YearToAvoid

2008 Pontiac G6 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2008 Pontiac G6 has a Complaint Index of 50 and ranks 4th worst out of 7 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Steering (419 complaints, 39% share) and electrical system issues (368 complaints) dominate, with 4 recalls on file.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
50/100
#4 of 7 G6 years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
1,079
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
37
reported in complaints
Fires
19
Injuries
22
Top issue
Steering
Best nearby year
2010
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20
17 city / 26 hwy
Injuries / deaths
22 / 3

Top 2008 Pontiac G6 problems

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

  1. Steering419 (39%)
  2. Electrical System368 (34%)
  3. Brakes188 (17%)
  4. Engine105 (10%)
  5. Airbags101 (9%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain83 (8%)
  7. Fuel System62 (6%)
  8. Structure & Body57 (5%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires42 (4%)
  10. Other22 (2%)

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

What owners report

  • Steering wheel becomes stiff or locks up suddenly at highway speeds, sometimes causing loss of control.
  • Power steering failure reported while driving around curves, with the car not responding to steering input.
  • Front airbags fail to deploy in moderate-to-severe frontal or side-impact crashes.
  • Headlight wiring melts or burns, causing repeated headlight failures even after bulb replacement.
  • Unintended acceleration reported while backing out of a parking space, leading to a crash.
2008 Pontiac G6 complaints: complaints filed per quarter742008 Q22010 Q42013 Q22015 Q42018 Q22020 Q42023 Q22025 Q4
1,079 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q2 (74).

2008 Pontiac G6 recalls

4 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 4 recalls for the 2008 Pontiac G6 →

2008 Pontiac G6 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,250
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.

2008 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
2006Avoid1001,910620
2007Avoid831,231421
2008Caution501,079420
2009Caution67712422
2010Best17272224

All Pontiac G6 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Pontiac G6 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 G6 has a Complaint Index of 50 and ranks 4th worst among 7 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Steering and electrical problems are the most reported issues.
What is the biggest problem with the 2008 Pontiac G6?
Steering is the top problem area, with 419 complaints (39% of the total) and a median failure mileage of 80,100 miles, including reports of the steering wheel locking up while driving.
Does the 2008 Pontiac G6 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2008 G6, covering brakes, transmission shift cable issues, and steering, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
Which Pontiac G6 model years should I avoid?
NHTSA data shows 2006 and 2007 rank worse than 2008, with Complaint Indexes of 100 and 83 and Avoid verdicts, while 2010 has the lowest index at 17 and a Best verdict.
Did the 2008 Pontiac G6 have airbag problems?
Owners reported 101 airbag-related complaints, including 19 crashes, with several describing frontal airbags that failed to deploy in collisions.

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.