Problems · by component

2008 Pontiac G6 power train problems

83 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Pontiac G6 cite power train, 8% of all 1,080 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
83
8% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G6. The contact stated that after the vehicle was serviced for the recall of NHTSA Campaign Number:14V224000: (Power Train), the transmission shift cable failed causing the vehicle to roll back and hit the contact. During the incident, the contact sustained a severe abdominal injury and a fractured left knee. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who replaced the shift cable for a second time. The contact indicated that the shift cable recently had failed again. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 108,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2023Power trainODI 11536215
“No SE lights on dash. Shudder shifts intermittently between all gears both in automatic and manual driving mode. No shops have been able to diagnose what the actual problem is. Huge safety risk as there is no telling when it will actually happen and “stall” the car out in traffic when shifting. In searching the internet this is a common problem for 5+ years and there has not been a solution identified by GM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 1, 2022Power train, Electrical systemCrash reportedODI 11462982
“TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD ITS A AUTOMATIC,CANT DRIVE IN SNOW OR WHEN WET IT SLIDES FRONT END OFF ROAD DO TO SHIFTING.ABS ALERT STAYS ON ALL TIMES AND HAS BEEN TO SHOP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2021Power train, Electrical systemODI 11397242
“POWER STEERING DISENGAGES ONCE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. ONLY WAY TO REENGAGE IT IS TO TURN CAR COMPLETELY OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON. SOMETIMES IT REENGAGES BUT OCCASIONALLY IT STILL REMAINS AN ISSUE. IF I ALSO LIGHTLY PULL ON THE WHEEL, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL VIBRATE AND SHAKE WHILE STOPPED AND DRIVING. MY POSITION SWITCH ON THE TRANSMISSION ALSO CAUSES THE ENGINE TO NOT START EVERY SO OFTEN AS WELL. I HAVE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL SOMETIMES TO RESTART MY CAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2021Steering, Power trainODI 11388628
“MY SON WAS DRIVING MY CAR TONIGHT. HE CALLED ME FROM HIS FRIENDS HOUSE AND SAID THAT THE CAR WAS STUCK IN NEUTRAL, CAR WAS OFF, BUT COULDN'T REMOVE IGNITION KEY. I GOT THERE, CAR WAS PARKED IN FRIENDS DRIVEWAY, I STARTED THE CAR, WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SHIFTER, EVEN THOUGH I COULDN'T FEEL IT SHIFTING INTO ANY GEAR. I THEN SHIFTED IT INTO WHAT I "ASSUMED" WAS PARK, SHUT CAR OFF, REMOVED KEY, AND CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. I APPLIED THE E-BRAKE, BUT THE CAR KEPT ROLLING. I WENT AHEAD AND ROLLED IT BACKWARDS OUT OF THE DRIVE SINCE I KNEW IT HAD TO BE TOWED FROM THE FRONT END. I HAD TO BACK MY OTHER CAR UP TO IT, BUMPER TO BUMPER TO STOP IT FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2020Power trainODI 11344130
“THE BREAK LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON. THEY ONLY TURN OFF WHEN I STOP WHICH HAS ALOMST GOTTEN ME REAR ENDED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE FRONT LEFT HEADLIGHT CANNOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO IMPORPER WIRING AND IVE HAD IT LOOKED AT TWICE ONLY TO NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. ALSO, WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR WILL NOT GO BELOW 3RD AND IS NOT PROPERLY SHIFTING CAUSING ACCELERATING PROBLEMS, WHEN DRIVING IN GENERAL, AND AM UNABLE TO KEEP A PROPER AMOUNT OF GAS BECAUSE ITS BURING THROUGH DUE TO THIS. I HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN DRIVING, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THE BREAKS AND HEADLIGHT ARE ALWAYS A PROBLEM WHETER DRIVING OR IN PARK. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2020Power train, Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11321763

Showing 6 of 83 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Power train: automatic transmission

Free remedy

General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.

Power trainReported Apr 30, 2014NHTSA 14V224000

Power train: gear position indication (prndl)

Free remedy

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.

Power trainReported Sep 18, 2012NHTSA 12V460000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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