Pontiac owners have filed 19,041 complaints with NHTSA across 16 models. On average the car was 6.05 years old when the problem happened, and 31.5% of reports fall inside the first three years — while the factory warranty was still running.
What breaks on Pontiac
The systems Pontiac owners report most, and how often each failure ended in a crash.
| System | Complaints | Share of Pontiac | Ended in a crash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 14.7% | 3.9% | |
| Air Bags | 11.5% | 16.5% | |
| Electrical System | 8.2% | 1% | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 8.2% | 0.4% | |
| Exterior Lighting | 5.8% | 0.7% | |
| Power Train | 3.9% | 3.3% | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3.7% | 6.8% | |
| Suspension | 3% | 3.1% |
When Pontiac problems show up
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Average age at failure | 6.05 years | How old the car was when the problem happened |
| Reported inside 3 years | 31.5% | Share of complaints filed while the factory warranty was likely still running |
| Complaints describing a crash | 1,042 | Of 19,041 total |
| Complaints describing a fire | 1,041 | Of 19,041 total |
A low average age does not automatically mean a fragile car: a brand with a young fleet on the road will always skew early. Read it next to the share reported inside three years.
Which Pontiac models draw the most complaints
Volume follows sales, so a bestseller will always top this list. The columns worth reading are age at failure and how many reports ended in a crash.
| Model | Complaints | Share of Pontiac | Avg age at failure | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G6 | 25.9% | 6.7 yrs | 200 | |
| GRAND PRIX | 18.6% | 6.9 yrs | 192 | |
| GRAND AM | 17.9% | 5.1 yrs | 267 | |
| VIBE | 8.6% | 7.4 yrs | 86 | |
| BONNEVILLE | 6.4% | 5.3 yrs | 42 | |
| SUNFIRE | 4.4% | 4.3 yrs | 86 | |
| MONTANA | 4.2% | 4.1 yrs | 51 | |
| SOLSTICE | 3.4% | 7.3 yrs | 26 | |
| GTO | 2.6% | 2.1 yrs | 11 | |
| TORRENT | 2.6% | 6.6 yrs | 16 | |
| AZTEK | 2.2% | 4.6 yrs | 16 | |
| G5 | 1.7% | 6.1 yrs | 35 | |
| G8 | 1% | 5.2 yrs | 8 | |
| PONTIAC | 0.3% | 4.6 yrs | 3 | |
| G3 | 0.1% | 4.3 yrs | 1 |
Pontiac complaints by model year
A bad generation shows up here as a block of years, not as a single spike. Recent years look quiet simply because those cars are young and still under warranty.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | — | — | |
| 2010 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 53 | 21 | |
| 2008 | 62 | 19 | |
| 2007 | 101 | 41 | |
| 2006 | 110 | 37 | |
| 2005 | 61 | 14 | |
| 2004 | 89 | 58 | |
| 2003 | 60 | 53 | |
| 2002 | 51 | 91 | |
| 2001 | 55 | 126 | |
| 2000 | 70 | 174 | |
| 1999 | 83 | 126 | |
| 1998 | 40 | 87 | |
| 1997 | 73 | 123 | |
| 1996 | 52 | 28 | |
| 1995 | 68 | 42 |
What Pontiac owners report
Grouped by the system owners named. Open any row for the full reports, in their own words — one per model so the same fault does not repeat.
Steering 2,804 Read
The contact owned a 2004 Pontiac Vibe. The contact stated that the wife was driving approximately 70 MPH when suddenly the vehicle erroneously turned to the right and drove across multiple lanes of traffic before crashing into a curb and flipping over, landing back on its wheels and stopping. The Highway Patrol was called to the scene. The wife was unable to exit the vehicle due to the damage to the front driver's door from the crash. They had to be forcefully opened by the emergency personnel. During the incident, the wife sustained bruising to both hands while attempting to forcefully turn the steering wheel and regain control of the vehicle. The wife was transported to the hospital and treated. A police report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was towed away and later deemed destroyed by the insurance company. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,000
The contact owned a 2006 Pontiac G6. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the power steering suddenly failed causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into a utility pole. During crash, the utility pole was damaged and the driver's air bag did deploy as intended. No injuries were reported and a police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an undisclosed location. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V054000(Steering). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 184,000
On 11/5/17 my 2007 pontiac steering locked and I was in a major car crash. The steering locked as I tried to leave a gas station after giving a stranded person a jump. I turned car off and back on and it was fine. Proceeded home and got on the highway, after driving about 45 minutes the steering locked again as I was changing lanes, I hit the back of a truck and my car lost control. My car went across lanes of on coming traffic and flipped and ran off the road
Air Bags 2,185 Read
The contact owns a 2004 pontiac vibe. While driving 25 mph, the tires made contact with the sidewalk. The contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pole. The air bags deployed and emitted flames and metal fragments. The contact mentioned that the windshield shattered. Due to the flames, the seats and headliner were completely burned. The driver and passenger sustained burns to the neck, legs, and arms that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was made aware that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 15V286000 (air bags) and 15V043000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000
The airbags did not deploy all the way my [XXX] is in the car as well and the driver side and passenger airbags did not deploy 100% it did cause me to end up having a cut on my face and abruzz eye I have pictures but I did not go to the ER but my [XXX] did cuz she had two cuts on her head it also shattered my windshield and something was leaking INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My son was driving the car and had a friend with him. They were involved in an accident which he tboned anoehr car. The driver air bad deployed but that was the only one. No other bad deployed and caused injury to windshield of passenger and caused injury to my son from drivers door
Electrical System 1,570 Read
I was driving my car home on dec 11,2019 and I heard a load pop that came from under my dash. Smoke started to fill my car and I was able to pull the car over and see what was going on. Upon further investigation I had noticed all my interior lighting and components had stopped working. I was able to get home safely and when I open my trunk I noticed the fuse box located in the truck and completely burner up. Also the wires that are located under the dash has also caught fire and that is where the smoke was coming from. This is the second time something has happened to this car and both cases have been recalled in the 2006 pontiac g6 sedans. The first case was when my power steering went out and I almost wrecked trying to get the vehicle off the road. Something needs to be done and I want this problem to be looked at. I have spoke to an attorney and he advised me to fill out a report and hopefully I can get this matter taken care of. It's not fair for an individual to buy a car and expect to be safe knowing that they have put cheap parts and faulty wiring in it. Something serious could have happened and my car could have easy fought fire. The estimate for the damage will be about $1000-$1200 dollars and I don't have that kind of money. The power steering problem cost me over $600. I want a reimbursement and I want my car fixed. There is no reason why gm can't fix it for free. It's currently sitting at my mechanics because I can't afford to get it fixed. Please take time and l
Power window master switch failure. Shorted and caught on fire. Fire was isolated to switch and door panel, however interior of car did fill up with smoke. Power window master switch was previously addressed as per bulletin 15791a however recall did not remedy defective part/hazard
200 pontiac torrent ..snow melted and the water leaked into the fuse box and imitated a fire .it shorted out the system caught fire I. Which fire guard did not protect and the car was totally destroyed .it burned right thru the windshield into the inside of dash .firemen were called .vehicle is destroyed.vehicle was parked in driveway .we were woken at 1:00 a.m yo our vehivhle fully engulfed in flames
Engine And Engine Cooling 1,562 Read
Consumer started the vehicle, went into the house to let the vehicle warm, upon returning the vehicle was on fire. Recently a recall 04V090000 was received indicating a possible fire
The contact owns a 2002 pontiac grad prix. The contact stated that after the vehicle was serviced by an independent mechanic for a tune-up, oil change and no failure codes found. The contact stated after retrieving the vehicle from the mechanic, she was driving approximately 45 mph when smoke was seen coming through the gear shift assembly and a burning odor was detected in the cabin of the vehicle. She pulled over and upon exiting the vehicle, looked underneath the vehicle and saw flames. The contact stated she extinguished the fire by using water and gatorade. The contact stated that the fire was in the exhaust area of the vehicle. The fire department was not contacted. The contact stated that the independent mechanic was contacted and informed her that the vehicle was safe to drive home however, the vehicle has been stalling after the fire. The vehicle stalls after the fire. The manufacturer and dealer were not contacted about the failure. The contact stated that she was unaware that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V701000 (engine and engine cooling). The approximate failure mileage was 150,000
Exterior Lighting 1,095 Read
The contact owns a 2007 pontiac grand prix. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V519000 (exterior lighting); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. While driving approximately 45 mph, the headlamps turned off without warning. The contact applied the brakes; however, the contact crashed into a deer. The driver side air bag deployed. The vehicle sustained front end frame damage. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and stated that the vehicle would be repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 121,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available
The contact owns a 2007 pontiac g6 . On several occasions, the low beam headlights stopped illuminating. The contact replaced the light bulbs multiple times, but the lights continued to burn out. While replacing the bulbs, it was discovered that both light bulb sockets experienced burning and melting. The contact indicated that the odor of burning plastic was present when the headlights were activated for extended periods of time. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 68,000
Power Train 735 Read
The contact owns a 2007 pontiac g6. While the vehicle was parked with the engine turned off, it began to reverse out of the driveway and rolled into a lake. There were no warning indicators illuminated. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed by the police department to the contact's home. Bradley chevrolet of parker (2500 industrial park place, parker, az 85344, (928) 754-0481) was contacted to schedule a diagnostic appointment. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to bring the vehicle in to be repaired per two unknown recalls. The failure mileage was 136,000
The contact owns a 2007 pontiac g5. The contact stated that while driving in reverse the gears shifted from reverse to drive on it's own causing the vehicle to accelerate and crash into a building. No one was injured during the crash. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. A complaint was filed with the manufacturer regarding the gear shift in 2009 and did not receive a response or any assistance. The contact replaced the gear shift lever and the failure recurred which caused the crash to occur. The failure mileage was 60,910
The contact owns a 2009 pontiac vibe. The contact stated that on june 4, 2010, while at a traffic light, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into a wall. The contact sustained major injuries and was hospitalized. A police report was filed. The contact had previously been complaining about the transmission but the dealer refused to repair it. The contact called the manufacturer who referred her to back to the dealer. The current and failure mileages were approximately 50,000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 701 Read
While braking the brake pedal was working normally then suddenly went soft. Pumped brakes but pedal went to floor. Caused car to crash into vehicle in front of it. Failure was consistent with either mater cylinder failure or hydraulic brake line failure causing loss of fluid and pressure. Both vehicles were a total loss. Both front airbags went off in sunfire. No serious injuries
In attempting to slow down on an exit ramp, the brakes locked causing the rear end to fish tail. After trying to maintain control of the car, the car went off the road and struck a cement post where a light pole used to be. The insurance company had to total the car. This also occured about six months ago, when the brakes locked and, fortunately, the car was stopped without damage at that time
The contact owns a 2006 pontiac solstice. When the contact attempted to apply the brakes at 5 mph, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The contact crashed into the preceding vehicle. The contact had to apply the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. He released the emergency brake and the contact had to apply a large amount of pressure to the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle. There were no injuries. The contact did not notice any differences beforehand. The vehicle is currently being diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 38,000
Suspension 574 Read
Vehicle was being drivin on a two lane highway and all of the sudden the front right fell to the ground and the car spun out and slid into a ditch. The front right ball joint failed and broke apart. My mechanic says he replaces ball joints on these cars at the rate of five cars per month. While being repaired, I had the control arm bushings, tie rods, and sway bar endlinks replaced again because there were rattling and clunking again. My brother works at a chevy dealer and he says that cobalt's/g5's/hhr's come in all the time for front suspension problems. Gm knows of these issues but does not want to do anything for it's customers when the warranty runs out. A crash can very well happen if one of these components fails when driving and that is what happened to me. Every suspension part on these cars is faulty. Please look into the suspension problems on these cars further. Thank you
The contact owns a 2006 pontiac solstice. While driving 70 mph, the contact changed lanes to the center lane and the vehicle began to skid because the rear wheels lost all traction; because of the failure, the front axle cracked. The contact believed the failure to be because of a defective rear differential. The vehicle was deemed destroyed. The vehicle had not been inspected. The current and failure mileages were approximately 15,000
Hello, I would like to send you a complaint concerning the safety of my vehicle. I own a 2006 pontiac gto. My car currently has under 25k miles on it and I have already had two sets of tires blow out on me due to inner tire wear. I have owned my car for less then 1.5 years and I have put under 19k miles on it. As far as I know, I am not the gto owner with these problems. I have been told that the issue which is causing these tire problems has to do with bad suspension. I beg you to help by having gm contact gto owners and put a recall on these cars. How can gm get away this? The first time my tire blow out I figured the tire was bad b/c the car was a couple of years old even though it only had 5xxx miles on it. The second time I had a blow out, I was with a loved and nearly hit a telephone pole after I avoided hitting an on coming car. My tires are rotated regularly and my alignment is set just as often. This issue is very dangerous and I beg for your support, I do not feel safe in my car and this should not be the case. Thank you for your time and please please help
Unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA. Percentages are shares of all 19,041 Pontiac complaints.
Pontiac against the rest
| Measure | Where Pontiac sits | Out of |
|---|---|---|
| By complaint volume | #16 | 29 brands with 3,000+ complaints |
| By age at failure (later is better) | #6 | 29 brands |
| Complaints ending in a crash | 5.5% | across all 19,041 reports |
Ranking by volume says more about how many cars a brand sells than about how they hold up. Age at failure is the fairer of the two.
Compare Pontiac with the rest
Pontiac problems by model
14 Pontiac models have owner complaints on file. Pick one for its worst years, failing systems and what owners actually wrote. Another 2 Pontiac models have no complaints on record at all.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF for the pre-purchase inspection
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
How reliable is Pontiac?
Owners have filed 19,041 complaints across 16 Pontiac models. On its own that number reflects how many Pontiac cars are on the road — compare the average age at failure (6.05 years) instead.
What breaks most often on a Pontiac?
The most reported system is Steering with 2,804 complaints.
Do Pontiac problems show up under warranty?
31.5% of Pontiac complaints describe something that happened in the first three years, while the factory warranty was likely still running.
Which Pontiac model has the most complaints?
See the model list above — each card shows its complaint count, and the model page breaks it down by year and by system.