Power Steering Is Faulty

2006 Pontiac G6 (Page 2 of 9)

This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Pontiac dealer.

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.

8.7

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,150
Average Mileage:
72,750 miles
Total Complaints:
172 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (98 reports)
  2. turn car off then back on (21 reports)
  3. replace power assist motor (14 reports)
  4. replace steering column (12 reports)
  5. replace all steering parts (7 reports)
  6. replace rack (7 reports)
2006 Pontiac G6 steering problems

steering problem

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2006 Pontiac G6 Owner Comments (Page 2 of 9)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #152

Aug 012013

G6 LX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,000 miles

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

As soon as light on dash reads "check power steering", I had to turn car off and restart to get power steering back again. Steering wheel vibrates also.

Update from Jan 22, 2014: The entire steering column had to be replaced. The GM Dealor (Rte 46, Totowa, NJ) fixed it and I did not have to pay for it.

- linnyz52, Little Falls, NJ, US

problem #151

Oct 292013

G6 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,575 miles

Transport Canada has issued a recall:

http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/7/vrdb-bdrv/search-recherche/detail.aspx?lang=eng&mk=0&md=0&fy=0&ty=9999&ft=&ls=15&sy=0&rn=2012331&cf=SearchResult&pg=-1

Road Safety Recalls Database Transport Canada Recall # 2012331

Recall Date: 2012/10/01 Notification Type: Safety TC System: Steering Manufacturer Recall Number: 12221 Units Affected The number of vehicles or components affected by the recall: 67,414 Category: Car Recall Details:

Certain vehicles equipped with electric power steering may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If the power steering assist is lost, a message is displayed on the Driver Information Centre and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Steering control can be maintained, as the vehicle will revert to a manual steering mode, but requires greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds. Unless a driver compensates for this additional steering effort, loss of power steering assist may increase the risk of a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Vehicles will receive a special extended warranty coverage for a period of 10 years/240,000 km, whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership. Under this special coverage program, for 2005 & 2006 model year vehicles, dealers will replace the steering column. For 2008 model year vehicles, dealers will replace the power steering motor control module.

Make Model Model Year(s) Affected CHEVROLET MALIBU 2005 2006 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX 2005 2006 2008 PONTIAC G6 2005 2006 2008 SATURN AURA 2008

Update from Feb 11, 2014: The GM dealership replaced the steering column at no cost). I have had no problems since.

Dealer info:

Hogan Chevrolet Buick GMC Limited 5000 Sheppard Avenue East SCARBOROUGH, ON M1S4L9 Phone: (416) 291-5054 Fax: (416) 291-5597 Email: reservations@hoganchev.com

- Roman A., Toronto, ON, Canada

problem #150

Oct 042013

G6 2.4L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 119,303 miles

In the past nine days my powe steering has failed twice on my car. I sent it to the local GM dealership and they told me the intermediate shaft needed replacing. I told them not likely, it is electrical. Same story as others experience, driving along and things are fine, chime sounds and POWER STEERING appears on the DIC, then you have no steering.

So, they charged me $540.00 to fix the intermediate shaft, 9 days later it happened again. Car has been towed today back to the dealership for them to check it properly.

Way to go GM, right after we bail you out you give us this garbage.

Dealership says they are going to try to apply the money I have paid to fixing it properly. What an idea.

- nt1078, Welland, ON, canada

problem #149

Oct 062013

G6 3.6L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 112,000 miles

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

The power steering light comes on the radio then no power steering. When you shut off the car and restart the power steering light goes off and the power steering starts working. This car has been a ok car up until the last year and it has had many issues such as clear coat peeling off and having to have repainted it always has had a popping noise in the front end. Wouldn't buy another. Good thing they aren't making this car anymore. And how about the danger of driving this car! Very disappointed!!!!

- Joyce H., Conway, MO, US Minor Outlying Islands

problem #148

Sep 102013

G6 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 49,710 miles

Okay, got a notice a while back about a potential steering problem. Low speed steering went around the 11th of this month. Took it into dealership and they replaced the steering column. Got the car back, took it out and when I attempted to turn tight at a low speed heard a big pop and the steering was screwed. Called the dealer and they said to bring it back in and IF there was a problem they would fix it. So after they had changed out the steering column previously they now told me that it was a steering module and it would be $700 to fix, that's after my husbands $100 discount on the parts.

According to them there is no recall for this part prior to 2008 models. Now having read all of your complaints on here I am seeing that this is a HUGE SAFETY ISSUE and GM needs to go good for it. I am so tired of every time you take your car in for anything there is almost ALWAYS something more that is financially crippling, but what can you do, you need your car right?

I am trying to get them to do something about this but if I don't get anywhere I am wondering what it would take to get a class action suit going ?

Anyone else have an ideas?

- s. stalker halik, Oshawa, Ontario, canada

problem #147

Jul 052013

G6 V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 97,300 miles

My daughter and grand-babies are driving and power steering light flashes and she lost steering. She had to turn the car off and back on numerous times to get around a corner. Does this SCREWED up company need to see deaths before they will pull their heads out of their asses and fix the issue. How can they be forced to fix a dangerous product that they make? I'm afraid to let her drive it now. This car has been one problem after another.

- blujan, Grand Forks, ND, US

problem #146

May 142012

G6 LX 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,000 miles

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

Stupid power steering keeps going out...almost wrecked twice now.

- Wendy G., Bledsoe, KY, US

problem #145

Jul 272013

G6 GT 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,000 miles

We bought this car for our daughters first car in August of 2012. Up unto now its been a good car. My daughter was driving it to the movies when she called me to complain about the steering wheel been up side down. I said there is no way that could happen. I went to the movies to drive it home and sure enough the steering started popping and would not steer straight. She was riding with me when i was taking a right hand turn and car would not turn if another car had of been coming we would have been hit head on. VERY SCAREY!! Also i have to replace tail light bulbs every couple of months. WORST CAR EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- John T., Ivanhoe, VA, US

problem #144

Jun 192012

G6 Beigh V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,000 miles

Was getting ready to turn right and my car quit turning and I almost hit another car. When I was looking for the steering fluid box, I couldn't find it. Come to find out that the car does not have one. It is electronic. What the heck is that all about. I want to know where I can take this to have fixed , but not at my cost. This is a problem that has happened to quite a few people. Please let me know what to do!

Paul G. Nichols

15353 Galehouse Road

Doylestown , Ohio 44230

330-990-2876

- pnichols, Doylestown, OH, US

problem #143

Jan 012013

G6 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles

As far as I'm concerned, my car is a lemon. THere's been so many things wrong with it. I'm a single mom with a small child and this most recent power steering failure problem has me really pissed. I literally cannot drive my car. It is totally impossible to turn. I am terrified everytime I get in it. I pray, pray, pray, I dont have an accident and my baby gets hurt. I hate my car but cannot afford another one. HELP!!!!!

- martie, victoria, TX, US

problem #142

Feb 052013

G6 V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 174,000 miles

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

I was turning at a busy intersection and felt the steering wheel stop moving. The information screen said "power steering" . I took it to my mechanic he said that it is the electric assist power steering motor. He informed me that GM would repair it fro free he thought. I contacted the closest dealership and was told that my mileage was to high for the coverage on repairing this problem and that it would cost approx. 600.00. I am a single mother of three and have to get to work. I have had to drive the car in this condition and have had several close calls.!!! I do not have the money for repair, even if I did, it is not right!!! If the motor its faulty.....it"s FAULTY!!!!!! it shouldn't matter how many miles the car has on it!!!. No one ever notified me that this was a problem or I would have taken care of it before 150K miles... I am still trying to get them to fix it at no charge. I am in contact with a GM service representative. But to avail as of yet. I guess they won't do anything about it until someone dies.

- Patty N., Jackson, GA, US

problem #141

May 162013

G6 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 129,000 miles

There's many problems I've had with this car power steering recently added to the list. Having to replace tires brake pads and even fix rotors all the time, electrical problems, power windows work when they want, windshield motor for the water doesn't work. I didn't know there was so many complaints on this car. I'm simply tired of having these problems, please do something about it, before more people get hurt........I'm one of the lucky ones that didn't thank god!

- jolynn, Robtown, TX, US

problem #140

Jul 092012

G6 SE 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,000 miles

MY CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS ALMOST A YEAR AGO. THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON ME AS I WAS TURNING BOTH TIMES. JUST RECENTLY I HAD MY SON IN THE CAR WITH ME, WHICH MADE ME VERY NERVOUS, KNOWING THAT NOT ONLY WAS I IN DANGER,SO WAS HE. I REALLY WISH THIS COULD BE SOME SORT OF RECALL FOR THIS POWER STEERING PROBLEM. MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED BY OVER MILLAGE, SO IT WILL PROBABLY COST A PRETTY PENNY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. POSSIBLY THINKING ABOUT GETTING A NEW CAR, AND IT WONT BE A PONTIAC..

- find1natca, Lathrop, CA, US

problem #139

Jan 272013

G6 SE 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 76,429 miles

When driving the power steering stops and you have no power steering. You have to stop the car, turn off the key and restart to continue. Very, very dangerous. I noticed that the 2006 is the worst year for the Pontiac G6 with 134 complaints for the power steering. I think GM should have corrected this problem years ago and not have waited for the event to take place. They only used Electric power steering on the 2005 and 2006 models of G6 and it was the worst mistake they made. I don't have any false hope that GM will do anything about it because they told me I don't have a warranty so nothing can be done. This should not have been a warranty problem, it should have been a RECALL problem. Sure sours me on buying a GM in the future. This is my run around car and I buy a new one every two years and GM probably won't get my business after this.

- Victor V., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

problem #138

Jan 082013

G6 GT 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 83,450 miles

Worst reliability of any vehicle I have ever owned. This PS problem has been ongoing, the first time was 2 1/2 years ago, it quit in a parking lot. Needed a tow truck to get me clear of other vehicles so I could get out of there, then like magic it started working again. Took it back to the local GM dealer, they did a reload of the powertrain PCM , and that worked for about 3 months, then the problem returned. My wife was at speed on the 407 and all of a sudden it was almost impossible to steer. Fortunately she was in the middle lane and on the next turn she was able to coax it across the right hand lane and onto the shoulder of the highway(things happen quick at 118km/hr). Again she shut it off and on a couple of times, and it came back to life. She still refuses to drive it in the highway, and I don't blame her. It has happened around town quite a few times, just recently I was turning a corner in an ice and snow condition, and wound up on the sidewalk before I could get it stopped, I could not get the steering turned quick enough, and the ice precluded a safe stop, and I was just traveling 40km/hr. Thank god the pedestrians were able to run for cover. I left it running because I felt if there was an injury to anyone, I would need to explain the issue, and would need proof. I waited, and sure enough a cop showed up, and seeing my car where it was, he stopped to see what was going on. I showed him the lack of steering and explained what had been happening, he shook his head, commented the company should be acting on the complaints. He took some pictures, and my statement as well as his own observations including the lack of control he experienced when he tried to turn the wheel. He said in the event of an accident in the future it would be good evidence for the ministry of transport. I've been driving for 51 years, have had 16 automobiles, and have logged over 1,200,000 miles, without an accident. This is the WORST car I have ever owned. PERIOD. The fact that GM will not correct a very serious safety issue convinces me, the customers safety does not matter, to the upper management of the company, the most important issue to them, being a healthy bottom line. The fact that Transport Canada has not forced GM to recall/repair all the affected vehicles, is evidence they care little for the safety of the automobiles they approve for sale in this country, and I am also convinced they are in the pocket of the mighty GM. So when everyone is buying cars offshore, and your profits go in the toilet Mr Bigshot GM, take a look at what you have been foisting on the consumers, you will have no one to blame but yourself.

- Carl M., Niagara Falls, Ontario, canada

problem #137

Oct 142009

G6 GT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,000 miles

I've owned my G6 since 2006 purchased it new. About 2 years of ownership I experienced loss of steering when pulling out of my driveway. This happened on 3 other occasions with today 11/19/2012 being the most recent after arriving home from getting an oil change from Galen Boyer, the dealer I purchased this car from. I mentioned this problem years back and was told no recall and they didn't check, pretty much discounted it as nothing, so I did also. Now with it happening more recently a 5th time and reading these complaints, this sounds more serious. My car currently has 94000 plus miles. I plan to return back to this dealer after the holiday and I will report back on the experience. I can't believe they've done nothing about this.

- lovely1, Independence, Jackson, US

problem #136

Feb 272012

G6 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 116,354 miles

Thanks God power steering got stiff on my way out of garage! I don't want think what could happen on the highway! If this is not for recall I do not know which is ...

- Marian D., Mississauga, ON, canada

problem #135

Nov 012011

G6 Sedan 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

it just goes to show you how pathetic GM is towards their customers, you buy their vehicles and now they could care less about fixing them at their expense!!!!! if you have to pay for a manufacture defect, what is this world coming to, its pretty sad when a big corporation like GM is crying for help to keep them from going under a few years ago! Now its time to return the favor to the people that helped you keep a float cause after all we are the Government, aren't we in some way!!!!

So GM go back to your roots and see what customer service was like back then, its not like we're customers complaining about every little stupid noise that annoys us! Its a complaint that involves the safety of our roads and more importantly Human Lives! im sure if it involved your lives you'd be fixing it ASAP!!!!!

Don't be so cheap and being cowards, own up to your vehicles and fix them, you've already made money from your dedicated customers over the years!!!!!

- tat2d4life, Orleans, Ontario, canada

problem #134

Oct 012011

G6 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,654 miles

My son just bought this car this summer. We had looked at some of the issues of this vehicle and this steering was one of them. Almost every time he drives it and makes a left turn the power steering quits. If he shuts it off and back on quickly then it will work SOMETIMES. If we lived in a big city this would be a huge problem and it still is but it would be very dangerous with heavier traffic. We are looking into recalls now.

- eibling, Harrod, OH, US

problem #133

Dec 222011

G6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,200 miles

To all Pontiac owners of 2006 and 2007 G6V6 . If you are having or have had issues with your Electrical Power Steering Failing please support my facebook page(Pontiac Driver) post your issue regarding your Power Steering lost. I brought my Pre-woned Pontiac G6 in July of 2010. Pontiac said they sent letters out regarding this issue in August of 2011. i never got the letter, I wasn't even in their system. Anyway they said they offered a special coverage for owners who experienced power steering failure but you had to be under 100,000 miles. Really, so I spoke to heather a supervisor who told me don't worry about the mileage take it for a diagnosis and we will cover it if its the same problem. I set up an appointment but postponed because I had no money to cover the diagnosis of $79 it is wasn't the problem. i called a cheaper car dealer who did my diagnosis and found it was Electrical Power steering failure. I called Pontiac ready to fax over the findings, but they refused to pay said I had to go a GMC dealer. Ok I said I'll go, but now they don't want to pay. this problem is due to your companies poor craftsmenship no anybodies else doings. Not to mentions its flat out dangerous. I contacted BBB and my local news awaiting response. So G6V6 owners lets let Pontiac know we deserve to drive safe cars. Tell your friends and family to support (Pontiac Driver on facebook so we can make them pay...for your safety and mine

- Pontiac C., Syracuse, NY, US

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