2006 Pontiac G6 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report one dominant problem by a wide margin: the electric power steering assist quits without warning, usually flagged by a message on the radio display, leaving the wheel very hard or impossible to turn. Brake light and electrical complaints also appear, and the steering issue spans the full mileage range and has recurred in some cases even after a prior recall repair.

1. 1
   Steering

   Electric power steering assist cuts out

   • 974 complaints (51%)
   • median 75,063 mi at 5.2 yrs old (856 state mileage)
   • 55 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 65 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2026

   Owners describe the wheel going stiff or locking up without notice, often with a power steering message on the radio display and sometimes a jerk to one side. Many say it clears after shutting the car off and restarting, then returns days or minutes later. Several report a dealer or the manufacturer saying the vehicle had already been repaired under a steering recall and offering no further help, or that the VIN was not covered. Some mechanics traced it to a faulty steering torque sensor. Reported from about 18,000 miles up through 290,000, at any speed, often while turning at low speed, pulling into a parking space, or making a lane change.

   Recall 15V064000Recall 14V1530001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Start the car and watch the radio display for a power steering message, and turn the wheel lock to lock at idle to feel for stiffness, locking, or a pulsating column. Ask whether recalls 15V064000 and 14V153000 were completed on this specific VIN and get the service history in writing, since owners report the problem returning after the repair.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While backing out of the post office parking lot my power steering failed and I had to muscle to car out of incoming traffic (a truck was headed toward me). I pulled in the turn lane and a car narrowly missed me trying to get in the turn lane too. I had to drive home 35 miles an hour with hazard lights on to get home. I was on highway m-37 near bedford, michigan.”

   NHTSA complaint #11404411, filed 2021-03, 212,000 miles

   “I started my car to leave and the power steering failed. A message showed power steering on the radio screen an day check engine light triggered. I shut the car off and starters it again, power steering was fine. Moved about 10 feet in reverse and it happened again. Noe it doesnt want to turn at all. My car is a 2006 G6 v6 and I have had it scanned and nothing shows up?”

   NHTSA complaint #11405014, filed 2021-03, 210,562 miles
2. 2
   Exterior lighting

   Brake lights stay on or fail to light

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe brake lamps that stay lit while driving or parked and go out when the pedal is pressed, or lamps that fail to light when braking. Owners report being flagged by other drivers or nearly rear-ended. Some say the condition was repaired more than once under a brake light recall and came back; others note cruise control problems alongside it. Mostly reported between roughly 100,000 and 160,000 miles, on cars several years old.

   Recall 09V036000

   What to check: Have someone watch the rear lamps while you press and release the pedal, and check that the lamps match pedal position rather than working in reverse. Ask whether recall 09V036000 was performed and whether the wiring connector at the brake switch has been inspected for corrosion.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Transmission isn't shifting, and shift cable came apart somewhere. Several cars just like mine have been recalled due to this same thing happening, but mine isn't?? Car doesn't have even 135,000 miles. Electrical system is shorting out somewhere, and is draining my battery. Power steering is working against me or not working at all. This all happened around the same time... …”

   NHTSA complaint #11327901, filed 2020-06, 135,000 miles

   “Power steering message is continually coming accross my radio. I've taken it to a chevrolet dealer and I was told there is recalls for this on my car but GM tells me there isn't. I know I only had 1 recall done on my car and that was for my brake lights.”

   NHTSA complaint #11302423, filed 2020-01, 153,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Stalling, no-start, and electrical drain

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the car cutting off in traffic or while turning, trouble restarting, and a battery that drains when parked. Some report intermittent blower motor operation, a radio that works only sometimes, and warning lights that come and go. In a couple of cases the shifter linkage came apart and the car would not engage a gear. Scattered across the sample, generally on vehicles well past 100,000 miles.

   Recall 14V2520002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the battery has been replaced recently and whether any parasitic draw was diagnosed. Test every electrical item at once, including blower speeds, radio, and warning lights, and confirm the stability control and brake light recalls were done, since a service bulletin notes ground and connector repairs for electrical faults.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “With my engine I have taken my car in for an oil change on time since I've got the car. Than right before one oil change I hear a knock in the engine. So I get an oil change again and it was still making this noise. Following that my air circulation for the fan would stop working at times. My radio electric line seems damaged. Works sometimes.”

   NHTSA complaint #11318352, filed 2020-03, 203,500 miles

   “The car was working fine and then about a week ago the car was in a parking lot and I started it to go to leave and I could not reverse I'm not sure what it's called but there was like some kind of clip that somebody had to piece together for me just so it would be able to be drivable also the power steering light cut flashing on the radio and I checked to see if there was any power steering fluid and I found out that it has that motor well whenever I go in reverse it sounds like the emergency brake is like on but it's not and whenever I'm …”

   NHTSA complaint #11399848, filed 2021-03, 18,000 miles

Buying note. Electric power steering failure is the issue to verify first on this model year; it dominates the complaint history, occurs across the full mileage range, and has recurred for some owners even after recall repairs. Confirm which recalls were completed on the specific VIN, and budget for a possible repeat steering repair plus checks of the brake lamps and fuel system.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.