Pontiac G6 2005–2010
1st generation (only generation) · GM Epsilon (GM6)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20268,443 complaints, 6,886 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 6,886
- Median of reported failures
- 80,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Steering (37.1%)
- Recalls
- 5
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 51,054 and 120,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Pontiac G6 2005–2010 · 6,886 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 326 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 171 complaints (2.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 28,000
- 25%
- 51,054
- Median
- 80,145
- 75%
- 120,000
- 90%
- 155,867
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 218 | 3.2% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 79 | 1.1% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 92 | 1.3% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 86 | 1.2% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 120 | 1.7% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 134 | 1.9% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 194 | 2.8% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 201 | 2.9% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 225 | 3.3% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 226 | 3.3% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 288 | 4.2% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 276 | 4.0% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 320 | 4.6% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 243 | 3.5% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 300 | 4.4% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 290 | 4.2% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 326 | 4.7% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 266 | 3.9% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 256 | 3.7% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 235 | 3.4% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 269 | 3.9% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 166 | 2.4% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 196 | 2.8% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 156 | 2.3% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 202 | 2.9% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 145 | 2.1% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 153 | 2.2% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 146 | 2.1% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 136 | 2.0% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 105 | 1.5% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 120 | 1.7% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 91 | 1.3% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 93 | 1.4% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 60 | 0.9% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 77 | 1.1% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 60 | 0.9% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 61 | 0.9% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 24 | 0.3% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 54 | 0.8% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 26 | 0.4% |
| 200,000+ | 171 | 2.5% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 8,443 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005–2010 Pontiac G6, and 6,886 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 51,054 and 120,000 miles. The median is 80,145 miles.
The most-reported areas are the steering (37.1% of complaints, typically around 86,000 miles), the electrical system (11.8% of complaints, typically around 81,000 miles), the exterior lighting (11.6% of complaints, typically around 75,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2005–2010 Pontiac G6 last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2005–2010 Pontiac G6 were filed by 80,000 miles and 90% by 156,000 miles — figures drawn from 6,886 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
171 reports (2.5%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a G6 reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2005–2010 G6: the 3-minute check
Generated from 6,886 mileage-tagged complaints, 5 recall campaigns, 5 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 5 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check steering (electric power assist) on 2005–2009 (15V–064 expansion covers 2006–2007 units built Apr–Jun 2006) cars. Sudden loss of electric power steering assist while driving, caused by a fault in the EPS torque sensor assembly; steering reverts to unassisted manual effort, worst at low speed. Remedy was replacement of the torque…
- Check electrical / body control module on 2005–2010 cars. Increased electrical resistance at the Body Control Module connection produces voltage fluctuations that can disable brake lamps, cruise control, traction control/StabiliTrak and other crash-avoidance functions. NHTSA…
- Check transmission shift cable on 2008–2010 cars. The tabs on the automatic transmission shift cable end can fracture and separate, so the shifter position no longer matches the gear actually engaged — the car can be shifted to PARK and the key removed while the…
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 51,000 and 120,000 miles, with a median of 80,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the steering and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 81,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Pontiac G6 2005–2010
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Exterior lighting980 reports75,00053,000–101,000Exterior lighting: 980 reports, median 75,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 101,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control277 reports76,00055,000–100,000Throttle and speed control: 277 reports, median 76,000 miles, middle half 55,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Brakes510 reports80,00060,000–116,000Brakes: 510 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 116,000 miles.
- Electrical system998 reports81,00055,000–117,000Electrical system: 998 reports, median 81,000 miles, middle half 55,000 to 117,000 miles.
- Airbag system411 reports85,00048,000–120,000Airbag system: 411 reports, median 85,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 120,000 miles.
- Steering3,129 reports86,00053,000–129,000Steering: 3,129 reports, median 86,000 miles, middle half 53,000 to 129,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline383 reports90,00060,000–125,000Transmission and driveline: 383 reports, median 90,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 125,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 3,129 | 37.1% | 86,000 | 53,000–129,000 |
| Electrical system | 998 | 11.8% | 81,000 | 55,000–117,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 980 | 11.6% | 75,000 | 53,000–101,000 |
| Brakes | 510 | 6.0% | 80,000 | 60,000–116,000 |
| Airbag system | 411 | 4.9% | 85,000 | 48,000–120,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 383 | 4.5% | 90,000 | 60,000–125,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 277 | 3.3% | 76,000 | 55,000–100,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 273 | 3.2% | 94,000 | 69,000–128,000 |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 193 | 2.3% | 100,000 | 75,000–146,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 185 | 2.2% | 37,000 | 20,000–70,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Pontiac G6 2005–2010 · 6,886 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 31% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 56% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 75% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 98%: the remaining 2.5% of reports (171) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
31% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Steering — middle half 53,000–129,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 55,000–117,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 53,000–101,000 mi
- Brakes — middle half 60,000–116,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 48,000–120,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 60,000–125,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 55,000–100,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
56% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Steering — middle half 53,000–129,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 55,000–117,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 53,000–101,000 mi
- Brakes — middle half 60,000–116,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 48,000–120,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 60,000–125,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 55,000–100,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
75% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Electrical system — median 81,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — median 75,000 mi
- Brakes — median 80,000 mi
- Airbag system — median 85,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — median 76,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Steering — middle half 53,000–129,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 60,000–125,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 80,145 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The steering accounts for 37.1% of complaints (3,129 reports, 2,638 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,000 and 129,000 miles.
A single system taking 37.1% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The electrical system accounts for 11.8% of complaints (998 reports, 768 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 81,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 55,000 and 117,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 11.6% of complaints (980 reports, 814 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 53,000 and 101,000 miles.
The brakes account for 6.0% of complaints (510 reports, 411 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 116,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 4.9% of complaints (411 reports, 323 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 120,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 4.5% of complaints (383 reports, 313 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 90,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 125,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2006 model year drew the most — 2,602 complaints — while 2010 drew the fewest at 432. The median year sits at 1,326.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the steering (2), the transmission and driveline (2), electronic stability control (esc) (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 8,443 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 381 (4.5%)
- Fires
- 111
- Injury reports
- 198
- Fatality reports
- 10
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Steering (electric Power Assist) 2005–2009 (15V–064 expansion covers 2006–2007 units built Apr–Jun 2006)
Sudden loss of electric power steering assist while driving, caused by a fault in the EPS torque sensor assembly; steering reverts to unassisted manual effort, worst at low speed. Remedy was replacement of the torque sensor assembly. NHTSA campaign 14V-153; expanded by 15V-064 for a further build window.
Electrical / Body Control Module 2005–2010
Increased electrical resistance at the Body Control Module connection produces voltage fluctuations that can disable brake lamps, cruise control, traction control/StabiliTrak and other crash-avoidance functions. NHTSA campaign 14V-252.
Transmission Shift Cable 2008–2010
The tabs on the automatic transmission shift cable end can fracture and separate, so the shifter position no longer matches the gear actually engaged — the car can be shifted to PARK and the key removed while the transmission is still in gear, allowing rollaway. NHTSA campaign 12V-460.
Transmission Shift Cable Adjustment Clip 2009
Shift cable adjustment clip may not be fully seated, producing a mismatch between indicated and actual gear position. NHTSA campaign 09V-073.
Engine (2.4l Ecotec Le5) 2007–2010
Timing chain wear/stretch producing cold-start rattle and cam/crank correlation codes, and elevated oil consumption; aggravated by extended oil change intervals.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 932 | 767 |
| 2006 | 2,602 | 2,109 |
| 2007 | 1,825 | 1,472 |
| 2008 | 1,608 | 1,295 |
| 2009 | 1,044 | 851 |
| 2010 | 432 | 392 |
Recalls (5) — is your car included?
Feb 2015 · 2006–2007 · SteeringIf power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured April 1, 2006, to June 30, 2006, and 2006-2007 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured April 18, 2006, to June 30, 2006. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
What can happen. 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.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14772. Note: This is an expansion of recall 14V-153 to cover additional vehicles built between April 1, 2006 and June 30, 2006.
Aug 2014 · 2005–2010 · Electronic Stability Control (esc)Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
The 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
What can happen. Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. 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.
Jul 2014 · 2005–2009 · SteeringIf power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds…
The 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.
What can happen. 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.
The free fix. 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 fr
Jun 2014 · 2005–2008 · Power TrainIf the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection…
The 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 r
What can happen. 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
The free fix. 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.
Jan 2013 · 2008–2010 · Power TrainIf the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear…
The 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.
What can happen. 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.
The free fix. 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.
What owners reported
I own a Pontiac g6 and have power steering problems. I found your sight on g6 owners club forum. Many of the owners have the same problem and GMC won't do anything about it. The power steering keeps locking up and the light stays on. I've taken my car to the local dealership and they said they fixed it but the same…
2005 · 10 miles · Steering
The steering on my car went out as i was going to turn on a busy street. Luckily i was barely picking up speed. But if this had not been the case i could have easily hit two people that were standing on the corner or even traffic light post. There was no warning at all. Except the beeping and then the steering going…
2005 · 15 miles · Steering
I already fixed my front suspension three times already. It seems that this a factory defect. I never had an issue with this so many times in any previous vehicle. I have been left stranded for this reason. I also have issue with the electronic power steering for this vehicle. It gets really hard making it dangerous…
2005 · 20 miles · Steering
Open rear window or windows at speed of 40 MPH and above creates a safety problem as the noise from the rear of the car becomes so intense that you either have to close the window or stop the car. The noise sounds like a rotar on a helicopter and the faster you go over 40 the louder it becomes and your hearing becomes…
2005 · 40 miles · Body structure
Built from 6,886 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page