YearToAvoid

2005 Pontiac G6 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

33/100

#5 most-complained of 7 G6 years

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

The 2005 Pontiac G6 has 679 owner complaints and 5 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 33 out of 100 — #5 highest of 7 G6 model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is steering (459 complaints, 68% of the total). Complaints report 26 crashes, 4 fires, and 17 injuries.

Complaints
679
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
26 / 4
Injuries / deaths
17 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22
19.5 city / 27.5 hwy

Top 2005 Pontiac G6 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering459 (68%)
  2. Electrical System134 (20%)
  3. Brakes75 (11%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain48 (7%)
  5. Engine47 (7%)
  6. Fuel System33 (5%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires25 (4%)
  8. Other21 (3%)
  9. Structure & Body19 (3%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers16 (2%)
2005 Pontiac G6 complaints: complaints filed per quarter422005 Q12007 Q32010 Q12012 Q32015 Q12017 Q32020 Q12023 Q1
893 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q1 to 2025 Q4; peak 2014 Q3 (42).

2005 Pontiac G6 recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 14V252000May 14, 2014Brakes2,440,524 vehicles

    Electronic stability control (esc)

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  2. NHTSA 14V224000Apr 30, 2014Transmission & Powertrain1,131,113 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V153000Mar 31, 2014Steering1,373,177 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    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.

    Risk: 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.

See all 5 recalls for the 2005 Pontiac G6 →

2005 Pontiac G6 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
27.5 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,950
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.

2005 compared with other G6 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002005200620072008200920102014
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Good33679522
2006Avoid1001,910620
2007Avoid831,231421

All Pontiac G6 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Pontiac G6 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 Pontiac G6 ranks #5 of 7 among G6 model years (Complaint Index 33/100, verdict: Good). It has 679 complaints and 5 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Pontiac G6?
The most reported problem areas are steering (459 complaints), electrical system (134 complaints), and brakes (75 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 80,822 miles.
Does the 2005 Pontiac G6 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2005 Pontiac G6, most recently reported 2014, covering brakes, transmission & powertrain, steering, and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Pontiac G6?
EPA rates the 2005 Pontiac G6 at 22 MPG combined (19.5 city / 27.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.