Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Pontiac G5 problems

Owners filed 76 complaints about the 2009 Pontiac G5 with NHTSA between Nov 2008 and Apr 2026. The most-cited component is fuel/propulsion system (27).

Complaints
76
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Fuel/propulsion system27
  2. Electrical system22
  3. Steering12
  4. Air bags10
  5. Power train6
  6. Fuel system, gasoline5
  7. Engine4
  8. Vehicle speed control3
  9. Exterior lighting2
  10. Structure2
  11. Wheels1
  12. Engine and engine cooling1
  13. Tires1
  14. Equipment1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20081
20091
20104
20117
20126
20130
201417
20156
20166
20178
20186
20192
20207
20213
20220
20230
20240
20251
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Fuel/propulsion system

27 reports
“All gauges on dash starting going up and down, Anti theft light, power steering light, low fuel light. Car slipping or having hard time going and possibly the key transponder ignition / chip key anti theft shut down.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 7, 2026Steering, Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11729573

Electrical system

22 reports3 crashes2 related recalls
“The contact owned a 2009 Pontiac G5. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V047000 (Air Bags, Electrical System) and 14V171000 (Electrical System). The contact requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 11, 2025Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11642009

Steering

12 reports1 crash1 related recall
“CAUSE UNKNOWN. NOTICED PROBLEM SOMETIME IN 2017. CAR RATTLES (IN FRONT OF CAR) OFF AND ON. DETERMINED IT'S NOT THE WHEELS OR TIRES. RATTLING COMES AND GOES. DRIVER CAN MAKE THE RATTLING GO AWAY BY CHANGING SPEEDS OR WITH A SLIGHT TURN OF THE STEERING WHEEL EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. (E.G. LANE CHANGE) DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NEITHER A TIRE NOR RACK AND PINION PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2018Steering, Unknown or otherODI 11060725

Air bags

10 reports5 crashes1 related recall
“FOR THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS THE CHECK AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND WON'T GO OFF. I TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE NO RECALL INFORMATION ON IT. NOT SURE WHERE TO GO AFTER THAT. ALSO I HAD A RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION AND THEY SAID ITS NOT THE RECALL. MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. SO THAT COST A LOT OF MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET. JUST WONDERING WHERE TO GO FROM HERE?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2016Power train, Air bagsODI 10923800

Power train

6 reports1 related recall
“AROUND 127000 MILES I NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE, AND A SMALL DRIP FROM UNDER MY CAR, AFTER TAKING A CLOSER LOOK I NOTICED THAT IT WAS GAS, AND IT WAS COMING FROM THE RETAINING CLIP THAT HOLDS THE FUEL/BRAKE LINES IN PLACE, I WAS NOT FINANCIALLY STABLE TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT THE TIME, AND IT WASN'T LEAKING TO BAD SO I LEFT IT GO, AFTER ABOUT 2-3 MORE WEEKS I WAS DRIVING AND NOTICED THAT I COULD LITERALLY SEE MY FUEL GAUGE DROPPING, I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE PROBLEM AREA AND SEE THAT THE CAR WAS DUMPING FUEL AND A VERY HIGH PRESSURIZED RATE, I ALSO TOOK NOTE THAT THE GAS WAS BEING SPRAYED ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST THAT IS ABOUT 4-6? AWAY FROM THE FUEL LINES, I GOT THE CAR HOME AND PARKED IT, AFTER DOING HOURS OF RESEARCH I SEEN THAT 95% OF THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF GM HAVE THIS ISSUE DUE TO THE HEAT SHIELDING ON THE FUEL LINES AFTER SEARCHING MY VIN IT SAYS THAT MY VEHICLE HAS NO ACTIVE RECALLS BUT I'VE SEEN COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE, NOT ONLY THAT IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT GAS IS BEING STAYED OUT UNDER PRESSURE WHICH IS CAUSING IT TO VAPORIZE AND BECOME EVEN MORE OF A FIRE HAZARD, NOT TO MENTION IT IS INCHES AWAY FROM…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2020Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11323940

Fuel system, gasoline

5 reports1 crash1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2009 Pontiac G5. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the odor of fuel was present. Upon inspection, it was discovered that fuel had leaked from above the fuel tank. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local unknown dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure however, no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 12V459000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 129,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2021Fuel system, gasolineODI 11420893
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.