Pontiac G6 Reliability and Common Problems

In terms of reliability and performance, the Pontiac G6 may not be on par with other midsize cars. In fact, this model was discontinued in 2010, when General Motors closed down the Pontiac brand for good. The G6 has pretty much lost most of its value to depreciation. If you’re planning on buying a 2010 Pontiac G6, a used model has a 5-year depreciation rate of 7%, according to AutoPadre. This means in 5 years, this car’s current value of $4,600 will go down to $4,300.

Is the Pontiac G6 a Reliable Car?

As of writing, RepairPal.com has no specific reliability rating for the G6 due to insufficient data. But the site does have information on this model’s annual repair cost, which averages at $470. UK-based marketing research firm J.D. Power gives the 2007-2009 G6 model years an average reliability rating of 78/100. According to Pontiac G6 owners on this forum, their cars lasted around 270,000 miles with regular care and maintenance. 

Top Pontiac G6 Problems

Some Pontiac G6 models have quite a few serious issues that potential owners may want to know more about. Below are some of the most common Pontiac G6 problems:

Faulty Lights

One of the major 2008 and 2009 Pontiac G6 problems is faulty lighting. In fact, for the 2009 model year alone, there are reports of faulty headlights, brake lights, and door ajar lights. As for the 2008 model year, owners have reported issues with its low beams, headlights, and brake lights. There are also a few complaints on the CarComplaints website about lighting plugs and wires melting down. 

Pontiac recall #13036 affected not only the 2008 and 2009 model years, but also the entire G6 production run, from 2005 to 2010. This recall was announced on May 14, 2014, and affected almost 2,500,000 vehicles. According to the recall summary, increased resistance in the body control module (BCM) may result in voltage fluctuations in the brake apply sensor (BAS) unit. This can cause failure conditions that can increase the risk of a crash. In some cases, this error can cause the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed. This electronic issue can also cause the brake lights not to illuminate when the pedal is pushed. 

The 2008 and 2009 Pontiac G6 have other major issues aside from faulty lighting. In fact, according to CarComplaints.com, there are more than 1,000 technical service bulletins (TSBs) and five recalls for each of these two model years. 

Door Locks Not Responding

Next to the lighting issue, this is another major 2009 Pontiac G6 problem. Affected owners have reported that their vehicles’ automatic door lock and unlock button stopped working. According to a few of the reports, the front driver’s side door malfunctioned first, followed by the rear driver’s side door. The affected drivers said that they encountered this issue before their vehicle reached 50,000 miles. While many G6 owners didn’t know how to fix this issue, some had their mechanics replace the power lock mechanism, an effective fix that cost $250 on average. 

General Motors released TSB #PIC-5169 in May 2009 to address the door lock issue on the 2009 Pontiac G6, as well as on other Chevrolet and Saturn models. Unfortunately, this document is not yet available online. However, according to CarComplaints.com, you can request a copy of this bulletin at your local GM or Pontiac dealer’s service department. 

Unusual Noise When Turning

The most worrisome 2008 Pontiac G6 problem is the loud, grinding noise that can be heard during steering. This issue is related to the power steering problem towards the end of this list. It also affects several model years, including the 2007 and 2006 G6. According to the affected owners, they heard a loud, grinding noise as they tried to steer their vehicle. One owner on CarComplaints.com even said that they got into a crash, but thankfully no one was injured. Even so, this became a huge issue for the Pontiac brand. 

On July 21st, 2014, GM recalled more than 7,000 vehicles, including 2005-2010 Pontiac G6s that were equipped with a joint bearing that had prematurely failed. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Recall Campaign #14E-044, the faulty joint bearing may cause the U-joint to separate, resulting in a complete loss of steering control and increased crash risk. 

Catalytic Converter Issues

Another major 2007 Pontiac G6 problem is a check engine light or service engine soon light that illuminates intermittently. But this problem didn’t just occur in the 2007 model year. In fact, it was also present in the 2006 and 2008 G6 model years. 

According to the reports on CarComplaints.com, owners noticed that their vehicles’ performance suddenly declined. Some owners have reported that it got to a point where they couldn’t even drive up a small hill. When these owners brought their vehicles to the shop, they found out that the issue was a clogged or damaged catalytic converter. Affected owners encountered this problem at 40,000 miles and it cost them approximately $650 to fix. 

Pontiac released a few TSBs for this catalytic converter issue. For example, TSB #060601010D was issued to provide information on how to inspect, clean, and replace catalytic converters if debris entered the exhaust system. TSB #SB-10134-A aimed to inform 2006-2008 G6 owners that the warranty on their catalytic converters was extended to 120,000 miles because of this issue. You can find this bulletin as well as other related documents on CarComplaints.com. 

Vanity Mirror Hinge Not Working Properly

This 2006 Pontiac G6 problem may not be as serious as the other issues on this list, but potential owners may want to learn more about this. Several 2006 G6 owners have reported that the hinges on both of the vanity mirrors broke after a little over a year, or within the first 30,000 miles of owning their car. Some owners replaced the entire sun visor, a fix that cost them approximately $150.

Pontiac released a TSB regarding this issue on March 1, 2006. TSB #05094 contains repair information on broken sun visor mirrors in 2006 G6s. Unfortunately, this document is still unavailable on CarComplaints.com as of writing. You can request a copy of the document from your local GM or Pontiac dealer’s service department. 

Faulty Power Steering 

Some 2005 Pontiac G6 units have problems with their power steering. This issue is also present in the 2006 and 2007 model years. Many of the affected owners encountered this problem at around 70,000 miles, but 2007 model year owners noticed this issue at around 100,000 miles. One owner has reported that their daughter drove their family’s 2005 G6 one day when the steering wheel completely locked up. Another owner shared that they were driving below 15 mph when their vehicle’s power steering went out. There are a lot of similar stories from owners of the 2006 and 2007 G6 model years as well. 

According to CarComplaints.com, replacing the steering components or the entire steering system is the most common repair for this issue . On average, it cost owners at least $700 to fix.

GM issued recall #N140115 back in March 2014 to address this issue. This recall affected more than 1.3 million vehicles. Aside from 2005-2009 Pontiac G6s, thousands of Chevrolet Malibus, Chevy Malibu Maxxs, Chevy HHRs, Chevy Cobalts, Saturn Auras, and Saturn Ions were also covered by this recall. You can find out more about this recall and read all the related TSBs, notices, and recall acknowledgments on the CarComplaints website.

Before buying a used Pontiac G6, make sure to research about the unit you plan on buying. Get to know that model year’s common problems and check the repair history of the vehicle you want to purchase. Lastly, clear everything up with the seller before you seal the deal on a Pontiac G6.