2008 Pontiac G6 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,608 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Pontiac G6, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 61/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 76,445 miles.
Below average
Where 2008 sits among all G6 years
What owners report
“While the car is driving at any speed the power steering and brake lights will go out randomly. The front headlights will just turn off for no reason in the middle of the night while driving. And when the headlights go out the brake lights stay on continuously.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 G6
“Power steering stops working intermittently. The vehicle can be stationary or moving.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 G6
“Brake lights come on without braking. Brake lights continue to stay on until hit the brake then come back on when let off brakes”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 G6
“Service airbag sensor in the seat. Constant light on the dash because of sensor and shows service airbag.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 G6
“Gears stopped working and car rolled and stopped on the curb, dealer will not fix recalled gear cable because the owner before me had it fixed but it has broke again”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 G6
“My traction control will go off and light up on the dash. My break lights stay on mist of the time.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 G6
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,266 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 55,000 and 114,530 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010…
Fix: Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will refund the purchase price or replace the steering shafts, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Dorman customer service…
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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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 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,…
Fix: 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,…
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 14V252000.
Technical service bulletins
1,018 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2008 Pontiac G6. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2008 Pontiac G6 reliable?
The 2008 Pontiac G6 drew 1,608 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 61/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2008 Pontiac G6 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Pontiac G6 are electrical (470 complaints), steering (421), and brakes & stability (149).
At what mileage do 2008 Pontiac G6 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Pontiac G6 problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 55,000 and 114,530 miles.
Does the 2008 Pontiac G6 have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 Pontiac G6. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.