Most common 2008 Pontiac G5 problems
Share of the 115 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Pontiac G5 complaints by model year
Best G5 years: 2010, 2009. Years to avoid: 2007, 2008. Compare all years →
2008 Pontiac G5 recalls (4)
Electrical system › Ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the…
Air bags
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California,…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 21, 2012.
Steering › Electric power assist system
General motors is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet cobalt and model year 2007-2010 Pontiac g5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering. The driver May experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the electric power steering motor free of charge. Owners are being notified on a rolling basis between March 29 through November 2010. A copy of the mailing schedule is located in the recall file.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Pontiac G5:
Electric Power Steering Failure
In a March 1, 2010 letter, General Motors Corporation (GM) provided a defect information report to NHTSA regarding a problem that could result in sudden loss of power steering assist in certain model year (MY) 2005 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and MY 2007 through 2010 Pontiac G5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS).The letter indicates that the loss of steering assist could occur at any time while…
What 2008 Pontiac G5 owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 35 →
The contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G5. The contact stated while driving the vehicle into the garage, there was an abnormal gasoline fumes odor. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with rusted fuel lines from underneath the engine to the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 33,000.
1. Fuel Leak 2. Fuel leaking in driveway, car has potential to catch fire if driven 3. Suspected leak and odor was reported 4 years ago. Dealer said the recall did not apply to my car. After receiving an email reply back from GMLegalUpdate department indicating they would cover the "fuel line" under special coverage, the dealer looked at the car. Dealer said they couldn't find any leak. Now the leak is very apparent when you start the car. Significant gas leaks onto the ground. After speaking to GM at [phone], GM says that my VIN No does not apply to the special coverage. Now they won't honor the letter. A service bulletin 12191B has been issued for this problem "regardless of the vehicle's age or mileage" but it seems from numerous posts GM pawns this problem off as the car's Vin No does not apply to their vehicle.
Air bags all 26 →
The contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G5. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was determined that the occupant detection module was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, IG Burton (1 Automotive Blvd, Elkton, MD 21921), and IG Burton (6913 Ritchie Hwy, Glen Burnie, MD 21061). The dealers informed the contact that the part to repair the vehicle was no longer in production. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 53,150.
The contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G5. The contact stated that while making a right turn in an intersection the vehicle failed to accelerate causing a crash with a second vehicle. During the crash, the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained a shoulder and back injury and the passenger sustained a left torso injury which required medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was undetermined.
Electrical system all 24 →
Not sure if ignition has ever been changed but I've been reading that there is a recall on my eps system as to that matter I have no power steering and would like to kno if it will be covered if I take it to gm dealership close to me
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G5. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a ditch. During the crash, the seat belts failed to retract and the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained a concussion and upper torso trauma and the front passenger suffered a fractured neck, vertebrae, and a concussion. Both occupants required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
2008 Pontiac G5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 35 / 29 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 32 / 26 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 31 / 26 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 31 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Pontiac G5 a good car?
Based on 115 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 G5 rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the G5 at the same age. It is one of the G5 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Pontiac G5?
The fuel & propulsion system — 35 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › fuel pump. Next are the air bags (26) and electrical system (24).
How many recalls does the 2008 Pontiac G5 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Pontiac G5, the most recent from April 10, 2014 (ignition). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Pontiac G5?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007 and 2008. See the full Pontiac G5 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Pontiac G5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 71,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.