Model year report

2008 Pontiac G6: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2008 Pontiac G6

On the 2008 Pontiac G6, the failure owners report most often is other steering problem, and the reports cluster around 87,000 miles. The earliest to appear is steering rack, gear or tie rod failure, reported by a median of 47,500 miles. Overall it scores 68 out of 100, high risk for a 2008.

High risk for a 2008 — 197th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. 1,608 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What owners report breaking

Owners have reported 61 named failure modes on the 2008 Pontiac G6, and the three most-reported carry 33% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.

Other steering problem leads with 270 reports, about 2.5 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 55k to 132,000 miles.

Cruise control failure follows with 135 reports, usually reported between 45k to 98,000 miles.

Headlight failure or clouding follows with 125 reports, usually reported between 61k to 92,500 miles. 10 of those reports mention a fire.

By system, the reports fall mostly into steering (396), lighting (234) and electrical (213).

At what mileage it happens

1,295 of the reports on the 2008 Pontiac G6 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 79,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 21% by 50,000 miles, 67% by 100,000 miles and 91% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 20 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 70,000 and 80,000 miles, which alone holds 11% of the dated reports.

11% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: steering rack, gear or tie rod failure around 47k, tail light, brake light or signal failure around 54k, other suspension problem around 55k and steering column or shaft failure around 56k.

Median

Other steering problem

87k
Cruise control failure

71k
Headlight failure or clouding

77k
Other electrical problem

80k
Other lighting problem

72k
Other brake problem

71k
Wiring harness or short circuit

68k
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault

96k
Other powertrain problem

101k
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure

74k
Steering column or shaft failure

56k
Other body or interior problem

64k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 61. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 79k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 20 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

What happens when these parts fail

Across the named modes, 46 mention a crash, 28 a fire, 24 an injury and 3 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.10, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other steering problem at $350–$2,400, cruise control failure at $200–$1,400, headlight failure or clouding at $150–$1,800 and other electrical problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

8% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other steering problem	steering	270	219	55k	87k	132k	2.5	$350–$2,400	High
Cruise control failure	adas	135	129	45k	71k	98k	1.3	$200–$1,400	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	125	94	61k	77k	93k	1.2	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Other electrical problem	electrical	91	62	61k	80k	104k	0.9	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other lighting problem	lighting	80	64	58k	72k	96k	0.8	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Other brake problem	brakes	77	60	44k	71k	109k	0.7	$300–$1,800	High
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	53	44	52k	68k	89k	0.5	$400–$3,500	High
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	53	42	80k	96k	120k	0.5	$300–$1,600	High
Other powertrain problem	transmission	48	37	75k	101k	115k	0.5	$400–$4,500	High
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	46	39	59k	74k	112k	0.4	$700–$3,000	High
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	45	34	41k	56k	87k	0.4	$600–$2,500	Critical
Other body or interior problem	body	42	34	48k	64k	105k	0.4	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Loss of power steering	steering	38	33	75k	120k	142k	0.4	$600–$2,800	Critical
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	37	35	34k	47k	64k	0.3	$700–$2,600	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	35	31	70k	96k	122k	0.3	$600–$2,600	High
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	34	23	76k	86k	114k	0.3	$200–$900	High
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	29	27	39k	54k	74k	0.3	$100–$900	Moderate
Other driver assistance problem	adas	25	19	80k	96k	142k	0.2	$250–$1,800	High
Other engine problem	engine	23	20	69k	100k	114k	0.2	$300–$4,000	High
Other speed control problem	adas	20	12	64k	98k	115k	0.2	$250–$2,000	Critical
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	18	16	60k	71k	99k	0.2	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	17	11	30k	82k	128k	0.2	$200–$1,500	High
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	14	9	110k	132k	142k	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure	electrical	13	10	61k	90k	144k	0.1	$250–$1,500	High
Other suspension problem	suspension	13	9	50k	55k	107k	0.1	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other fuel system problem	fuel	12	9	70k	82k	111k	0.1	$300–$2,200	High
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	11	10	67k	89k	106k	0.1	$900–$3,500	Moderate
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	10	7	—	94k	—	0.1	$500–$2,400	High
Rust or structural corrosion	body	10	6	—	74k	—	0.1	$500–$6,000	High
Water pump failure	cooling	8	2	—	64k	—	0.1	$500–$2,200	High
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	8	4	—	10	—	0.1	$450–$1,600	High
Transmission will not engage a gear	transmission	7	7	—	48k	—	0.1	$1,500–$6,000	Critical
Infotainment screen failure	infotainment	7	7	—	140k	—	0.1	$400–$2,600	Low
Tire pressure monitor failure	wheels	7	7	—	145k	—	0.1	$80–$600	Low
Other visibility problem	glass	7	5	—	61k	—	0.1	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Overheating	cooling	6	6	—	74k	—	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Parking brake failure	brakes	6	6	—	140k	—	0.1	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Power steering pump or fluid leak	steering	6	6	—	21k	—	0.1	$350–$1,600	Moderate
Complete transmission failure	transmission	5	5	—	66k	—	0.0	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure	transmission	5	5	—	60k	—	0.0	$250–$1,400	High
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	5	2	—	107k	—	0.0	$0–$0	Critical
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	4	3	—	49k	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	4	4	—	52k	—	0.0	$400–$2,200	High
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	4	4	—	64k	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	Critical
Sunroof failure or glass breakage	body	4	3	—	34k	—	0.0	$700–$4,500	High
Oil leak	engine	3	3	—	140k	—	0.0	$250–$2,200	Moderate
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	3	3	—	38k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	High
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	3	3	—	20k	—	0.0	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	3	3	—	125	—	0.0	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Misfire or rough idle	engine	2	2	—	110k	—	0.0	$250–$1,600	Moderate
Torque converter failure	transmission	2	2	—	11k	—	0.0	$1,100–$3,200	High
Engine sensor failure	electrical	2	1	—	82k	—	0.0	$180–$900	Moderate
Loss of braking	brakes	2	2	—	144k	—	0.0	$400–$3,000	Critical
Wiper or washer failure	glass	2	2	—	44k	—	0.0	$120–$800	Moderate
Harsh or jerky shifting	transmission	1	1	—	76k	—	0.0	$600–$4,000	Moderate
Differential or transfer case failure	drivetrain	1	1	—	63k	—	0.0	$900–$4,200	High
Wheel bearing or hub failure	drivetrain	1	1	—	159k	—	0.0	$350–$1,200	Moderate
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Airbag deployed without a crash	airbag	1	1	—	66k	—	0.0	$2,500–$8,000	Critical
Door latch or handle failure	body	1	1	—	41k	—	0.0	$250–$1,200	High
Windshield cracking	glass	1	1	—	29k	—	0.0	$300–$1,600	Moderate
Unclassified problem	other	62	47	58k	86k	104k	0.6	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2008 Pontiac G6 draws about 15 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 92nd percentile of complaint rates among 2008 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 106,109 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2008 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Cruise control failure

It started when I was having problems with my cruise control not turning on. I was then pulled over by a state policemen who explained that my brake lights were stuck on; he had me stop the car and re-start and he then followed me for another mile. Again the brake lights stuck on. He escorted me to the nearest dealer and instructed me to leave the car to be fixed. I then scheduled an appt. With the dealer and after looking into the problem, they replaced the brake sensor. It worked out fine for 3 weeks-as of this afternoon the brake lights are now staying on again. The police officer told me that I was not allowed to drive the vehicle without the hazard lights if this continues; so how can we fix this brake problem? *tr

19,785 miles NHTSA complaint 699916 filed 2008-12-13

On 2/17/09, gm recalled 8,012 2005-2006 pontiac g6 vehicles, because the brake lamps would not operate properly due to corrosion in a wiring connector. Symptoms include brake lamps illuminating when brake pedal is not depressed, brake lamps failing to illuminate when brake pedal is depressed, cruise control will not engage and greater than normal brake force is required to shift vehicle out of park. I own a 2008 pontiac g6 which is not included in this recall, however, my vehicle is experiencing the exact problems as described in the recall notice. I still have the factory warranty but the dealer cannot find the cause of the problem, they replaced the brake sensor which did not solve the problem and they do not believe it is related to this recall as they have found no corrosion in the wiring connector. I am therefore requesting that NHTSA require gm to validate the cause and expand the recall to other years. As noted in the recall notice, "brake lamps that are not operating properly may not warn a driver in a following vehicle of the braking status and could lead to a crash without prior warning". This is a serious safety issue…

34,000 miles NHTSA complaint 736981 filed 2009-09-24

Headlight failure or clouding

2008 pontiac g6. The brackets which hold the headlights to the car are insufficient. The headlights bounce, shake, and wobble over bumps in the road causing repeated premature headlamp bulb failure and safety hazard for visibility reasons especially at highway speeds. Bulbs have blown out 2 times since purchased as new in septmeber of 2008. Dealer states there is no known fix for headlight problem. In addition, the driver's side window on the sedan model does not stay entirely closed....pushing the window up button, the window moves 1/4" after closing. *tr

8,000 miles NHTSA complaint 721951 filed 2009-05-30

2008 pontiac g6. The brackets which hold the headlights to the car are insufficient. The headlights bounce, shake, and wobble over bumps in the road causing repeated premature headlamp bulb failure and safety hazard for visibility reasons especially at highway speeds. Bulbs have blown out 2 times since purchased as new in septmeber of 2008. Dealer states there is no known fix for headlight problem. In addition, the driver's side window on the sedan model does not stay entirely closed....pushing the window up button, the window moves 1/4" after closing. *tr

8,000 miles NHTSA complaint 721952 filed 2009-05-30

Recalls on the 2008 model year

NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 2008 Pontiac G6, affecting an estimated 289,934 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover steering, electrical system:wiring, power train:automatic transmission and steering:electric power assist system. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.

14E044000

STEERING

7,304 vehicles 2014-07-21

Defect: 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 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2009 Saturn Aura vehicles. The affected steering shafts may have a yoke that inadequately supports the u-joint bearing resulting in a premature failure.
Consequence: A joint bearing that fails prematurely may cause separation of the u-joint resulting in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 at 1-800-523-2492.

14V252000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

2,440,524 vehicles 2014-05-14

Defect: 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…
Consequence: 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.

14V224000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

1,131,113 vehicles 2014-04-30

Defect: 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…
Consequence: 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…
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.

14V153000

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

1,373,177 vehicles 2014-03-31

Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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…

12V460000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

426,240 vehicles 2012-09-18

Defect: 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 fracture and separate.
Consequence: If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.
Remedy: 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 on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2008 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2008 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

How 2008 compares with the other years

High risk for a 2008 — 197th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.

Across the 6 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2010 comes out best at 65 and 2006 worst at 72, with 2008 itself at 68.

If the model year is negotiable, 2010 scores lower than 2008 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2003–2010 generation specifically, 2010 is the strongest year at 65 and 2006 the weakest at 72.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2003-2010 generation, 2010 Pontiac G6 scores best at 65 and 2006 Pontiac G6 worst at 72.

Where to spend the inspection money

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other wheel or tire problem from about 30k, steering rack, gear or tie rod failure from about 34k, tail light, brake light or signal failure from about 39k and steering column or shaft failure from about 41k.

On a 2008 Pontiac G6 with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other wheel or tire problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.

What this page cannot tell you

1,608 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 1,608 reports, 1,295 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 81% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Pontiac G6?

The most-reported failures are other steering problem (270 reports, median 87,000 miles), cruise control failure (135 reports, median 71,000 miles) and headlight failure or clouding (125 reports, median 77,500 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2008 Pontiac G6 problems start?

Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 47,500 miles and a quarter of reports before 35,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 79,000 miles.

Is the 2008 Pontiac G6 reliable?

It scores 68 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 197th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2008 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Pontiac G6 is best?

Within the 2003–2010 generation, 2010 scores best at 65 out of 100 and 2006 worst at 72. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 20 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed