GM has released another press release stating that the Pontiac Vibe is safe to drive despite being on Toyota's sticky pedal recall list. Specifically, GM says it tested two Vibe vehicles to see if the brakes were powerful enough to overcome the engine at full throttle.
"We ran the Vibe wide open at 60 miles an hour and the brakes were able to bring the vehicle to a safe stop within 169 meters, consistent with our internal requirement for brake performance." said Martin Hogan, GM director of brake systems.
So there you have it, should your Pontiac Vibe take off in a fit of acceleration just press the brake and hold.
jederino says:
08:59 AM, 02/ 2/10
I thought "sticky pedal" was not the most likely candidate, cars with Japanese brake assemblies also exhibited issues. Could it be software? And, would the Vibe share Toyota software?
brn says:
08:59 AM, 02/ 2/10
Funny that they decided to measure it in meters, rather than feet. 554 feet doesn't sound as good.
Though 554 feet is pretty decent, given the situation.
flicmod says:
09:23 AM, 02/ 2/10
THIS is their answer??? Cram the brake pedal to the floor??? That's ludicrous. I know that the media is blowing the fear of death-by-fiery-car-crash out of proportion, but it's still a safety hazard. GM couldn't adopt the fix that Toyota implemented? This seems like a cop-out and a way to keep models for sale on dealer lots...
shaddai says:
09:25 AM, 02/ 2/10
I'm glad they tested a whole two vibes. Amazing sample rate.
felonious says:
09:56 AM, 02/ 2/10
I'm not sure if this is a "brakes WIN" or "power FAIL"... Probably both.
flicmod says:
10:29 AM, 02/ 2/10
This is a perfect example of flawed business economics: shrug off the real issue and forgo actually fixing the problem in the short-term; potentially sacrifice your long-term reputation and finances when customers start getting angry because their vehicles have been ruined by your suggested resolution and are wondering who's going to take care of the bill.
kevinlch says:
10:39 AM, 02/ 2/10
169 at first I thought it's in feet, haha, GM is tricky
brn says:
11:42 AM, 02/ 2/10
flicmod: "THIS is their answer??? "
No, it's not. If you read the GM press release, they plan on repairing the vehicles, as soon as they get parts from Toyota. All they're saying is that until that happens, the car is drivable. I don't see Toyota telling owners to stop driving their cars either.
cliffkrauss says:
08:20 AM, 02/ 3/10
any longtime toyota owners like to comment on whether they are still confident in toyota cars, or not? anyone out there actually experience the acceleration problem, and are alive to tell the story?