Menu

2008 Pontiac G5Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 115 owner complaints about the 2008 Pontiac G5, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-171 the manufacturer reports only 72% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Pontiac G5
50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.0× the G5 median · #2 of 3 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 72%Owner complaints11530 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage91kFuel/propulsion system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 13, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Pontiac G5 has problems

115 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Fuel/propulsion system291
Air bags2611
Electrical system244
Steering235
Suspension81
Fuel system, gasoline60
Power train50
Engine51
Vehicle speed control43
12 other systems217

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2008 Pontiac G5 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

72%repaired · 2016 Q2

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 14V-171 · Apr 10, 2014 · 2,191,014 vehicles · 1,569,104 repaired

Risk. If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

72%repaired · 2016 Q2

Air bags

Recall 14V-047 · Feb 10, 2014 · 2,190,934 vehicles · 1,571,075 repaired

Risk. If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Steering: electric power assist system

Recall 10V-073 · Mar 3, 2010 · 1,050,889 vehicles

Risk. IF POWER STEERING ASSIST IS LOST, IT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER DRIVER EFFORT AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Pontiac.

Mileage at failure

When do fuel/propulsion system problems start?

91kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 25 fuel/propulsion system complaints. 76% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
1under 30k miles19under 100k miles6100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other G5 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the G5 median. How we score

'07'08'09'10
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Pontiac G5 safety ratings

2008 Pontiac G5 2-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Pontiac G5, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Electric Power Steering FailurePE10005 · closed Jul 19, 2010
    Led to recall 10V-073
In owners' words

What G5 owners report

Recent fuel/propulsion system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

1. Fuel Leak 2. Fuel leaking in driveway, car has potential to catch fire if driven 3. Suspected leak and odor was reported 4 years ago. Dealer said the recall did not apply to my car. After receiving an email reply back from GMLegalUpdate department indicating they would cover the "fuel line"…
Complaint 11651139 · Mar 27, 2025
CAR LEAKS GAS TOWARD FRONT OF CAR DRIVER SIDE AFTER IT HAS BEEN RUNNING. IT ALSO HAS AN ODOR OF GAS RADIATING AROUND THE CAR AFTER IT HAS BEEN RUN. THIS CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM IN REGIONALLY HOT STATES. GM ALAN ADLER SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR CARS THAT HAS THE PROBLEM OUTSIDE OF THE…
Complaint 11323239 · May 4, 2020 · 83,658 miles
WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN AROUND OTHER VEHICLES NAMELY THOSE WITH BRIGHT LIGHTS AND AT STOP LIGHTS. IT FELT AS THOUGH THERE WAS A TON OF PRESSURE INSIDE MY VEHICLE ALMOST LIKE THE THE WINDOWS WERE GOING TO EXPLODE. IM NOT SURE HOW TO EXPLAIN IT MAYBE A GRAVATAIONAL DOWNWARD PULL? ALMOST LIKE A CHEMICAL…
Complaint 11322036 · Apr 23, 2020 · 152,190 miles

Own a 2008 G5?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.