Pontiac Vibe Included in Toyota Recall

The Pontiac Vibe crossover, a model of GM’s dead and buried brand, is included in Toyota Motor Corp.’s recall due to the faulty accelerator pedals. The explanation is quite simple: the Vibe is basically a Toyota Matrix, a model which was also included in the recall, says autonews.com.

Toyota announced a while ago that it will recall 2.3 million vehicles, including the 2009-10 Matrix model. A GM’s spokesman said that the recall will also include the 2009-10 Pontiac Vibe, a model engineered and built by Toyota in Fremont, Calif., in a joint venture between GM and Toyota.

“All of it sort of rests back with Toyota, except that it’s badged as a Pontiac,” Adler said. “It’s Toyota’s recall.”

The joint venture between the two manufacturers, called New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., ended due to GM’s bankruptcy last year. GM said it does not know the exact number of Vibes they will recall, as Toyota announced them about the recall 7 minutes before informing the government.

The next step includes an information exchange, as Toyota needs to inform GM on how many Vibes are included in the recall and on how to fix the problem. Clients will be notified by GM and the problem will be fixed at the Buick-GM dealerships.

“We didn’t manufacture it, but we sell it, so we have a responsibility to make sure that Pontiac customers are taken care of,” he said.

GM’s spokesman also added that they had no complaints about the Vibe’s pedals.