# Pontiac Vibe--timing belt or chain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pontiac-vibe-timing-belt-or-chain/306356 "2005-06-01T13:17:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pontiac-vibe-timing-belt-or-chain/306356/1 "2005-06-01T13:17:06Z")
I have googled and googled and can’t seem to find whether the Pontiac Vibe (2003) has a timing belt or timing chain. Does anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pontiac-vibe-timing-belt-or-chain/306356/2 "2005-06-01T14:10:14Z")
It would be a [Timing Chain.](http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/catalog.php?carcode=1388291&parttype=5724) ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pontiac-vibe-timing-belt-or-chain/306356/3 "2005-06-01T14:44:10Z")
Thanks, I’m glad to hear that. I hate having to worry about timing belts. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pontiac-vibe-timing-belt-or-chain/306356/4 "2005-06-01T18:05:59Z")
Just as a confirmation, the information people at Toyota (1-800-GO TOYOTA) say that the 2005 has a timing chain. The model has undergone very little change, and I’m guessing that the 2003 is the same. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pontiac-vibe-timing-belt-or-chain/306356/5 "2005-06-01T18:12:10Z")
> [@dauerbach](#): > > I’m glad to hear that. I hate having to worry about timing belts. I was under the impression that timing chains also had to be changed just like timing belts. Am I wrong? Or is the life of a timing chain significantly longer than that of a belt? I ask because I was considering asking my (mostly) honest mechanic about this on my 99 Mustang. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pontiac-vibe-timing-belt-or-chain/306356/6 "2005-06-01T19:03:52Z")
Timing chains are not usually intended to be replaced; they are intended to last the life of the car and then some. Unfortunately, they have been known to fail. I had a timing chain snap on me at 89,000 miles. Because it happened at highway speed it did damage to the engine estimated at 3k-8K ouch. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pontiac-vibe-timing-belt-or-chain/306356/7 "2005-06-01T19:14:10Z")
All timing belts have **scheduled** replacement intervals. Timing chains don’t, but then a lot of parts on the car don’t (water pumps, ball joints, mufflers, etc.). Of course, that doesn’t mean these parts don’t wear out or break at various times. In my observation, the average life of a timing chain is 150-200 K miles, but there’s a lot of variation depending on engine design, driving habits, maintenance, etc.