AI Damage2005 Pontiac G6: common problems
Owners of the 2005 Pontiac G6 filed 679 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 679
- involving a crash
- 26
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 68% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 3% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 3% of all complaints
- Steering: 459 complaints (68% of all), 19 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 86 complaints (13% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 65 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 62 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 48 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 679 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 459 | 19 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 86 | 6 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 65 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 62 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 48 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 15 | 5 | 0 |
| Structure | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 12 | 2 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
A few miles later down the road I could barely move my steering wheel at all and then the message power steering popped up on my information center as my steering wheel locked up as I attempted to make a turn. Unfortunately I had to go over a curb and into a parking lot because of the mishap.
As my son was driving around a corner about 35-40 mph he felt the driver side tire drop down, lost control of the car. The tire shredded off of the hubcap and he flipped approximately 7 times.
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact suffered minor cuts on the left hand from the windshield shattering. Medical attention was not required. The vehicle was towed to a local tow lot and inspected by the insurance company. It had not been determined whether the vehicle was destroyed.
Power steering motor and the electronical control stabilizer the steering wheel is hard to turn because it malfunction and I know you'll have a recall for that I took it to a mechanic and he said that's what it is he hooked the computer up to it he even told me that there is a recall I should contact gmc.
While driving at 50 mph, the vehicle stalled and the vehicle rolled over multiple times into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained neck and shoulder injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
I was pulling into a parking space and began to apply the brakes to stop when the accelerator stuck and threw us forward which resulted in us running into some cement pillars. I had to shift the car into park in order to get the car to stop. The entire front end of the car up to the radiator was crunched.
The air bags failed to deploy. Both front seats were cracked in the mid-lumbar area, which caused severe injury to both front passengers. A total of four occupants were injured and a police report was filed. The failure mileage was 41,805.
The air bags did not deploy in her 2005 pontiac g-6. My insurance company, and the local police were surprised that the airbags didn't deploy. The initial injuries to my wife were some soreness to her side and back, and a bruise above her nose where her glasses hit her. Luckily her injuries were not more severe.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 468 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 1% most complained about).
On average one model year of the G6 has 654 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 679, about average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Pontiac G6?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, electrical system, service brakes. Total complaints: 679. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (54%), warning lights, check engine (13%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Pontiac G6?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2005 Pontiac G6 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2005 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.