2008 Pontiac G6

No photo available — body style shown for reference.

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Steering

Steering leads by volume: 419 of 1,078 complaints (39%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more deaths (3) than those mentioning any other identified area.

Complaints filed fell from 1,231 in 2007 to 1,078 in 2008.

Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

Advertisement

Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.
Category20062007200820092010vs. 2008 Compact Cars
Annual fuel cost ($)2,600–3,3002,600–3,4502,500–3,4502,400–3,4502,400–3,450
Combined MPG19–2418–2418–2518–2618–26
City / Highway MPG16–21 / 24–3115–20 / 22–3015–22 / 22–3015–22 / 22–3315–22 / 22–33
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)370–468370–494355–494342–494342–494
Complaints filed1,9101,2311,078710272Not compared
Recalls issued75553Not compared
Crash-involved complaints9054372510Not compared
Fire-involved complaints112419201Not compared
Injuries reported613222183Not compared
Deaths reported21300Not compared
Configurations compared76578

Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2008 Pontiac G6 have?

5 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.

What is the most common complaint about the 2008 Pontiac G6?

Steering: 419 of 1,078 NHTSA complaints (39%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Pontiac G6 get?

EPA rates it 18–25 MPG combined across 5 configurations.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2008 Pontiac G6?

EPA estimates $2,500–$3,450 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

EPA-Rated Configurations (5)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
ConfigurationTransmissionCylindersDisplacementDrivetrainFuel TypeVehicle ClassCityHighwayCombinedAnnual Fuel CostCO₂
Configuration 1Automatic 4-spd42.4LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars22 mpg (high)30 mpg (high)25 mpg (high)$2,500 (low)355 g/mi (low)
Configuration 2Automatic 4-spd63.5LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars18 mpg29 mpg22 mpg$2,850404 g/mi
Configuration 3Automatic (S4)63.5LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars17 mpg26 mpg20 mpg$3,100444 g/mi
Configuration 4Automatic (S6)63.6LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars17 mpg26 mpg20 mpg$3,100444 g/mi
Configuration 5Automatic (S4)63.9LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars15 mpg (low)22 mpg (low)18 mpg (low)$3,450 (high)494 g/mi (high)

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
CategoryComplaintsCrash-InvolvedFire-InvolvedInjuriesDeaths
Engine451300
Transmission & Drivetrain833010
Fuel System620000
Electrical2246640
Brakes1875140
Steering41912281
Suspension, Wheels & Tires422000
Airbags & Restraints109191143
Driver Assistance & Speed Control674121
Body, Seats & Latches572340
Visibility & Lighting25521200
Other221000

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls (5)

  • STEERING · Campaign 14E044000 · Jul 22, 2014

    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.

  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH; VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL; ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · Campaign 14V252000 · May 15, 2014

    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 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.

    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.

  • POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT · Campaign 14V224000 · Apr 30, 2014

    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 number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.

    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 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.

  • STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM · Campaign 14V153000 · Mar 31, 2014

    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 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.

  • POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) · Campaign 12V460000 · Sep 19, 2012

    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.