AI Damage2004 Pontiac GTO: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Pontiac GTO filed 245 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and tires. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 245
- involving a crash
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 69% of all complaints
- 2 Tires 27% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 3% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 2% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 2% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 2% of all complaints
- Suspension: 169 complaints (69% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Tires: 65 complaints (27% of all).
- Powertrain: 17 complaints (7% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 14 complaints (6% of all).
- Fuel system: 7 complaints (3% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 5.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 3 complaints
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 245 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 169 | 2 | 0 |
| Tires | 65 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 17 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 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.
Was driving car on the freeway at aprox 75 mph hit a patch of ice and lost control spun out in circles, hitting the guard rail causing it to roll 3 times car ended upside down I hit steering wheel and seriously hurt my back no air bags deployed.
Within a couple of weeks the shifter starts rattling again. This vehicle is definitely a lemon and should be recalled. Gm refuses to buy back the vehicle because it was in an accident, even though the accident was caused by the defect in the suspension on this vehicle.
Single car accident. Driver lost control of car striking and breaking a utility pole. No air bag deployment on either side of 2004 pontiac gto. New car, just 2500 miles, no modifications, stock. Car to be seen by insurance adjuster this week.
We were wearing seat belts. The brake pedal bent and neither airbag deployed. The inside of the car was twisted and cracked. The car was deemed a total loss. I was knocked unconscious and suffered injuries to my upper extremities including my head and face.
Dt: the consumer won a vehicle in which she thought was new, however she was involved in a minor accident. When the consumer took the vehicle to have it repaired she was told there was no possible way that a minor accident could have caused so much damage. The consumer was told the frame was bent.
The contact stated that the fan used for the air conditioning and the heater throughout the vehicle remained activated when the vehicle was off or on. There was also condensation on the floor throughout the vehicle. The contact did not know where the abnormal condensation originated.
After owning the car less than 3 years, the seat back latches started sticking so anyone who was in the back seat had a hard time getting out or getting in for that matter! After a time the latches stopped working altogether so it became impossible to get people out of the back seat if they were able to get in.
After starting the vehicle and shifting into the drive position, the engine suddenly stalled. The intermittent failure occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ignition switch was faulty and needed to be replaced.
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 1,656 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).
On average one model year of the GTO has 154 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 245, above average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Pontiac GTO?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, tires, powertrain. Total complaints: 245. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: tires: bulges, blowouts (10%), vibration (10%), knocking, grinding or other noise (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Pontiac GTO?
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 2004 Pontiac GTO 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 2004 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.