YearToAvoid

2009 Pontiac G5 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2009 Pontiac G5 has a complaint index of 33, the third-lowest among the four model years with data, and carries a Good verdict. It has 76 complaints and 5 recalls, with fuel system issues being the top reported problem area.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
33/100
#3 of 4 G5 years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
76
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
9
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
5
Top issue
Fuel System
Best nearby year
—
no alternative with data
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
29
25 city / 35 hwy
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0

Top 2009 Pontiac G5 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Fuel System32 (42%)
  2. Electrical System23 (30%)
  3. Steering12 (16%)
  4. Airbags10 (13%)
  5. Engine7 (9%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain6 (8%)
  7. Other4 (5%)
  8. Structure & Body2 (3%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report the power steering suddenly failing during a turn, leading to loss of control.
  • The engine stalled unexpectedly at low and highway speeds, sometimes with no dealer diagnosis found.
  • Airbags failed to deploy in head-on and rollover crashes despite significant impact forces.
  • Instrument panel warning lights for the airbag system were reported for years without dealers finding a cause.
  • Interior lighting failed to work at night, with dealers reportedly saying this was normal.
  • A manual transmission ground going into third gear when the engine was cold.
2009 Pontiac G5 complaints: complaints filed per quarter102008 Q42011 Q22012 Q32014 Q42016 Q22017 Q32019 Q22021 Q1
76 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2014 Q2 (10).

2009 Pontiac G5 recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 14V171000Apr 10, 2014Electrical System2,191,014 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

    Risk: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

    Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac owners at 1-800-762-2737, and Saturn owners at 1-800-553-6000. General Motors' number for this recall is 14113 for the ignition lock cylinder and key replacement, and 14133 for only key replacements. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.

  2. NHTSA 14V047000Feb 10, 2014Airbags2,190,934 vehicles

    Air bags

    This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

    Risk: 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.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GM’s recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.

  3. NHTSA 12V459000Sep 19, 2012Fuel System49,768 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak.

    Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 21, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles in for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

See all 5 recalls for the 2009 Pontiac G5 →

2009 Pontiac G5 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
25 MPG
Highway
35 MPG
Combined
29 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,250
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other G5 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002007200820092010
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Caution671885—
2008Avoid100115429
2009Good3376529
2010No verdict02329

All Pontiac G5 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Pontiac G5 reliable?
Among Pontiac G5 model years with data, 2009 has the lowest complaint index at 33 and ranks 3rd worst of the years tracked, earning a Good verdict relative to other G5 years.
What problems does the 2009 Pontiac G5 have?
NHTSA complaints point to the fuel system as the top problem area (42% of complaints), followed by electrical system issues (30%) and steering (16%). The median mileage at failure across all complaints was 70,050 miles.
Does the 2009 Pontiac G5 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2009 Pontiac G5, covering the electrical system, airbags, fuel system, steering, and transmission/powertrain, none of them do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2009 G5 compare to other years?
The 2009 G5 has a complaint index of 33, well below the 2008 G5's index of 100 (rated Avoid) and the 2007 G5's index of 67 (rated Caution).
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Pontiac G5?
The 2009 Pontiac G5 gets an EPA combined rating of 29 mpg (25 city / 35 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,250.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.