2008 Pontiac G6 Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2008 Pontiac G6, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 94,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “shift cable” (23% of reports).
- 83power train complaints
- 94,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $430typical repair cost reported by owners
- 19%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Shift cable: mentioned in 19 of 83 complaints (23%)
- Emergency brake: mentioned in 9 of 83 complaints (11%)
- Power train automatic: mentioned in 8 of 83 complaints (10%)
- Gear position indication: mentioned in 7 of 83 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2008 Pontiac G6 at $430, and half of them between $410 and $780.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2019), 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 power train problems happen?
Based on 68 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 83 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Pontiac G6 power train complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
Risk: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the ÂPARK position, the transmission may not be in ÂPARK. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.
Risk: If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G6. The contact stated that after the vehicle was serviced for the recall of NHTSA Campaign Number:14V224000: (Power Train), the transmission shift cable failed causing the vehicle to roll back and hit the contact. During the incident, the contact sustained a severe…
No SE lights on dash. Shudder shifts intermittently between all gears both in automatic and manual driving mode. No shops have been able to diagnose what the actual problem is. Huge safety risk as there is no telling when it will actually happen and âstallâ the car out in traffic when shifting…
The shifter is not going into the correct gear. This year vehicle has had (2) different recalls for this issue.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Pontiac G6s have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 83 owner complaints about power train for the 2008 Pontiac G6 (8% of the 1,080 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 2008 Pontiac G6 power train?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 94,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2008 Pontiac G6?
Owners report a typical cost of $430 (half paid between $410 and $780), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2008 Pontiac G6?
The most frequent phrase is “shift cable”, in 19 of 83 complaints, followed by “emergency brake” (9).
Other 2008 Pontiac G6 problems
See all 2008 Pontiac G6 problems or power train problems across all G6 years.