2006 Pontiac G6 Exterior Lighting Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 2, 2026 · 198 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2006 Pontiac G6, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 79,966 miles. The words owners use most often: “cruise control” (25% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Cruise control: mentioned in 49 of 198 complaints (25%)
  • Pedal depressed: mentioned in 35 of 198 complaints (18%)
  • Exterior lighting brake: mentioned in 31 of 198 complaints (16%)
  • Brakes applied: mentioned in 12 of 198 complaints (6%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical exterior lighting repair on the 2006 Pontiac G6 at $340, and half of them between $200 and $410.

Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2009–2012), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?

Based on 162 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles2 · 1%
10k–25k miles8 · 5%
25k–50k miles24 · 15%
50k–75k miles41 · 25%
75k–100k miles31 · 19%
100k–150k miles42 · 26%
150k+ miles14 · 9%

How serious are the reports?

Of 198 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 an injury.

Pontiac G6 exterior lighting complaints by model year

Peak: 2008, with 243 complaints
2003: 1200312004: 1200412005: 622005622006: 19820061982007: 23220072322008: 24320082432009: 19020091902010: 37201037

n = 964 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearExterior Lighting complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2010 G63714%77,000
2009 G619027%75,000
2008 G624323%74,000
2007 G623219%77,400
2006 G619810%79,966
2005 G6629%73,500
2004 G6150%46,000
2003 G61100%—

When owners reported it

Peak: 2013, with 44 complaints
2006: 1200612007: 112008: 4200842009: 17172010: 182010182011: 23232012: 192012192013: 44442014: 292014292015: 10102016: 8201682017: 332018: 8201882019: 552020: 4202042023: 112024: 320243

n = 198 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (2)

Electronic stability control (esc); vehicle speed control:cruise control; exterior lighting:brake lights:switch; electrical system:wiringMay 14, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V252000 · 2,440,524 vehicles

Problem: 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 Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Risk: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Exterior lighting:brake lightsJan 30, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V036000 · 8,012 vehicles

Problem: 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. In addition, the cruise control may not engage, and greater brake pedal force may be required to shift the vehicle out of park.

Risk: Brake lamps that are not operating properly may not warn a driver in a following vehicle of the braking status and could lead to a crash without prior warning.

Fix: 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. Owners may contact pontiac at 1- 800-620-7668 or owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

While driving the vehicle, the break lights are on, when you stop, or press the break peddle, the break lights go out, therefore giving no warning to the vehicles behind you.

Received Oct 23, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11621622

I have had to get 3 new keys made for this car due to the security light coming on, sometimes it will not crank or start, so I have replaced the starter twice, have replaced relays and fuses, and the security light will come on while drive down the road and all gauges drop to zero, even the gas…

Received Oct 18, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11620614

Brake lights are illuminating when accelerating (when brake pedal is NOT depressed) and are NOT illuminating when actually braking (when brake pedal IS depressed). I found GM recalls for this, but they are not attributed to my car, hence the recall that took place for this was not wide enough / did…

Received Jul 22, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11603719
Pontiac G6
2005-2007 Pontiac G6 photographed in USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2006 Pontiac G6s have exterior lighting problems?

No. NHTSA has 198 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2006 Pontiac G6 (10% of the 1,910 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2006 Pontiac G6 exterior lighting?

Yes: 2 safety recalls list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?

The median reported mileage is 79,966 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix exterior lighting problems on the 2006 Pontiac G6?

Owners report a typical cost of $340 (half paid between $200 and $410), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2006 Pontiac G6?

The most frequent phrase is “cruise control”, in 49 of 198 complaints, followed by “pedal depressed” (35).

Other 2006 Pontiac G6 problems

See all 2006 Pontiac G6 problems or exterior lighting problems across all G6 years.