult. You just have to be mindful not to ding the plastic casing on the front of your radio
  • rtpbobrtpbob Member Posts: 3
    Got two knobs on order, second in case I mess up the first. I plan on duck taping the area around the knob to help protect it. I'll work on trimming the bell shaped flange first before I start trying to remove the old one. As my current knob is still useful about 20% of the time, I'll probably wait until the weather gets warmer before I start working on it.

    Thanks again for all of the help.
  • maxx4memaxx4me Member Posts: 1,340
    you are welcome; and also, I don't notice any increase in the back-lighting shining through as a result of my new knob not having the raised flange. I too have a second one in reserve in case the same thing happens to my channel tuner knob or more likely, when my volume button fails again. I tend to leave my radio on all the time now and not push it to turn it on/off. I'm sure that will lengthen the lifespan of my current knob.
  • susieq12susieq12 Member Posts: 1
    i wanted to throw this into the conversation about the Vibe radio. We just bought a used 2009 Pontiac Vibe and I was very surprised to find that the radio volume control knob spun uselessly around & around to no effect. We asked the dealership to fix the knob but they said they had to replace the entire radio unit! Which they did--at no charge. So far we love the Vibe!
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hi susieq12,

    So happy to hear that the dealership was able to fix your radio knob and you're able to enjoy your vehicle again. If you have any future concerns please let us know.

    Cheers!

    Amber N.
    GM Customer Care
  • forsonsforsons Member Posts: 1

    We are experiencing radio knob failure on a 2009 Vibe - VIN 5Y2SP67879Z457917. First problem = radio tuning knob spun around without working. Radio was replaced under warranty. Now volume knob just spins and does not work. This is quite the distraction that may adversely affect drive safety. Dealer has quoted over $500.00 to replace the radio with a re-manufactured product. Upon reading a few posts, seems to be a possible fix without full radio replacement. IS THERE A GM SERVICE BULLETIN regarding this issue, that can be referenced to help the dealer correct the issue and help satisfy the customer? My dealer in South East Michigan is not aware of a fix except to replace the radio unit. VIN 5Y2SP67879Z457917. Thank you for any help you can provide!

  • parish_3420parish_3420 Member Posts: 1

    04 vibe, single CD player, plays, reads, but when I eject the CD it seem to not have enough juice to fully eject. Help

  • michaeld23michaeld23 Member Posts: 1
    Similar problem to an earlier poster. 2005 Vibe. No problem till today when I switched from CD to radio by ejecting CD. As it always does, it ejects then reloads itself, but this time it sounded like it didn't go in all the way and made a loud scraping sound. The eject button did not work, and worse, when I turned off the engine, the sound continued. Concerned that it would run down the battery (and destroy my Mark Knopfler CD), I left the engine off and went inside to read the owner's manual. No help there, so I went out to see if the disk had continued to spin off kilter. Happily, I discovered it had shut off, and when I started the motor, at least the sound did not reoccur. However, the CD player no longer works. I'm going to disconnect the battery tomorrow in daylight and see if that works. If not, I'll replace the unit with an aftermarket radio/CD, hopefully something with an MP3 input. Anybody found a good choice for replacement?
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