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Pontiac G6 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

5,884 owner complaints analyzed

10 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 to 2014 model years. Data snapshot: . 4,881 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2,979 of 5,884 complaints (50.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior3,08552.4%
Braking behavior1,25821.4%
Electrical and battery issues60310.2%
Transmission and shifting2864.9%
Fuel system concerns2584.4%
Engine operation2223.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering
2,979
Electrical System
957
Exterior Lighting
832
Service Brakes
511
Air Bags
365
Power Train
330
Fuel/Propulsion System
273
Vehicle Speed Control
248
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Steering2979
Electrical System957
Exterior Lighting832
Service Brakes511
Air Bags365
Power Train330
Fuel/Propulsion System273
Vehicle Speed Control248

Steering: 2,979; Electrical System: 957; Exterior Lighting: 832; Service Brakes: 511; Air Bags: 365; Power Train: 330; Fuel/Propulsion System: 273; Vehicle Speed Control: 248

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
407
25,000 to 49,999
696
50,000 to 74,999
1,039
75,000 to 99,999
967
100,000 to 149,999
1,177
150,000 and above
595
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000407
25,000 to 49,999696
50,000 to 74,9991039
75,000 to 99,999967
100,000 to 149,9991177
150,000 and above595

Under 25,000: 407; 25,000 to 49,999: 696; 50,000 to 74,999: 1,039; 75,000 to 99,999: 967; 100,000 to 149,999: 1,177; 150,000 and above: 595

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1,177). 1,003 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2005
22
2006
53
2007
125
2008
217
2009
382
2010
549
2011
342
2012
347
2013
622
2014
942
2015
585
2016
341
2017
321
2018
310
2019
272
2020
144
2021
91
2022
64
2023
56
2024
40
2025
31
2026
28
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200522
200653
2007125
2008217
2009382
2010549
2011342
2012347
2013622
2014942
2015585
2016341
2017321
2018310
2019272
2020144
202191
202264
202356
202440
202531
202628

2005: 22; 2006: 53; 2007: 125; 2008: 217; 2009: 382; 2010: 549; 2011: 342; 2012: 347; 2013: 622; 2014: 942; 2015: 585; 2016: 341; 2017: 321; 2018: 310; 2019: 272; 2020: 144; 2021: 91; 2022: 64; 2023: 56; 2024: 40; 2025: 31; 2026: 28

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 3,085 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1,258 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 603 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10119728 · 2005-05-04 (May 4, 2005)

STEERING SYSTEM LOCKED. THIS OCCURED ON THE HIGHWAY, GOING AROUND A RIGHT TURN AT 50MPH (UPHILL). IT RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE CONCRETE BARRIER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ABILITY TO STEER RETURNED AFTER THE DRIVER YANKED THE WHEEL HARD. THE DRIVER FELT A POP AND THE STEERING RETURNED, BUT THERE WAS NO TIME TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10119728 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10127111 · 2005-06-30 (June 30, 2005)

STEERING ON THIS VEHICAL HAS LOCKED UP MULTIPLE TIMES, CAUSING THE VEHICAL TO GO OFF THE ROAD. GM HAS INVESTIGATED THE CAR AFTER THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT AND CLAIMED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM AND WILL NOT CHECK THE CAR AGAIN. MOST RECENT STEERING LOCKUP OCCURED AT 8400 MILES.

Owner-reported narrative. 8,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10127111 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10502480 · 2013-03-12 (March 12, 2013)

WE HAVE A PONTIAC G6 WHERE THE TRUNK BRAKE LIGHT REMAINS ON AND WILL NOT SHUT OFF. I HAVE PULLED THE WIRE CONNECTOR APART TO SHUT OFF LIGHT. IT APPEARS THIS IS COMMON ON ALL PONTIAC G6. *TR CARS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10502480 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10621448 · 2014-08-11 (August 11, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC G6. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,272.

Owner-reported narrative. 100,272 miles reported. Look up ODI 10621448 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10138504 · 2005-10-04 (October 4, 2005)

MY 2005 PONTIAC G6'S DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH CAUSED SMOKE TO COME FROM THE HEADLINER AREA. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD MY VEHICLE SINCE THEN AND HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A PART TO COME IN. THE DEALER SUSPECTS THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT DUE TO THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT PART. I SUSPECT THAT THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE STARTED A SERIOUS FIRE. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10138504 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10151236 · 2006-02-26 (February 26, 2006)

I LEASED A BRAND NEW PONTIAC G6 IN SEPTEMBER 2005, ON JANUARY 29, 2005 THE ABS MODULE BURNT UP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNT THE ABS SYSTEM AND HALF OF THE CARS ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THE WIRING HARNESS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE CALLED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT, THEY STATED IF I WAITED ANY LONGER THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE CAR FOR A MONTH NOW, THEY TELL ME THEY CAN FIX THE CAR BUT PARTS ARE AND TO QUOTE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, " THE PART IS ON SUPER GALACTIC BACK ORDER". MY 16 YEAR OLD IS NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR,…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10151236 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10128822 · 2005-07-14 (July 14, 2005)

I HAD TAKEN A TRIP OUT OF STATE AND HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR ABOUT THREE HOUR AND DECIDED TO STOP FOR DINNER, AFTER GOING THROUGH FOUR STOP LIGHTS THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING EXTREMLY HARD IN TO GEARS, SO HARD THAT THE CAR WAS JERKING IN THE NEXT GEAR. I WENT THROUGH TWO MORE LIGHTS AND PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD.THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE CAR PUT ON A ROLLBACK AND BROUGHT BACK THE N.C. AT MY REQUEST. THE SERVICE CENTER HAD THE CAR FOR NINE DAYS AND COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM AND THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WITH NO REPAIRS PR…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,024 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128822 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10242800 · 2008-09-18 (September 18, 2008)

I OWN A 2005 PONTIAC G6 WHICH I PURCHASED FROM A DEALER AFTER IT HAD BEEN LEASED FOR 1 YEAR. THE VEHICLE HAD 12000 MILES ON IT WHEN PURCHASE. NUMEROUS PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURRED WITH THIS VEHICLE AFTER PURCHASE. STARTING WITH A NOISE, CLUNK IN THE STEERING. THIS HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOR UPWARDS TO 7-8 TIMES, EACH TIME NEW REPAIRS DONE ON DIFFERENT PARTS. THIS PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED. NOW AT 64500 MILES THE NOISE IS STILL THERE AFTER REPAIRS ONLY 4000 MILES AGO. STARTING IN OCTOBER OF 2007 I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS…

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242800 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10288720 · 2009-10-16 (October 16, 2009)

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO GO GET LUNCH AND PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN AND BELL WENT OFF AND I COULD NOT STEER MY 2005 PONTIAC G6. I PULLED INTO A SATURN DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS THE FIRST RIGHT TURN OFF THE BUSY ROAD I FOUND MYSELF ON. IT TOOK TWO PEOPLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AND I HAD TO PARK SIDEWAY'S IN THREE SPOTS. I WENT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEEK ASSISTANCE AND HAD ONE OF THE PORTERS DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO THE SERVICE AREA WHEN HE REPORTED THE ISSUE HAD RESOLVED ITSELF. AFTER TALKING WITH A TECHNICIAN, HE RECOMMENDED THAT I WAIT TO HAVE IT SERVICED T…

Owner-reported narrative. 102,541 miles reported. Look up ODI 10288720 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10289982 · 2009-10-27 (October 27, 2009)

THE PONTIAC G6 BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, SO DID THE ABS, POWER STEERING LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE GAUGES WERE SPIKING, BATTERY LIGHT, AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAD HALF A TANK OF GAS IT WAS SAYING THE GAS TANK LOW LIGHT CAME ON. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289982 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10142072 · 2005-11-08 (November 8, 2005)

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WILL START IMMEDIATELY AFTER STALLING. *AK UPDATED 11/29/05.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 9,155 miles reported. Look up ODI 10142072 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10145980 · 2005-12-23 (December 23, 2005)

I WAS MAKING A SHARP LEFT TURN IN A PARKING LOT. THE CAR STALLED AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS. I SAW THAT THE RPMS HAD DROPPED TO ZERO. EVERYTHING CAME BACK ON AND I CONTINUED. A VERY FUNNY AND SCARY FEW SECONDS. I SEE BY READING OTHER COMPLAINTS, THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE NEW G6. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 9,050 miles reported. Look up ODI 10145980 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2003
0
2004
0
2005
5
2006
6
2007
4
2008
4
2009
4
2010
2
2014
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20030
20040
20055
20066
20074
20084
20094
20102
20140

2003: 0; 2004: 0; 2005: 5; 2006: 6; 2007: 4; 2008: 4; 2009: 4; 2010: 2; 2014: 0

Year-by-year records

Pontiac G6 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
200310Not available
2004200
20056795+5
20061,9106+1
20071,2314-2
20081,07840
200971040
20102722-2
201410Not available