Most common 2009 Pontiac G5 problems
Share of the 76 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 →
2009 Pontiac G5 recalls (5)
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.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift
General motors is recalling 276,729 my 2009 Buick enclave, Chevrolet cobalt, hhr, malibu, traverse, GMC acadia, Pontiac g5, g6 and Saturn aura and outlook passenger vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicles safety standard 102, "transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and ensure that the shift cable adjustment clip is fully engaged. In the event that the clip does not engage, the shift cable will be replaced free of charge.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2009 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…
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three…
What 2009 Pontiac G5 owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 32 →
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.
My 2009 Pontiac G5 was driven to work this morning 6-10-21and parked in a Michigan State vehicle garage. Security notified me at work that my vehicle had a puddle of gas under and near a rear tire. I removed vehicle frome parking garage and parked it in a remote open parking lot. A gas leak in a car is dangerous, and a safety issue for me and others , especially in a parking garage!!! The vehicle has always been maintained as I am the original owner of the car. The car will be delivered to the dealer for inspection on 6/14/21. There are no recalls on this car . Opon my own investigation after the incident, there are numerous complaints logged into NHTSA of a rust issue of the fuel line where it is clamped near the fuel tank. There is also reports of crack developing at the intank fuel pump connection. …
Electrical system all 22 →
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.
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.
Steering
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.
My son was driving a 2009 Pontiac G5 in a high school parking lot at approximately 40mph +/- and went to make sudden turn when the power steering completely failed. He slammed on the brakes and even pulled the e-brake to no avail and hit a block wall. As a result of this accident he sustained neck and back injuries as well as other bumps and bruises. The vehicle hit the wall at approximately a 20 degree angle hitting the driver side front corner at the headlight area. The impact resulted in major damage to the front corner panel, hood, driver door, radiator, and possible bent frame. After backing the car away from the wall the power steering started working again but with loss of fluids the vehicle had to be towed away and my son getting checked out for his injuries. …
2009 Pontiac G5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 37 / 30 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 33 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Pontiac G5 a good car?
Based on 76 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 G5 rates average: 36% fewer complaints than a typical year of the G5 at the same age. It is one of the best G5 years by this measure. 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 2009 Pontiac G5?
The fuel & propulsion system — 32 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (22) and steering (12).
How many recalls does the 2009 Pontiac G5 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2009 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 2009 Pontiac G5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 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.