Most common 2005 Pontiac G6 problems
Share of the 679 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Pontiac G6 complaints by model year
Best G6 years: 2010, 2005, 2009. Years to avoid: 2006, 2007, 2008. Compare all years →
2005 Pontiac G6 recalls (5)
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake…
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
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…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.
Steering › Electric power assist system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
GM is recalling 8,012 my 2005-2006 Pontiac g6 vehicles. The brake lamps May not operate properly because of corrosion in a wiring connector. Corrosion in the connector could cause the brake lamps to illuminate when the brake pedal has not been depressed, or the lamps May not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed.
Remedy: Dealers will apply a dielectric lubricant to the connector to prevent corrosion. This service will be performed for you free of charge. The recall began on February 17, 2009.
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, 'child restraint anchorage systems.' the child restraint lower anchors in the center rear seating position are located approximately 90mm behind the corresponding z-point of the child restraint fixture (crf).
Remedy: Owners will be mailed an owner's manual supplement. The recall ibegan on March 20, 2005. Owners May contact Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2005 Pontiac G6:
Brake Light Malfunction
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ13-001 on February 4, 2013 in response to complaints alleging that the brake lights do not operate properly on model year (MY) 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles. Complainants allege that the brake lights illuminate when the brake pedal is not depressed, and turn off once the brake pedal is applied.
Stop lamp malfunction
GM notified the agency by letter dated January 28, 2009, that it will conduct a safety recall of Pontiac g6 vehicles built from January 3 through January 31, 2005.vehicles produced during this time period have shown a highly elevated incident rate of improper operation of the brake lamps.
Loss of power steering assist
During this investigation, general motors (GM) indicated that approximately 15,600 model year (my) 2005 Pontiac g6 vehicles built from November 3, 2004 through January 5, 2005 May experience a loss of power steering assist due to an insufficient crimp at the torque and position sensor transducer located in the steering column assembly.
Brake Light Switch/Sensor Malfunction
On May 14, 2014 General Motors (GM) announced a recall action (14V-252) involving model year (MY) 2004-12 Chevrolet Malibu, MY 2004-07 Malibu Maxx, MY 2005-10 Pontiac G6 and MY 2007-10 Saturn Aura vehicles.An increased resistance can develop in the Body Control Module connection systems and result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS, or brake light switch) circuit that can cause the brake lamps to…
What 2005 Pontiac G6 owners say
Steering all 459 →
The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac G6. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel started vibrating and became difficult to turn. Additionally, the steering wheel was turning to the left independently. The contact stated that the power steering warning light and the power train warning light were illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence. The contact stated that the steering wheel was stuck in a left turn position and would not return to center. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering) however, the recall was previously completed on the vehicle. There was no further information provided. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 176,000.
A few months ago, I was pulling out of a parking lot and started to brake , but my car was not stopping. I quickly pumped my brakes and then my brakes worked. All my brake lights came on; ABS, BRAKE, TC, Check engine; and car maintenance light all came on. They periodically would go away but would return when it rained, or if the brakes gave out. Brakes have gone out twice, once while driving on freeway. Before this issue, I had taken it to a mechanic as the brake light was on, and the 'brake fluid' message was on my dash- the mechanic scanned it and said the BCM was malfunctioning, to take it to the dealership. I knew who bought the car originally off the lot, so I knew the specific dealership it was bought from (gmc dealership). When I called and told them the issue, they said they will not touch my car (exact words). …
Electrical system all 86 →
The contact owns a 2005 Pontiac G6. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the brake lights had remained illuminated after braking. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control). The VIN was included but had already been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
A few months ago, I was pulling out of a parking lot and started to brake , but my car was not stopping. I quickly pumped my brakes and then my brakes worked. All my brake lights came on; ABS, BRAKE, TC, Check engine; and car maintenance light all came on. They periodically would go away but would return when it rained, or if the brakes gave out. Brakes have gone out twice, once while driving on freeway. Before this issue, I had taken it to a mechanic as the brake light was on, and the 'brake fluid' message was on my dash- the mechanic scanned it and said the BCM was malfunctioning, to take it to the dealership. I knew who bought the car originally off the lot, so I knew the specific dealership it was bought from (gmc dealership). When I called and told them the issue, they said they will not touch my car (exact words). …
Brakes all 66 →
A few months ago, I was pulling out of a parking lot and started to brake , but my car was not stopping. I quickly pumped my brakes and then my brakes worked. All my brake lights came on; ABS, BRAKE, TC, Check engine; and car maintenance light all came on. They periodically would go away but would return when it rained, or if the brakes gave out. Brakes have gone out twice, once while driving on freeway. Before this issue, I had taken it to a mechanic as the brake light was on, and the 'brake fluid' message was on my dash- the mechanic scanned it and said the BCM was malfunctioning, to take it to the dealership. I knew who bought the car originally off the lot, so I knew the specific dealership it was bought from (gmc dealership). When I called and told them the issue, they said they will not touch my car (exact words). …
While driving on the highway and approaching her exit, the electronic power steering failed and completely locked on my client's car. This is a downhill exit ramp off the highway. Her car pulled to the right and she was unable to steer her car left to follow the curvature of the exit ramp. As a result the car veered off the exit ramp, struck a pole and began to spin out of control. The car continued to spin down into the embankment and came to rest after landing on its side. The car stopped on the driver's side wheels as if it was about to roll over. The car eventually fell down on all four wheels and was facing oncoming traffic. There was a recall issued on the electronic power steering but parts to correct the problem were not made available to my client.
2005 Pontiac G6 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Pontiac G6 a good car?
Based on 679 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 G6 rates better than average: 42% fewer complaints than a typical year of the G6 at the same age. It is one of the best G6 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 2005 Pontiac G6?
The steering — 459 complaints, 68% of all complaints for this model year, most often about electric power assist system. Next are the electrical system (86) and brakes (66).
How many recalls does the 2005 Pontiac G6 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2005 Pontiac G6, the most recent from May 14, 2014 (cruise control). 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 G6?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2005 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2007 and 2008. See the full Pontiac G6 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Pontiac G6 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 81,000 miles; 25% 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.