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U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Pontiac SOLSTICE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

159 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

27,100 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 110 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 96 of 159 complaints (60.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior3823.9%
Electrical and battery issues95.7%
Transmission and shifting31.9%
Engine operation10.6%
Steering behavior10.6%

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.

Air Bags
96
Electrical System
15
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
13
Seats
10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
8
Service Brakes
7
Engine
5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags96
Electrical System15
Service Brakes, Hydraulic13
Seats10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip8
Service Brakes7
Engine5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module4

Air Bags: 96; Electrical System: 15; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 13; Seats: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 8; Service Brakes: 7; Engine: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
49
25,000 to 49,999
37
50,000 to 74,999
17
75,000 to 99,999
5
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
1
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00049
25,000 to 49,99937
50,000 to 74,99917
75,000 to 99,9995
100,000 to 149,9991
150,000 and above1

Under 25,000: 49; 25,000 to 49,999: 37; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (49). 49 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.

2007
7
2008
17
2009
6
2010
2
2011
4
2012
10
2013
14
2014
31
2015
10
2016
14
2017
28
2018
8
2019
1
2020
2
2022
2
2023
2
2025
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20077
200817
20096
20102
20114
201210
201314
201431
201510
201614
201728
20188
20191
20202
20222
20232
20251

2007: 7; 2008: 17; 2009: 6; 2010: 2; 2011: 4; 2012: 10; 2013: 14; 2014: 31; 2015: 10; 2016: 14; 2017: 28; 2018: 8; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2022: 2; 2023: 2; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 38 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 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 10207710 · 2007-11-02 (November 2, 2007)

1) STARTED CAR AND PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF GARAGE. APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP CAR. 2) CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND CONTINUED TO ROLL DOWN DRIVEWAY. NEARLY HIT FAMILY CAR PARKED BEHIND. BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE CAR UNTIL THERE WAS CONSTANT "PUMPING" OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. 3) CAR BROUGHT IN TO DEALER AND DESCRIBED PROBLEM WITH BRAKES. SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX. SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THERE IS NO "FIX" FOR THIS PROBLEM. SERVICE ADVISOR ADMITS THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND SOMEONE CAN GET SERIOUSLY INJURED DURING THIS BRAKE FAILUR…

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207710 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10208213 · 2007-11-07 (November 7, 2007)

BRAKES WOULD LOCK WHEN I STARTED MOVING VEHICLE EVEN AFTER 5 MINUTE WARMUP. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208213 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10443483 · 2012-01-11 (January 11, 2012)

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG STATUS INDICATOR LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON WHEN A PERSON SIT IN PASSENGER SEAT. THE AIRBAG READINESS LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER IS ON THE TIME AND THE SERVICE AIR BAG DISPLAY ON THE DIC. THE PROBLEM HAS TO BE IN PASSENGER SEAT SYSTEM AS IT IS SEPARATE FROM THE DRIVER SEAT. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS THIS ELECTRICAL AND MODULES WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT COULD RESULT A DEATH IN A CRASH. A LOT OF DRIVERS HAVE HAD COMPLAINTS ON THIS AIRBAG HAZARD ON ALL 06 THRU 10 PONTIAC SOLSTICE NOTED IN THE SOLSTICE FORUM…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,527 miles reported. Look up ODI 10443483 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10585631 · 2014-04-30 (April 30, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE NOT TAKEN CARE OF IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10585631 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10209548 · 2007-11-20 (November 20, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. WHILE DRIVING 3-5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. HE HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE FAILURE, IN WHICH THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS NOT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. AS OF NOVEMBER 20, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 550.

Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10209548 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10343335 · 2010-07-14 (July 14, 2010)

EVERYTIME I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING OR WHEN IT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT 4-5 HOURS BRAKES FAIL TO WORK, I HAVE TO LEAVE THE TRANSMISSION ON "PARKED" FOR ABOUT 1 OR 2 MINUTES OR ELSE I WOULD HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL VERY HARD TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING, THIS ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH THE FIRST DAYS I HAD THE CAR, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10343335 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10638702 · 2014-09-24 (September 24, 2014)

ON A TRIP 6/14/14 HALF WAY TO MY DESTINATION, THERE WAS A LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWING A CAR/LOCK SYMBOL. I CHECKED ALL DOORS, TRUNK AND HOOD, ALL WERE CLOSED. APPX. 10 MILES LATER I FELT THE POWER SUDDENLY STALL. THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER AND GAS GAGE WERE ALL GOING UP AND DOWN. THE FUEL LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED A WARNING SIGNAL. ALL SYSTEM LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON AND OFF. I PULLED OVER AND WAITED FOR A FEW MINUTES. IN ABOUT ONE MINUTE THE LOCK SYMBOL CAME ON AGAIN. AS I PROCEEDED THE SAME GAUGES STARTED TO GO CRAZY. ON APPROACHING…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10638702 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10234434 · 2008-07-15 (July 15, 2008)

THE BRAKES ON OUR CAR HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE DAY 1. THEY PULSATE, DON'T FULLY STOP AT TIMES AND IN A PANIC STOP PULL THE STEERING WHEEL SEVERELY TO THE LEFT, ALMOST OUT OF YOUR HANDS. THE DEALER HAS TRIED, UNSUCCESSFULLY, A COMPUTER DOWNLOAD AND TELLING US TO WARM THE CAR UP FOR 45 SECONDS BEFORE DRIVING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 22 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234434 at NHTSA ↗