Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Pontiac G6 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I own a 4 door sedan G6 with power door locks - the left rear power door lock has quit causing me to have to reach across the seat to lock / unlock the door = not ideal in case of an accident. My intermediate steering shaft is clicking and grinding inside the column and the headlight wiring harness continues to melt causing the headlight to go dim = all of these safety and fire hazards need recall.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G6. The contact stated that the head and tail lights would fail sporadically and without warning. The contact mentioned that the vehicle would shake violently and a loud noise was heard from the steering wheel. In addition, the door latches failed to lock. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 52,000 and the current mileage was 52,565.
There's several issues with this car. First, the front right suspension is bad causing the car to shake. Second, I suddenly lost control of the car on the highway almost causing a severe accident while driving approximately 55-60 MPH. It felt like the steering power was no longer working. Last, both back door locks stopped working a couple of months after I purchased the car. I always have to let down the window in order to manually unlock the doors. Most of these issues occurred at 46,000 miles.
2008 G6 sedan. Rear driver side power lock inoperable. The lock must be manually locked and unlocked by the 2nd row passenger. This is very unsafe with a small child or disabled person in the back seat whom cannot unlock the door in case of an emergency. The lock is positioned too far rearward for front seat passengers to unlock without climbing into the back seat. More than anything, the position of the lock is what makes the failure mode so potentially unsafe.
On a 2008 Pontiac G6 coupe (2-door) under normal use - just 7500 miles on a car less than 6 months old the drivers side exterior door handle just fell off in my hand - the failure point is plastic and seems quite thin. There was no warning prior to the failure - it just came off today when I went to open the door. Once the handle fails there is no way to open the door from this side - in the event of an urgency to enter the car - this could be dangerous.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G6. The contact stated that the driver and passenger's side rear doors could not be locked or unlocked from the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician stated that the door actuators in both doors would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
Door ajar alarm sounds when all doors are closed. This causes the interior dome light to come on. This also stops the door locks from locking when shifting the car into drive. The dome light will come one after all doors are shut and the doors are locked. The dealer stated that the door lock assembly will need to be replaced. The dealer also stated that others have come in with the same problem.
The driver side back door lock started intermittently working, using the remote or driver's lock button, and within 2 months completely stopped working. It can be operated manually, however, considering where the lock is located, it is extremely difficult and inconvenient to get to. Looking online, this seems to be a very common issue with this automobile. There should be a recall on this.
First the rear door actuator worked 50% of time.then 0% . Cruise worked intermittent. Brake lights on while driving .hence stuck on. Passenger side airbag module faulty. Inopt. In that order. Al have to be related and its a known problem in Pontiac. And GM wants 730 to replace module 232 for door actuator.its b.s recall 2008 G6. They have recalled g8 for similar problems.
The rear passenger door locks fail to unlock the door. The door can not be opened from the inside or the outside at all. I verified that it is affecting both the right rear and the left rear door lock mechanisms. This is a serious issue, as in a crash, the rear passengers will not be able to exit the vehicle, nor will they be able to be rescued/removed.
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other G6 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2008 Pontiac G6?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2008 Pontiac G6, 2% of the model year's 1,080 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2008 Pontiac G6 door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 2008 Pontiac G6, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Pontiac G6 door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 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.