2008 Pontiac G8: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC G8. THE CONTACT CANNOT READ THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAYTIME. THERE IS NO RECALL REGARDING THIS FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS APPROXIMATELY RANGING FROM 20 TO 40 MPH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 350 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 249.

Owner-reported narrative. 249 miles reported. Look up ODI 10224447 at NHTSA ↗

AUTOMOBILE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS UNREADABLE IN SUNLIGHT DUE TO REFLECTIONS AND LOW CONTRAST, DARKLY SHADED DIALS. FOR A DRIVERS EYE VIEW: HTTP://G8GT.COM/T3593/ SCROLL DOWN TO THE FIFTH POST FOR PICTURES AND FEEL FREE TO READ ALL OF THE COMMENTS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO REGULATE SPEED, BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER IS OBSCURED. SOMEONE WILL GET HURT TRYING TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER, WHEN THEY SHOULD BE WATCHING THE ROAD. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS COMBINATION. THE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO PONTIAC: SERVICE REQUEST: 71-625738422 CUSTOMER RELATIONS…

Owner-reported narrative. 460 miles reported. Look up ODI 10227636 at NHTSA ↗

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DISPLAYS UNACCEPTABLE LATENCY DURING DOWNSHIFTS AND UNPREDICTABLE TRANSMISSION RESPONSE TO THROTTLE INPUTS . THIS RESULTS IN UNPREDICTABLE VEHICLE BEHAVIOR, ESPECIALLY DURING FREEWAY MERGES OR OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE A MODERATE AMOUNT OF ENGINE POWER IS REQUIRED. THIS IS AN ONGOING, CONSTANT PROBLEM THAT I BELIEVE IS RELATED TO POOR PROGRAMMING OF THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234646 at NHTSA ↗

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DISPLAYS UNACCEPTABLE LATENCY DURING DOWNSHIFTS AND UNPREDICTABLE RESPONSE TO THROTTLE INPUTS . THIS RESULTS IN UNPREDICTABLE VEHICLE BEHAVIOR, ESPECIALLY DURING FREEWAY MERGES OR OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE A MODERATE AMOUNT OF ENGINE POWER IS REQUIRED. THIS IS AN ONGOING, CONSTANT PROBLEM THAT I BELIEVE IS RELATED TO POOR PROGRAMMING OF THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234705 at NHTSA ↗

SLOW THROTTLE RESPONSE, LATENCY WHEN DOWNSHIFTING CREATING AN UNSAFE CONDITION WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235292 at NHTSA ↗

MY SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2008 PONTIAC G8 GT ARE AS FOLLOWS: LAGGY THROTTLE/TRANSMISSION RESPONSE CAUSES PRECARIOUS POSITIONS. HAMPERS ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE. MAY CAUSE CAR TO ACCELERATE FASTER THAN INTENDED RESULTING IN A ACCIDENT. FOR EXAMPLE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PART WAY RESULTS IN A LONG DELAY BEFORE THE CAR RESPONDS. WHEN THE CAR DOES RESPOND IT MAY ACCELERATE AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN INTENDED. THERE IS NO ACTUAL ACCELERATION FEEDBACK WHILE PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL BECAUSE OF THE DELAY. IF I HAD INTENDED TO ACCELERATE USING SAY 1/4 TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235485 at NHTSA ↗

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION EXHIBITS DIFFERENT TENDENCIES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THIS LEADS TO UNPREDICTABLE VEHICLE RESPONSE. IN ONE PARTICULAR OCCASION I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATED. THE CAR HESITATED FOR A GOOD 2 SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATING LEAVING ME TO HAVE TO GO OFF THE SHOULDER BECAUSE THE CARS FROM BEHIND HAD CAUGHT UP. THIS IS AN EVERYDAY PROBLEM AND RUINS THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CAR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10235723 at NHTSA ↗

AIR BAG MODULE IS BAD. AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ON AND AIR BAG IS DISABLED. GM RECOMMENDED THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE WRONG MODULE (IN THE PASSENGER SEAT). THE MAIN MODULE WAS NOT AN AVAILABLE PART AND WAS TOLD IT HAD TO BE ORDERED FROM AUSTRALIA. GM DOES NOT SEEM TO STOCK CRITICAL PARTS FOR THIS AUTO AND NOW IT'S WELL OVER A MONTH THAT I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THIS PART.. IF IT EVEN IS THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT APPEARS TO BE WIDE SPREAD IF YOU VIEW THE COMPLAINTS ON THE USER G8 FORUM ON LINE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255475 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-05-21 (May 21, 2009)

GM IS RECALLING 35,038 MY 2008-2009 PONTIAC G8 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT" AND FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS". THE BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SWITCH MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY PROGRAMMED. WITH THIS CONDITION, THE BRAKE LAMPS MAY BE CONTINUALLY ILLUMINATED AND FAIL TO WARN A FOLLOWING DRIVER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING. ALSO CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE INCORRECT VALUES PROGRAMMED INTO THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM THAT WILL NOT ILLUMINATE THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE TELLTALE UNTIL TIRE PRESSURE FALLS BELOW VALUES REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.

Consequence: INAPPROPRIATE, NON-STANDARD LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH OR DRIVING ON A SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER-INFLATED TIRE CAUSES THE TIRE TO OVERHEAT AND CAN LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE BRAKE POSITION SENSOR AND THE REMOTE CONTROL DOOR LOCK RECEIVER WITH THE CORRECT VALUES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JUNE 5, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GM PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

Reported: 2011-11-04 (November 4, 2011)

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 PONTIAC G8 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 2, 2007 THROUGH JANUARY 22, 2009. A 5TH PERCENTILE FEMALE ANTHROPOMORPHIC TEST DEVICE (ATD) IN A 30 MPH FRONTAL BARRIER TEST EXCEEDED THE HEAD INJURY CRITERIA (HIC) REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD. WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT POSITIONED FULL FORWARD, THE SEAT POSITION SENSOR WILL CAUSE A 30 MILLISECONDS DEPLOYMENT DELAY BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND STAGES OF THE DUAL-STAGE FRONTAL PASSENGER AIR BAG.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THIS DELAY MAY RESULT IN INCREASED HEAD INJURY TO CERTAIN FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.

Remedy: GM DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

Reported: 2014-09-09 (September 9, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Chevrolet Caprice vehicles manufactured October 15, 2010, to December 6, 2013, and 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 vehicles manufactured July 25, 2007, to February 18, 2009. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position could cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the key blade from the original flip key/RKE transmitter assemblies, and cut and fit a revised key blade and housing assembly, in which the blade has been indexed by 90 degrees, to the original RKE transmitter assembly. GM issued an interim notification to owners on December 31, 2014. The recall began on February 4, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14445. Note: Until the recall has been performed, it is very important that drivers adjust their seat and steering column to allow clearance between their knee and the ignition key.

Reported: 2015-06-23 (June 23, 2015)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Chevrolet Caprice vehicles manufactured October 15, 2010, to October 22, 2013, and 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 vehicles manufactured July 25, 2007, to February 18, 2009. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the driver seat and the front passenger seat may be bent from being sat on while entering the vehicle. This repeated bending may result in the cable breaking.

Consequence: If the cable breaks, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt tensioner assembly which includes the steel cable, free of charge. These replacement parts reposition the tensioner cable out of the path of entry into the vehicle and uses a more flexible cable, set at a more upright angle. The recall began on July 5, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 15206.