NHTSA — Vehicle Speed Control Problems

2006 Pontiac G6 (Page 2 of 3)

CarComplaints.com Seal Of Avoid Like The Plague

CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2006 Pontiac G6 has major problems with two areas fairly critical to the act of driving... steering & safety.

The 2006 G6 has a major defect trend with electronic power-assisted steering failure. The power steering cuts out while driving, making it extremely difficult to steer. G6 owners typically report spending $600 - $1,200+ to fix the problem, replacing either the entire steering column or the power assist motor.

In March 2010, GM recalled 1.3 million vehicles for this exact problem "...after receiving 1,100 complaints of power steering failures." However the 2006 G6 wasn't included in that recall.

In July 2010, GM issued a "Special Coverage Adjustment" — TSB #10183 — covering "certain" (not all) 2005, 2006 & 2008 Pontiac G6's for this power steering issue, up to 10 years/100k miles. However a large number of 2006 G6 owners have reported they were not covered by this campaign, based on VIN#.

As of late 2013 the NHTSA had well over 700 steering complaints on file for the 2006 G6, with 21 crashes & 12 injuries. The NHTSA closed their initial investigation in 2007, having determined that losing your power steering going over 15-20 mph isn't a big deal & that most crashes occurred at slow speeds, so not a safety risk. Ridiculous? Yep, we think so too.

The 2006 G6 also has an expensive problem with "popping" or "clunking" noises when turning, & that issue extends to newer model years as well.

Factor in the 2006 Pontiac G6's poor side impact protection & you end up with a vehicle you should steer clear of.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
65,524 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Pontiac G6 engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2006 Pontiac G6:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2006 Pontiac G6 Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #39

Mar 132012

G6

  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While accelerating onto the highway the vehicle loses power and all service, warning and dash lights come on. They flash and flicker until I lift foot off gas pedal, but will come right back if I step on the gas to hard. This issue only occurs when performing a hard acceleration onto the highway.

- Lake Orion, MI, USA

problem #38

May 072008

G6 6-cyl

  • miles
My G6 just keeps having issues. I don't drive it a lot so I do not have a lot of miles on it for being a 2006 so some of the issue with the car like the windshield wipers not working all the time have just come up. I do not think it is do to age of the car; I think they should still fix any defects with the car. I love Pontiac's I had a sunfire before this. I have never receive any recalls on this car in the mail from GM from the first day I purchased it in January 2007. I have taken it to dealership and they fix most of the problems like the sun roof leak I had to take four or five times I loss count. What they should do is give some credit on buying a new one and scrape the old ones. I paid cash for this car thinking it would last along time I don't have the money to keep fixing it.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

problem #37

May 012013

G6 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
Once again GM has issued a recall for 2006 Pontiac G6's for brake light issues, cruise control, and difficulties getting the car out of the park position. The brake lights randomly illuminate while pressing the gas and shut off when I press the brake. The cruise control will randomly disengage as well. Once again my VIN is not covered under the recall. How is this possible? the symptoms I've experienced are identical to the recall. Both recalls to be exact. The same make, model and year of car with identical problems but I'm not covered and the GM reps are no help. This is my second complaint. I know for a fact that there are other people out there having this same problem.

- Riverview , FL, USA

problem #36

Jun 292010

G6 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

6/10: Driving on freeway at 65 mph and lost power steering. In 9/10, received letter from GM indicating issue so brought vehicle to local dealer for steering column replacement. In 10/10, driving on freeway at 65 mph, lost engine power and power steering with indicator above radio saying "reduced engine power". I had to pull over to side of road, turn car off, then turn back on again, to regain power. This happened several more times between 10/10 and early 12/10 at which time I brought the vehicle into local dealership for repair. They replaced throttle body. I have since sold the vehicle to my nephew who has not had any problems. This vehicle should have been a recall. Very dangerous. No rhyme or reason to occurrences as well as whether the car would regain engine power or not. I did have a heavy key chain at that time.

- De Pere, WI, USA

problem #35

Dec 102013

G6 6-cyl

  • 94,061 miles
Sometimes (randomly) the brake lights are illuminated when the brake is not being pressed. When this happens, if I press the brake, the brake lights actually go off even though I'm braking. When this brake light problem occurs, the cruise control function also does not work. This has been happening on and off since I purchased the vehicle.

- Washburn, IL, USA

problem #34

Nov 272013

G6 6-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
While driving North on Ohio rte. 33 (at 70 mph) on 11/27/2013, my cruise control disengaged and would not re-engage. I pulled over at the next available exit, shut off my car for about 10 seconds, and restarted. Cruise control was again operational. Given such an isolated incident, I dismissed my concern. However, on 12/16/2013, I was driving eastbound on I-70 (again at 70 mph) and my cruise control again disengaged. I noticed right away and pressed the accelerator to keep my speed up. The three vehicles immediately behind me, including one tractor-trailer and a vehicle operated by one of my family members, noticeably slowed down to add following distance. My cell phone rang, and my passenger answered and put the call on speakerphone. My family members in the vehicle behind me asked what was going on and indicated that my brake lights were still on, although no pressure was being applied. Apparently, this is the reason that the vehicles behind me were slowing down - they thought I was slowing down, even though I was not! I pulled off at the next exit to again shut off and restart my car. My passenger claimed that something smelled hot (possibly brakes), although I cannot offer verification of this. After restarting and re-entering I-70, cruise control worked and brake lights were reported by following family members to work properly.

- Continental, OH, USA

problem #33

Nov 242013

G6

  • 112,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Traveling West on I-20 and my cruise control disengaged for no reason and I realized my brake lights were on. I tried several things, but the lights would not turn off while I was driving and do not signal to other drivers that I am coming to a stop, which is quite dangerous. I have tried several things including checking recall status, but my VIN was not included in the recall. I also often have issues getting my car out of park, have to press the brake a little harder than normal.

- North Charleston, SC, USA

problem #32

Sep 012011

G6 6-cyl

  • 45,000 miles
Most of the time my brake lights are on without pressing the brake pedal. Sometimes the lights are on when I start my vehicle and sometimes they come on while driving. When the brake lights turn on they generally do not turn off and I drive around with brake light always on. Sometimes I've been told that when the brake lights are on while driving and I begin to actually brake, the brake lights turn off. When the brake lights are on while driving the cruise control will not engage. There have been instances where I set my cruise control and it suddenly disengages and I have been told by people following my vehicle that this is when the brake lights turn on without me hitting the pedal. I have also noticed that when the brake lights are on when I start the vehicle that it is extremely hard to shift my car out of park.

- Oak Park, MI, USA

problem #31

Nov 012008

G6 6-cyl

  • miles
Brake lights are illuminated while driving and when car is in park, without brake being depressed. When brake is actually being depressed, brake lights are not illuminated. Cruise control works intermittently, sometimes going off while driving after being set. Difficult to switch gears out of park at times. Have taken it to mechanic twice. First time had a sensor replaced. Second time had the brake light switch replaced. Problems still not resolved. After seeing a previous recall in 2009 for this same issue I checked into it and my VIN number is not included in that recall. Driving with children in my car, it is a major concern for me, especially with the brake light issue. There are many times when people almost rear end us because of this issue. I hope that another recall is issued soon to correct this problem before people get seriously injured or killed as a result. Extremely dangerous malfunction!

- Rushville, IN, USA

problem #30

Oct 042010

G6

  • 60,000 miles
The brake lights and cruise control stooped working at 60,000 miles. The brake lights are illuminated when I do not have the brake pad pressed and the brake lights go out when I press the brakes.

- Ewa Beach, HI, USA

problem #29

Sep 302013

G6 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Brake lights are illuminated without pressing brake pedal and turn off once brake pedal is pushed. Also cruise control sometimes doesn't work and while on will suddenly turn off it's self. Windows also will not roll down/up sometimes from passenger door controlling.

- Greenville, NC, USA

problem #28

Aug 222013

G6 6-cyl

  • 140,000 miles
The brake lights are illuminating while driving without the brake pedal being depressed. When the brake pedal is pushed the brake lights turn off. The cruise control will turn on but it will not engage.

- Fort Wayne, IN, USA

problem #27

Jul 202009

G6 6-cyl

  • 28,700 miles
The first problem I had was in July 2009 at which time my cruise control would not work all the time and sometimes when it was on, it would dis-engage itself. I took this in for service and they applied dielectric crease to a connector. The cruise then worked well again for some time. Intermittently I would have problems with it, but not all the time. Then in May 2011, my car would not come out of park. I eventually was able to get it out of park, but this recurred several times over the next week or so. I brought the car in for service several times but they could not figure out what was wrong with it. Eventually, it was discovered that when I pressed on the brake, the exterior brake lights would not go on but when the car was running with no one in it, the exterior brake lights went on. I took it back in and they replaced the brake switch. This corrected the problem with shifting out of park. My cruise control then worked again for awhile. Then in June 2012, my cruise control stopped working again and I brought the car back in and they replaced the brake switch again. Over the last several months, my cruise control has not been working (usually it will not engage and when it does, will dis-engage itself after a few seconds). I also recently discovered (when a friend was following me) that while driving and not pressing on my brakes, my exterior brake lights would be on. However, when I actually press on my brakes to stop or slow down, the exterior brake lights would go off.

- Davenport, IA, USA

problem #26

Feb 012013

G6 6-cyl

  • 90,000 miles
Brake lights turn on even when I'm not braking, sometimes don't turn on when I am braking. Also, cruise control stopped working.

- Parrish, FL, USA

problem #25

Dec 012012

G6 6-cyl

  • 151,633 miles
My car is very difficult to shift from park. My brake lights don't work when I push the brake and flash sometimes when I don't push the brake. My cruise control won't set and if it does set, it cuts off with out warning on the highway.

- Liberty, TX, USA

problem #24

Jun 152012

G6 6-cyl

  • 23,000 miles
Brake lights are illuminating when I do not press the brakes...does not illuminate when I do press the brakes, this has resulted in me being rear-ended and has lead to several near accidents. Additionally, the cruise control will not set and it is often difficult for me to put my car into gear without pressing the break all the way to the floor or without restarting my car. The car doesn't always catch the first time I try to start it, the power outlets now are not working in addition the stereo resetting itself and the windshield wiper arm constantly popping off.

- Middle River, MD, USA

problem #23

Jul 022013

G6 6-cyl

  • 77,900 miles
We were driving to dinner with our neighbors following behind us. I received a phone call from them stating that my brake lights were on when I was driving down the road and then once I would go to stop the brake lights would turn off until I released the brake. I went to use my cruise control and it wouldn't work. Then once we were leaving the restaurant I had trouble getting the car out of park, I had to press extremely hard on the brake to get it to release.

- Trenton, OH, USA

problem #22

Jan 012009

G6 6-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
The brake lights illuminates when pedal is not engaged, and goes out briefly when engaged my cruise control is not working as well. I became aware of this situation when in for inspection the car failed for the center mount stop light was not working due to burned and melted bulbs and holders. Being told I needed to fix. It became know as to the brake lights turning on when pedal is not engaged. I changed brake switch, problem still continued. I sought info on internet and came upon former recall of this, and recent complaints. I called GM dealer and was informed there is nothing they can do to fix the problem. This is a safety issue and reason for bulb holders melting is from heat from being on all the time, my cruise control going out.

- Corpus Christi, TX, USA

problem #21

Jun 282013

G6 6-cyl

  • miles
My brake lights come on when my foot is nowhere near the brake pedal. I will be on the gas and the brake lights will either be flashing or just staying on. Or vice versa, my foot will be on the brake pedal and my brake lights wont be on. It is hard to press the brake pedal in when I go to shift out of park. My cruise control also doesn't work at times.

- Bloomington , IN, USA

problem #20

Jun 172012

G6 6-cyl

  • 56,000 miles
First noticed that I was unable to shift from park. My cruise control would not engage or would shut off on its own while using. Realized my brake lights would stay on while driving and pedal was not depressed. Once I got the lights to turn off would not light up when pedal was depressed. First noticed this last summer but was not consistent. Started to act up again in the last few days.

- Rothschild , WI, USA

Read the next 19 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?