2008 Pontiac G8: problems, recalls and reliability
4 recalls and 71 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (32% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jun 2015
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 71 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G8. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the key was accidentally bumped, and the ignition switch was knocked out of the run position, turning off the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V540000 (Electrical System). The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the recall was marked closed by the dealer without performing the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Sep 2025
“The contact owns a 2008 Pontiac G8. The contact stated that after turning off the vehicle, the ignition key could not be removed from the ignition switch. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jul 2021
“Keep getting air bag light on code u0170 and b0081 seems like this is a big safety problem with the pontiac g8 needs a recall on this problem and replaced the rear ABS sensors and still have the issue with it not working and replaced them 2 times with new sensors”Owner report · Air Bags · Oct 2019
Show 7 more owner reports
“Passenger seat does not register a person sitting in it to activate air bag system. Codes retrieved: u0170 and b0081. Odometer: 86,000”Owner report · Air Bags · Nov 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. While driving 40 mph, the check engine indicator illuminated. The dealer diagnosed that the timing chain was stretched and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 94,000.”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2016
“Air bag fault light comes on when car is started, which means that the air bags will not work. There is an air bag recall to this car, but they will not fix my car's fault light problem. This is a big safety defect that many gm have, according to your website. Thank you my car has 30,000 miles on it. *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v399000 (seat belts); 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. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jul 2016
“Fault light activation,fault code states it's the passenger seat module. When this happens, there will be no airbag activation . This is very common with all g8 vehicles, do you think there might be an investigation into this problem?”Owner report · Air Bags · Jul 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 pontiac g8. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15v399000 (seat belts); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Updated 08/16/16*lj updated 08/17/16. *jb”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jun 2016
“My automatic locks on my 2008 pontiac g6 quit working on the back doors. My hazard light button will go on but will not shut off when you shut it off. And most importantly, my power steering light on my radio comes on. It has flashed off once and then the other day, it came on and stayed on until I shut my car off. I hear a squeal also that is getting worse. And the other day I went to go up a hill coming out of town and it made a weird noise; I left off the gas and it quit. It only has 54,500 miles or so on it.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Mar 2016
When filing, owners marked a crash in 2 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 4 campaigns
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Chevrolet Caprice vehicles manufactured October 15, 2010, to December 6, 2013, and 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 vehicles manufactured July 25, 2007, to February 18, 2009. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the key blade from the original flip key/RKE transmitter assemblies, and cut and fit a revised key blade and housing assembly, in which the blade has been indexed by 90 degrees, to the original RKE transmitter assembly. GM issued an interim notification to owners on December 31, 2014. The recall began on February 4, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14445. Note: Until the recall has been performed, it is very important that drivers adjust their seat and steering column to allow clearance between their knee and the ignition key.
GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 PONTIAC G8 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 2, 2007 THROUGH JANUARY 22, 2009. A 5TH PERCENTILE FEMALE ANTHROPOMORPHIC TEST DEVICE (ATD) IN A 30 MPH FRONTAL BARRIER TEST EXCEEDED THE HEAD INJURY CRITERIA (HIC) REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD. WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT POSITIONED FULL FORWARD, THE SEAT POSITION SENSOR WILL CAUSE A 30 MILLISECONDS DEPLOYMENT DELAY BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND STAGES OF THE DUAL-STAGE FRONTAL PASSENGER AIR BAG.
Remedy: GM DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
GM IS RECALLING 35,038 MY 2008-2009 PONTIAC G8 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT" AND FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS". THE BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SWITCH MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY PROGRAMMED. WITH THIS CONDITION, THE BRAKE LAMPS MAY BE CONTINUALLY ILLUMINATED AND FAIL TO WARN A FOLLOWING DRIVER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING. ALSO CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE INCORRECT VALUES PROGRAMMED INTO THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM THAT WILL NOT ILLUMINATE THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE TELLTALE UNTIL TIRE PRESSURE FALLS BELOW VALUES REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE BRAKE POSITION SENSOR AND THE REMOTE CONTROL DOOR LOCK RECEIVER WITH THE CORRECT VALUES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JUNE 5, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GM PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Chevrolet Caprice vehicles manufactured October 15, 2010, to October 22, 2013, and 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 vehicles manufactured July 25, 2007, to February 18, 2009. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the driver seat and the front passenger seat may be bent from being sat on while entering the vehicle. This repeated bending may result in the cable breaking.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt tensioner assembly which includes the steel cable, free of charge. These replacement parts reposition the tensioner cable out of the path of entry into the vehicle and uses a more flexible cable, set at a more upright angle. The recall began on July 5, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 15206.
How other years compare
Check your exact G8 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Pontiac G8 reliable?
NHTSA has 71 owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns on record for the 2008 Pontiac G8. The most complained-about area is air bags (32% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2008 Pontiac G8 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 55,250 miles or less.
Does the 2008 Pontiac G8 have open recalls?
4 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:ignition. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.