pontiac g8 Problems

pontiac g8 2008 Complaints

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL

tl*the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact cannot read the instrument panel gauges while driving during the daytime. there is no recall regarding this failure. the failure occurs while driving various speeds approximately ranging from 20 to 40 mph. the current mileage was 350 and failure mileage was 249.

Reported in: DELTONA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y08L

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

automobile instrument panel is unreadable in sunlight due to reflections and low contrast, darkly shaded dials. for a drivers eye view: http://g8gt.com/t3593/ scroll down to the fifth post for pictures and feel free to read all of the comments. it is difficult to regulate speed, because the speedometer is obscured. someone will get hurt trying to read the speedometer, when they should be watching the road. this is a very dangerous combination. the complaint has been reported to pontiac: service request: 71-625738422 customer relationship specialists: l.c stevens 1-866-790-5700, extension 42721.

Reported in: KATY TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y18L

VISIBILITY

automobile instrument panel is unreadable in sunlight due to reflections and low contrast, darkly shaded dials. for a drivers eye view: http://g8gt.com/t3593/ scroll down to the fifth post for pictures and feel free to read all of the comments. it is difficult to regulate speed, because the speedometer is obscured. someone will get hurt trying to read the speedometer, when they should be watching the road. this is a very dangerous combination. the complaint has been reported to pontiac: service request: 71-625738422 customer relationship specialists: l.c stevens 1-866-790-5700, extension 42721.

Reported in: KATY TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y18L

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

automatic transmission displays unacceptable latency during downshifts and unpredictable transmission response to throttle inputs . this results in unpredictable vehicle behavior, especially during freeway merges or other situations where a moderate amount of engine power is required. this is an ongoing, constant problem that i believe is related to poor programming of the engine control module and transmission control module.

Reported in: FORT WORTH TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57YX8L

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

automatic transmission displays unacceptable latency during downshifts and unpredictable response to throttle inputs . this results in unpredictable vehicle behavior, especially during freeway merges or other situations where a moderate amount of engine power is required. this is an ongoing, constant problem that i believe is related to poor programming of the engine control module and transmission control module.

Reported in: PATCHOGUE NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

slow throttle response, latency when downshifting creating an unsafe condition when driving in heavy traffic situations.

Reported in: COATESVILLE PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y68L

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

my safety issue with my 2008 pontiac g8 gt are as follows: laggy throttle/transmission response causes precarious positions. hampers accident avoidance. may cause car to accelerate faster than intended resulting in a accident. for example pressing the accelerator part way results in a long delay before the car responds. when the car does respond it may accelerate at a much faster rate than intended. there is no actual acceleration feedback while pushing the gas pedal because of the delay. if i had intended to accelerate using say 1/4 throttle and because of the cars lack of response one may mistakenly press the throttle to the 1/2 position the car would eventually "engage" abruptly at the 1/2 throttle position. the result is that the car will abruptly accelerate at a much faster than intended speed potentially causing a collision. another problem is when entering a high speed road without an entrance ramp (90 deg right turn) when the peddle is depressed to 3/4 throttle to enter, the car will slowly move into the roadway and delay before "engaging" causing other motorists to brake. if this were to happen when a non-attentive motorist were approaching it could cause an accident. i have taken my car to the dealer ant they state that is the way it is and its fine. i disagree. i have driven every kind of car one could imagine and i never had a car that had this issue. this is a safety issue and i believe gm should correct it. car: 2008 pontiac g8 gt

Reported in: LEWISTON NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y28L

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

the automatic transmission exhibits different tendencies when trying to accelerate. this leads to unpredictable vehicle response. in one particular occasion i was attempting to merge into traffic and accelerated. the car hesitated for a good 2 seconds before accelerating leaving me to have to go off the shoulder because the cars from behind had caught up. this is an everyday problem and ruins the experience of the car.

Reported in: MISHAWAKA IN || Crash: N || VIN #:

AIR BAGS

air bag module is bad. air bag warning light remains on and air bag is disabled. gm recommended the dealership replace the wrong module (in the passenger seat). the main module was not an available part and was told it had to be ordered from australia. gm does not seem to stock critical parts for this auto and now it's well over a month that i have to wait for this part.. if it even is the cause of the malfunction. this is a safety issue that appears to be wide spread if you view the complaints on the user g8 forum on line.

Reported in: CLIFTON NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y58L

AIR BAGS

i purchased a new car in july 2008 and the airbags only detect my weight part of the time. according to gm and the dealership, the airbags may or may not detect up to 125lbs. i weigh 134lbs. when i stated this to the dealership they stated to me that even weight over 125lbs may or may not be detected. i contacted gm and they stated they trust what ever the dealership told me. this information doesn't make sense to me. i thought airbags are for safety.

Reported in: LEO IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57738L

SUSPENSION:FRONT

ball joint failure, both sides, front suspension. loud clunking over irregular surfaces and bumps, vibration in front end, shaking/strong vibration during braking. inspected by dealer, all ball joints on driver and passenger side failing. gm warranty personnel directed me to continue driving the vehicle, they refuse to cover a loaner or rental and declared that it is "a non-safety issue". since when are primary attachment points for the steering apparatus, spindle, brakes, and wheels not a safety concern? these people should be criminally indicted for spewing such irresponsible nonsense. someone will get killed by one of the cars eventually. i can no longer safely use this vehicle as transportation for my family, these components are failing rapidly, and will likely cause an accident or injury when they fail completely. this issue demands a recall. this has the potential to be worse than the explorer/firestone tire debacle. gm knows about it, and appears to be expending more resources toward avoiding dealing with the issue, than toward resolution. excuses ranging from "we have no parts in inventory" to "that's what happens when you drive in a cold part of the country", it's ridiculous. they built, marketed, and sold a substandard product, and are unwilling to stand behind the warranty, even at the expense of the operator and passenger's safety, and at the expense of other vehicles sharing the road. no wonder they have failed so miserably to regain a share in their home market, it's apparent that they just don't care.

Reported in: BRIGHTON MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y48L

SUSPENSION:FRONT

i have a 2008 pontiac g8 gt. the issue is the front suspension. around 43,000 miles the car started getting very bad sounds and vibrations coming from the front of the car. when applying the brake under certain speeds and conditions the car will go into a violent shake. when driving straight i'm fine but if i head into any kind of a curve in the road the steering wheel is shaking badly and the whole car shutters. i'm out of factory warranty so they couldn't do anything for me. i did have the dealership look at it and they have told me that indeed i do have bad ball joints & control arms and most likely strut bushing issues. they said i could purchase the parts myself but that the parts are on a very long backorder, 2-3 months are common place. the recommendation from the dealership was to wait for an aftermarket replacement part to come out (sometime in november) as even the backordered replacement parts from gm are failing after being put on the car. the car is getting worse and i'm afraid that the front end is going to fail on me sometime while i'm driving. i rely on this car for my job and there is no good fix for it out there and no gm recalls that i can find! i'm in desperate need of help!

Reported in: GRETNA NE || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y88L

SUSPENSION:FRONT

i brought my 2008 pontiac gt to the dealer last month to have the control arms inspected. car has 18,100 miles on it. the tech told me both lower ball joints were shot and they would overnight the parts. i told him there was a recall on ball joints but my vin was not included. i also brought a copy of the tsb for the ball joints and told him i wanted all 4 control arms, not just the 2 lower ones. the exact wording of the tsb is "... and found to have one or more of the rubber boots improperly sealing should have all 4 front control arms replaced." the tech told me all 4 of my boots were fine and did not cause the ball joint failure, therefore since my boots were fine i am not entitled to the upper control arms. i asked how the 2 lower ball joints could fail in just 18,000 miles and was told maybe they were defective or maybe i abused the car, it wasn't the boots fault.

Reported in: RIDGEFIELD CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y08L

SUSPENSION

gm technical bulletin: 09203d: front suspension lca ball joint bulletin this is a recurring problem with 2008-2009 pontiac g8. gm hasn't issued a recall for this issue and its a safety issue. they released 4 revised control arms with better ball joints that needs replacing on all the g8. instead of fixing the problem they released it as a technical service bulletin for dealers to take note of the issue. if the ball joints fail this can cause a serious accident or death. cause: the rubber "boot" over the front end lower control arm ball joint may have become dislodged or torn compromising the seal. moisture inside the ball joint seal may cause corrosion, shortening the service life of the component. #09-03-08-008: knock clunk or click noise from front suspension over small bumps (replace front lower control and caster arms) - (oct 5, 2009) subject: knock, clunk or click noise from front suspension over small bumps (replace front lower control and caster arms) models: 2008-2009 pontiac g8 attention: this bulletin is intended to correct a condition for front end knock, clunk or clicking. vehicles previously repaired as part of campaign #09203a are to follow a different repair procedure as outlined under the correction section below.

Reported in: CARY NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y48L

SUSPENSION:FRONT

gm technical bulletin: 09203d: front suspension lca ball joint bulletin this is a recurring problem with 2008-2009 pontiac g8. gm hasn't issued a recall for this issue and its a safety issue. they released 4 revised control arms with better ball joints that needs replacing on all the g8. instead of fixing the problem they released it as a technical service bulletin for dealers to take note of the issue. if the ball joints fail this can cause a serious accident or death. cause: the rubber "boot" over the front end lower control arm ball joint may have become dislodged or torn compromising the seal. moisture inside the ball joint seal may cause corrosion, shortening the service life of the component. #09-03-08-008: knock clunk or click noise from front suspension over small bumps (replace front lower control and caster arms) - (oct 5, 2009) subject: knock, clunk or click noise from front suspension over small bumps (replace front lower control and caster arms) models: 2008-2009 pontiac g8 attention: this bulletin is intended to correct a condition for front end knock, clunk or clicking. vehicles previously repaired as part of campaign #09203a are to follow a different repair procedure as outlined under the correction section below.

Reported in: CARY NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y48L

AIR BAGS

tl*the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated that the passenger side air bag light illuminated intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who could figure out the cause of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer had not been notified. the failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Reported in: LYNCHBURG VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y58L

AIR BAGS

the air bags stopped working. dash and computer icons signaled failure. made appointment at gm to inspect, they indicate the control module for the airbags is not working. after two weeks they cannot locate part to make repair. they will not offer a loaner car. they cannot advise when parts will be available. the car is not compliant with federal regulation, and they are not able to repair. this seems inappropriate. and is very unsafe for my family. i have spoken with gm customer care and they have not been able to help.

Reported in: GRAND ISLAND NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57798L

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

after putting the vehicle in park, the key will only turn halfway. this results in the key being stuck in the ignition. this occurs intermittently, but tends to get worse the more frequently the vehicle is driven. only way i have been able to remove the key is to turn the vehicle back on and rotate thru the gears. sometimes it takes 5 or 6 tries. also the side view mirrors will not operate all the time either and according to the dealer, the mirror and the key ignition run thru the same wire harness in the shifter mechanism. i have taken the vehicle to the dealership 2 separate times. the first time they could not mimic the situation, but the second time it happened 5 times after 3 days of testing. this condition appears to have happened to numerous customers based on info i have read on the internet. i am working with gm to get this resolved but i believe a recall should be at least investigated since my vehicle is only 2.5 years old and others owners have had a similar condition occur. to correct the problem the dealer is replacing the floor shifter and the wire harness. not sure if this will work but hope so.

Reported in: CLARKSTON MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57748L

STEERING

vehicle was making a crunch like noise while driving over the least little bump. i was on my way to a doc appointment 45 minutes from home and immediately called the dealer where i purchased the vehicle. i dropped the vehicle off the same evening for service the next day. the service department called to tell me i had bad ball joints and they did not have them in stock so i would have to wait another day for the repairs. i asked if i could pick the car up until they got the parts and they told me it was dangerous to drive it. the car had only 42,000 and the ball joints were not covered under warranty. i phoned gm to tell them about my problem and they informed me that this was not a big enough issue for a recall. so perhaps if i hadn't acted immediately the outcome could have been life threatening and maybe then it would have been a big enough issue. i ended up paying $778 for the repair. please do not let someone die before gm has to recall this problem.

Reported in: ELKTON MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57718L

SUSPENSION

i took my car in for routine maintenance because i felt some shaking in my tires. i figured it was just in need of a tire rotation & alignment.. turns out its something wrong with my suspension arm bars. conveniently i am 4000 out of my manufacturer warranty. i have a 3rd party warranty through american auto and they are now telling me that this is a pre-existing problem and they will not cover it. so now i am left to pay $1200 or run the risk of more damage because i am still driving my car. i can't believe that i bought a brand new car & @ only 40,000 i am having this kind of problem.

Reported in: HUGHESVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57798L

TIRES

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the vehicle was equipped with goodyear tires, tire line eagle rsa size 245-45r-18, dot m6a9-cmdr. the contact stated the drivers side front and rear tires were losing air, the tire belt and tread also separated from the inside wall. the vin was not available. the tires failure mileage was 41,000.

Reported in: GLASDOW KY || Crash: N || VIN #:

STEERING

i first noticed this last year when i went to ny for thanksgiving. everytime i turned to the left my car would shimmy and shake, i was told i was missing a weight on my rim so i didn't think anything of it. as the year went on it would only happen every so often and at times would do it at all. it started to act up again but wouldn't stop and even stepping on my brakes would cause it. i brought it to a local shop and they advised that my ball joints were shot and to bring it to a dealer. so i did this and then the dealership then tells me that my ball joints are shot, which then ruined my rotors (brakes are fine) and that my hub bearings could also be ruined. with that being said they said i needed 3 more tires...i've already went through 9 of them. when i talked to the guy at the first shop he said that i only need one tire and the rest are fine so not sure why the dealership would tell me this. it was over $1,000 to fix everything not including my tires so i brought it to the local shop whom said they could order the parts and have the job done for less than $600 (no including the one tire which is $170.00). i contacted gm about this due to seeing bulletin's posted on here for the same issues with this car but they wouldn't help or give me an inch and basically left it in my lap and said you have to take care of it. i have also found out that the parts for my car are getting low and that when gm runs out of them they will not be making anymore. not all of this car has after market parts. as of right now just the rotors do and the windshield wipers have to be ordered as well. i was disappointed in gm service because the first guy i talked to said it was a faulty part then the next guy who took over the case said it wasn't.

Reported in: LEXINGTON NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y48L

SUSPENSION

i first noticed this last year when i went to ny for thanksgiving. everytime i turned to the left my car would shimmy and shake, i was told i was missing a weight on my rim so i didn't think anything of it. as the year went on it would only happen every so often and at times would do it at all. it started to act up again but wouldn't stop and even stepping on my brakes would cause it. i brought it to a local shop and they advised that my ball joints were shot and to bring it to a dealer. so i did this and then the dealership then tells me that my ball joints are shot, which then ruined my rotors (brakes are fine) and that my hub bearings could also be ruined. with that being said they said i needed 3 more tires...i've already went through 9 of them. when i talked to the guy at the first shop he said that i only need one tire and the rest are fine so not sure why the dealership would tell me this. it was over $1,000 to fix everything not including my tires so i brought it to the local shop whom said they could order the parts and have the job done for less than $600 (no including the one tire which is $170.00). i contacted gm about this due to seeing bulletin's posted on here for the same issues with this car but they wouldn't help or give me an inch and basically left it in my lap and said you have to take care of it. i have also found out that the parts for my car are getting low and that when gm runs out of them they will not be making anymore. not all of this car has after market parts. as of right now just the rotors do and the windshield wipers have to be ordered as well. i was disappointed in gm service because the first guy i talked to said it was a faulty part then the next guy who took over the case said it wasn't.

Reported in: LEXINGTON NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y48L

WHEELS

i first noticed this last year when i went to ny for thanksgiving. everytime i turned to the left my car would shimmy and shake, i was told i was missing a weight on my rim so i didn't think anything of it. as the year went on it would only happen every so often and at times would do it at all. it started to act up again but wouldn't stop and even stepping on my brakes would cause it. i brought it to a local shop and they advised that my ball joints were shot and to bring it to a dealer. so i did this and then the dealership then tells me that my ball joints are shot, which then ruined my rotors (brakes are fine) and that my hub bearings could also be ruined. with that being said they said i needed 3 more tires...i've already went through 9 of them. when i talked to the guy at the first shop he said that i only need one tire and the rest are fine so not sure why the dealership would tell me this. it was over $1,000 to fix everything not including my tires so i brought it to the local shop whom said they could order the parts and have the job done for less than $600 (no including the one tire which is $170.00). i contacted gm about this due to seeing bulletin's posted on here for the same issues with this car but they wouldn't help or give me an inch and basically left it in my lap and said you have to take care of it. i have also found out that the parts for my car are getting low and that when gm runs out of them they will not be making anymore. not all of this car has after market parts. as of right now just the rotors do and the windshield wipers have to be ordered as well. i was disappointed in gm service because the first guy i talked to said it was a faulty part then the next guy who took over the case said it wasn't.

Reported in: LEXINGTON NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y48L

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated while driving at various speeds, he heard a clanking noise in the steering column. the contact also stated that whenever the brakes were applied, the vehicle would pull toward the left or right. the vehicle was in the process of being taken to an authorized dealer to have the failure diagnosed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to a dealer. the failure mileage was 47,000.

Reported in: ST PETERS MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y88L

POWER TRAIN

i was driving down 95 south near baltimore at about 70mph at 7am this morning when my 2008 pontiac g8 gt (with the l76 6.0lv8 engine) alerted me that the engine was hot. i immediately pulled over and when i popped the hood i saw the upper radiator hose was not attached to the radiator anymore and a lot of coolant had leaked everywhere. upon closer inspection, i saw that the pastic radiator flange that the hose attaches too had broken off of the radiator and was in the hose. since the engine cooling system, which i believe is part of the powertrain (gm will try and tell you otherwise) was no longer functioning, i clearly couldn't drive anymore, so i was stranded on the side of a very busy 95. being stranded is a safety issue, right? besides the immediate warning light/alarm, i had absolutely no prior warning that this was going to happen. it was a sudden and unexpected incident. i did not hear anything before hand. i saw no steam from the hood or anything like that. nothing. just the immediate warning light/alarm. besides an oil change at about 62,000 miles, i have not had any other services since 50,000 miles that would have touched that hose. i have pictures of the hose and the broken flange and i have the broken piece of flange in my possession and the radiator assembly is still in my car if you'd like to see or have any of those pieces. a quick search on the internet shows i'm not the first g8 owner to have this problem. thank you for your time and i hope to hear from you guys soon!

Reported in: BALTIMORE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y78L

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

i was driving down 95 south near baltimore at about 70mph at 7am this morning when my 2008 pontiac g8 gt (with the l76 6.0lv8 engine) alerted me that the engine was hot. i immediately pulled over and when i popped the hood i saw the upper radiator hose was not attached to the radiator anymore and a lot of coolant had leaked everywhere. upon closer inspection, i saw that the pastic radiator flange that the hose attaches too had broken off of the radiator and was in the hose. since the engine cooling system, which i believe is part of the powertrain (gm will try and tell you otherwise) was no longer functioning, i clearly couldn't drive anymore, so i was stranded on the side of a very busy 95. being stranded is a safety issue, right? besides the immediate warning light/alarm, i had absolutely no prior warning that this was going to happen. it was a sudden and unexpected incident. i did not hear anything before hand. i saw no steam from the hood or anything like that. nothing. just the immediate warning light/alarm. besides an oil change at about 62,000 miles, i have not had any other services since 50,000 miles that would have touched that hose. i have pictures of the hose and the broken flange and i have the broken piece of flange in my possession and the radiator assembly is still in my car if you'd like to see or have any of those pieces. a quick search on the internet shows i'm not the first g8 owner to have this problem. thank you for your time and i hope to hear from you guys soon!

Reported in: BALTIMORE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y78L

AIR BAGS

there was a recall for the air bags in my 2008 pontiac g8. two week after i had this problem fixed at the gm dealer, my air bag failure light came on, indicating that if i were in a crash, my air bag may not work properly. i believe these two issues are related, even though the gm dealer stated they were not. *js

Reported in: POWDER SPRINGS GA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SUSPENSION

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact was driving 15 mph when an abnormal clunking sound emitted from the front end of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where the contact was advised that both lower ball joints were corroded. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 22,700 and the current mileage was 22,800.

Reported in: NORTH PLATTE NE || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57728L

POWER TRAIN

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated that the front and rear windshields were defective and the glass contained bubbles that caused poor visibility. the contact also stated that the rear defroster no longer functioned. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was advised that the rear windshield could be replaced at low cost. the contact was also advised that the front windshield was a manufacturer¿s defect. in addition, the contact stated that the shifter cable had to be replaced and the cruise control did not engage. the cruise control was not repaired because the diagnostic test was unable to locate a failure code. neither windshield was replaced. the manufacturer denied assistance with the repairs. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 70,000.

Reported in: DUNDALK MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57778L

VISIBILITY/WIPER

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated that the front and rear windshields were defective and the glass contained bubbles that caused poor visibility. the contact also stated that the rear defroster no longer functioned. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was advised that the rear windshield could be replaced at low cost. the contact was also advised that the front windshield was a manufacturer¿s defect. in addition, the contact stated that the shifter cable had to be replaced and the cruise control did not engage. the cruise control was not repaired because the diagnostic test was unable to locate a failure code. neither windshield was replaced. the manufacturer denied assistance with the repairs. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 70,000.

Reported in: DUNDALK MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57778L

SUSPENSION

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated that the ball joints and the suspension was wearing. the ball joints were causing excessive wear on the front tires. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that they needed to replace both the lower control arm struts and the rods. there were no recalls for the failure. the manufacturer was notified who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 37,500.

Reported in: MARYVILLE MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57718L

SUSPENSION

the car shakes when turning slightly to the left at approximately 50 mph. i came to find out from a garage that the lf control arm needs to be replaced. you can actually wiggle the tire from left to right when it is up on a jack. two years ago, the right side had the same problem and was replaced.

Reported in: MOUNTAIN TOP PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57798L

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

the driver and passenger doors will not lock once the lock button on the key pad is hit door will remain unlocked once door is opened after hitting lock button 2 times alarm will sound and door will not close metal on metal sound you have to force the door piece to open up in order to close the door. i have looked it up online to do research on this and multiple people have the same problems with their cars. i googled pontiac g8 2008 sticky locks and doors not locking.

Reported in: JACKSONVILLE FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the failure recurred twice. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis, but the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

Reported in: ALBANY NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y28L

ENGINE

upper radiator neck snapped off of radiator, allowing upper radiator hose to separate from radiator. all coolant escaped causing engine to immediately overheat. "engine extreme overheat" light on dash came on. gm says not covered under warranty. this is evidently a common problem with these cars, and the similar 2004-2006 gto as evidenced by all the threads on the subject on grrrr8.net and g8board.net. this should be a recall. just glad this did not happen on the highway as coolant between the tires and the road would have caused a messy wreck.

Reported in: GARLAND TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y68L

AIR BAGS

the passenger seat presence module in the vehicle fails prematurely , in my opinion. the failure of this module means if you have a crash, your vehicles safety airbags will not deploy. you start your vehicle and the airbag fault light illuminates and you get an audible alarm. i understand i have a 3 year warranty on my vehicle which was up in march of 2011. there was a recall where the same module had to be reprogrammed, which i had done in 2011 i believe. there is an enthusiast website for this particular car ( g8 board.com ).on this website, i see lots of owners have this problem. this is a $ 1,000.00 repair including parts / labor. my complaint is that my car is seldom driven, stays in a garage under cover and has only 5,689 as off getting the repair done yesterday ( 7-24-13 ). i held off getting repair as i didn't have the $ 1,000.00 for the repair when i first got the alarm. i see on this website that several owners are refusing to pay this outrageous cost for this repair and riding around without airbags.i consider this dangerous and irresponsible on everyone's part . gm's response to me was that my warranty was up in march 2011 and there are no recalls as of now, so sorry about your luck . i just hope we do not need a few deaths over a component module that should have a longer shelf life than 4 or 5 years.

Reported in: WALDORF MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y68L

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 11v534000 (air bags) and repaired. after the recall repair was performed, the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis, who stated that the air bag sensor would have to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 31,000.

Reported in: LITITZ PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y98L

SUSPENSION

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated that while driving approximately 8 mph over a road bump, an abnormal noise emitted from the front passenger's side. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who informed the contact that both front struts would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 53,000. updated 9/17/13*cn

Reported in: WOODBINE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57738L

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g6. the contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the vehicle jerked from left to right. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was found that there was a shortage in the steering wheel. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 115,000.

Reported in: GREENBAY WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 1G2ZG57B084

AIR BAGS

i went to go on a short trip, and as soon as the vehicle started the message," air bag fault" read in my driver information center. i took the vehicle to the dealership and they diagnosed the problem as the passenger presence module was faulty, part number 92225595. quoted me about 800 dollars for the repair. like others have posted on this site, when that message is displayed, that indicates that the whole airbag srs is deactivated. i questioned how this wasn't a recall since it is an obvious safety issue on a car that is 5 years old, and the response was,"we don't know." i have replaced the module myself and have had a gm dealer reprogram it do my vehicle. what really irks me off, is that the part number for part that became faulty, is different than the replacement part that was used to fix the issue. this blatantly indicates that gm is well aware of the issue since they are the ones who recommended me to replace the faulty part with this "updated" part. this would not be such a big issue because i am well aware of the fact that some parts are subject to being replaced because of normal wear and tear, but this is a module that literally sits under the passenger seat bottom, and is not subject to any kind of outside elements, mechanical moving capability, or the elements, so the only way this part could fail is because of an improper design or other element that the customer has no control over. that reason alone shows why this module, being a key part in the srs system, should be recalled and installed with the new updated module. i hope the nhtsa looks into this issue seriously, and takes action.

Reported in: COLUMBIA MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y48L

AIR BAGS

with approximately 72,000 miles and less than 5 years old while driving my 2008 pontiac g8 gt the air bag light came on. after checking with onstar the error codes were u0170 and b0081. there have been prior recalls associated with the programming on the air bag system and my car has had an airbag module replaced once already. a quick search on the internet shows numerous other people experiencing the same issue on pontiac g8s that in many cases have even less miles than mine on them. many of the stories online are littered with dealer estimates to repair this problem, with repairs running upwards of $900+ to replace one module (gm part no. 92225595), and that might not even fix the problem. in some cases dealers are diagnosing the sensor (gm part no. 92220398) as having to be replaced as well, which is another $900+. i find it hard to believe that so many people are having this issue (at least that are reporting it online) and there must be many others as well that haven't taken to the online forums to report their problem. with a repair as costly as this one (on a car whose market value is roughly $15,000) i find it hard to believe many are making the required repairs as the cost to do it is significant (and in my case >10% of the total market value of the car). i would appreciate a further look into this issue with a focus on how many of gm part no. 92225595 have been manufactured/bought in the last 3 years for use on a pontiac g8. i imagine many more will have this same problem in the future on cars that have a minimal amount of miles. i believe a recall, or look into a recall, is warranted. thank you

Reported in: MCHENRY IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y78L

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the key fob contains the ignition key and unfolds with a button press, but the spring mechanism holding it open is a bit weak. when you have it attached to a key chain, the weight of the keys can fairly easily make the key fob fold over in an "l" shape with the key in the ignition. this happens while driving often, and being 6 ft 1 in tall, my knee bumped the keys while i was putting my foot back and forth between the gas pedal and on the brake. due to the folded over key fob attached to the key in the ignition, there was enough leverage placed on the ignition switch, turning the ignition to the off position, and the car shut off while rolling along in heavy traffic.

Reported in: ORLANDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

ignition key fell into two pieces. both pieces need to be touching to each other to start the engine. it's impossible to start the engine if you are stranded and nervous. i bought this car as a previously owned vehicle from williams used cars, elkton, md 21921 the 28th day of may 2013. they want me to pay for a new key. shall i do that?

Reported in: DAYTONA BEACH FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2ER57798L

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign id number: 11v534000 (air bags) but did not want to have the repairs performed because there was an additional component associated with the air bag that needed to be repaired. this component was not covered under the recall. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 134,000.

Reported in: QUINTON AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 6G2EC57Y88L