2005 Pontiac G6: complaints, problems and recalls

OPEN REAR WINDOW OR WINDOWS AT SPEED OF 40 MPH AND ABOVE CREATES A SAFETY PROBLEM AS THE NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR BECOMES SO INTENSE THAT YOU EITHER HAVE TO CLOSE THE WINDOW OR STOP THE CAR. THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE A ROTAR ON A HELICOPTER AND THE FASTER YOU GO OVER 40 THE LOUDER IT BECOMES AND YOUR HEARING BECOMES SO BAD YOU MUST STOP OR PUT WINDOW BACK UP. IR REPORTED THIS TO GM AND THEY TOLD ME ITS THE NATURE OF THE BEAST TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE ANSWER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10112421 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

1) DRIVING MY PONTIAC G6 ONTO A REGULAR DRIVEWAY SLOPE 2) FORWARD METAL IMPINGEMENTS (ONLY DRIVER SIDE AFFECTED) ATTACHED TO THE CHASSIS WAS BENT BACK DUE TO THE I-BEAM STRUCTURE "CATCHING" THE CONCRETE DRIVEWAY SLOPE. CONSEQUENCE OF DESIGN FAILURE CAUSED THE ENTIRE ENGINE CRADLE TO SHIFT AND THERE BY ALLOWING FOR AN INCREASE IN DAMAGE POSSIBILITIES TO ENGINE BLOCK AND RADIATOR TO OCCUR. ALSO WITH I-BEAM STRUCTURE BEING BENT DOWNWARD IT HAS CREATED A HANGING PIECE OF METAL TO POSSIBLY CATCH ROAD DEBRIS (COULD LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE) AND ALLOW …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10124102 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE CONTINUALLY ON, OTHER DRIVER'S THINK THE CONSUMER IS BRAKING AT ALL TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 7 TIMES AND CHANGED SWITCHES IN THE FOOT PEDALS AND BRAKES. THEY SAY IT HAS CODES OF BRAKE SLIPPING AND THEY STILL CANNOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 62 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126333 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

DT: ] THIS VEHICLE IS A NEW 2005 PONTIAC G6. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND UP WITH BACK REAR WINDOWS DOWN THERE WAS POUNDING VIBRATION, IT WAS ASSUMED TO BE AIR THAT FILLED THE VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO HAD NO REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM. DEALER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY DID NOT HAVE A REMEDY EITHER. DEALER DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM. ALSO, TESTED OTHER PONTIAC 2005 G6 THAT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, AS WELL AS THE 2006 MODEL. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128792 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

DASH RATTLE,AT ABOUT 500 MILES BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE A RATTLE COMING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE OF DASH WHEN ON A ROUGH ROAD,A FEW MILE LATTER THE PASSENGER SIDE BEGAN SAME THING. VEHICLES HAD MADE NUMEROUS TRIPS TO DEALER, WHICH PROCEDED TO REPLACE STRUTS(ALSO VERY NOISEY,DEALER SAID IS NORMAL)DO'NT AGREE.AFTER CALLING PONTIAC ABOUT THE RATTLE PROBLEM DEALER MADE MORE OF EFFORT TO FIND PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH CAR DOE'S SEEM TO BE FIXED(RATTLE IN DASH) STILL HAVE APROBLEM WITH NOISE IN STRUTS AND LOOSE FEELING IN FRONT END WHEN BOTH WHEELS ENCOUNTER A ROUGH RO…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133553 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-03-14 (March 14, 2005)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, 'CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS.' THE CHILD RESTRAINT LOWER ANCHORS IN THE CENTER REAR SEATING POSITION ARE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 90MM BEHIND THE CORRESPONDING Z-POINT OF THE CHILD RESTRAINT FIXTURE (CRF). THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT ANCHORS ARE AT THE OUTBOARD SEATING POSITIONS ONLY.

Consequence: WITHOUT ADDITIONAL AND CORRECTED OWNER'S MANUAL INFORMATION, AN OWNER MAY ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTY IN INSTALLING CHILD RESTRAINTS WITH RIGID ATTACHMENTS IN THE CENTER POSITION.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE MAILED AN OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT. THE RECALL IBEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

Reported: 2009-01-30 (January 30, 2009)

GM IS RECALLING 8,012 MY 2005-2006 PONTIAC G6 VEHICLES. THE BRAKE LAMPS MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY BECAUSE OF CORROSION IN A WIRING CONNECTOR. CORROSION IN THE CONNECTOR COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE LAMPS TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS NOT BEEN DEPRESSED, OR THE LAMPS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THE CRUISE CONTROL MAY NOT ENGAGE, AND GREATER BRAKE PEDAL FORCE MAY BE REQUIRED TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK.

Consequence: BRAKE LAMPS THAT ARE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY MAY NOT WARN A DRIVER IN A FOLLOWING VEHICLE OF THE BRAKING STATUS AND COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL APPLY A DIELECTRIC LUBRICANT TO THE CONNECTOR TO PREVENT CORROSION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FOR YOU FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 17, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1- 800-620-7668 OR OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Reported: 2014-03-31 (March 31, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

Consequence: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.

Reported: 2014-04-30 (April 30, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.

Consequence: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the ‘PARK’ position, the transmission may not be in ‘PARK.’ If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.

Reported: 2014-05-14 (May 14, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.