AI Damage2009 Pontiac G6: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Pontiac G6 filed 713 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 713
- involving a crash
- 26
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 42% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 27% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- Steering: 296 complaints (42% of all), 11 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 190 complaints (27% of all).
- Electrical system: 178 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 76 complaints (11% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 46 complaints (6% of all), 3 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.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 3 complaints
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3.9 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 713 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 | 296 | 11 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 190 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 178 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 76 | 5 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 46 | 3 | 0 |
| Air bags | 40 | 10 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 36 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 24 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 9 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The cars power steering went out on my son after a power surge going around a slight turn. He went head on with a box truck an been in the hospital for 3 weeks now with multiple compound fractures to his leg, ribs, tibia, fibia, and femur. Never received a recall notice for this recall.
The contact stated while his son was driving the vehicle approaching a stop sign, when he started to depress on the brake pedal, the vehicle jerked to turn left and crash into an oncoming vehicle on the opposite side of the road. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The air bags did not deploy.
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained facial and rib cage injuries that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,000.
The contact indicated that during the incident, the air bags failed to deploy. The contact's face struck the steering wheel causing serious facial injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. No further information was available.
As a result, the contact crashed into a deer and the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was taken to the a private mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brakes and the ignition needed to be replaced.
The contact stated that the power steering failed and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. As a result, the driver crashed into another vehicle. The contact mentioned that the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained injuries. The vehicle was destroyed.
Lost control of the car hitting a wall on the interstate.
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 427 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 713, about average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- 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.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Pontiac G6?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, exterior lighting, electrical system. Total complaints: 713. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (35%), headlights and tail lights (18%), warning lights, check engine (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 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 2009 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 2009 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.