AI Damage2006 Pontiac Solstice: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Pontiac Solstice filed 243 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 243
- involving a crash
- 9
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 73% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 3% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 3% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 2% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 2% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 2% of all complaints
- Air bags: 178 complaints (73% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 28 complaints (12% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 28 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 8 complaints (3% of all).
- Engine: 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.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 243 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 178 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 28 | 3 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 28 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 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 ignition switch turned off while I was driving around a curve which caused engine to stall, and my steering wheel to locked up preventing me from turning. I crashed into a guardrail at 60 mph and my car spun, hitting the back as well. The car is totaled.
Airbags did not deploy. Required prolonged extrication; serious injury with bayflight to hospital. 2006 solstice is a gm recall vehicle for defective ignition switch.
Tl contact owns a 2006 pontiac solstice. While driving 70 mph, the contact changed lanes to the center lane and the vehicle began to skid because the rear wheels lost all traction; because of the failure, the front axle cracked. The contact believed the failure to be because of a defective rear differential.
The emergency brake does not engage at all, I had it fixed more or less 3 times at dealer now I am out of warranty they don't want anything to do with it. This is a severe safety hazard.
I would also like to work to get the ticket against her dismissed and remove this from our records as an "at fault" accident. Perhaps travelers could find some relief if the car really malfunctioned. We had the recall repair work completed by the dealer when we received the recall in 2008.
When the contact attempted to apply the brakes at 5 mph, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The contact crashed into the preceding vehicle. The contact had to apply the emergency brake to stop the vehicle.
Tl contact's spouse owns a 2006 pontiac solstice. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle was struck by a tractor trailer on the front driver's side door and the convertible top. Since the crash, the convertible top does not go into place and lock properly.
Headlamp housing is cracking and allowing moisture to get into headlight area. It makes the lights while driving very poor and is a night hazard.
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 1,670 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Solstice has 182 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 243, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Pontiac Solstice?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 243. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (24%), warning lights, check engine (19%), knocking, grinding or other noise (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Pontiac Solstice?
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 2006 Pontiac Solstice 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 2006 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.