2009 PONTIAC G8 Complaints

OUR 2009 PONTIAC G8 GT WITH 54,000 MILES STARTING HAVING THE AIR BAG FAULT LIGHT SHOW UP DURING STARTUP OF THE VEHICLE. THIS FAULT STAYED ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES. I RESEARCHED THIS FAULT ON THE INTERNET, INCLUDING PONTIAC FORUMS, AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OTHER PONTIAC G8 OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD A SIMILAR FAULT. I ALSO FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF GM PRODUCTS THAT HAS THE SAME FAULT. I FOUND THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE FINDINGS ON THE INTERNET STATED THAT THE ISSUE WAS THE PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE AND/OR SENSOR. ON 4-22-14, WE TOOK OUR G8 TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT THE FAILURE WAS THE PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE (PN#92225595) AND PASSENGER PRESENCE SENSOR (PN#92220398). THE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT FUNCTION WITH THIS CURRENT FAULT. THE COST TO REPAIR THE ISSUE QUOTED BY THE DEALERSHIP IS $1,193.94. I DECIDED TO SPEAK WITH GM CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE VIA PHONE. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE RESPONDED TO MY CONCERN WITH A NEGOTIATED COST DOWN TO $500 + TAX. I DO APPRECIATE THE REDUCTION IN COST BUT FEEL THAT THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT THERE IS ALOT OF HISTORY ON THIS ISSUE SINCE 2007 (PER THE INTERNET RESEARCH) AND I FEEL THAT THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. *TR

THE AIR BAG FAULT LIGHT CAME ON IN OUR 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE CAR HAS ONLY 41,000 MILES. WHY WOULD AIR BAG SYSTEM FAIL? IT HAS NO ACCIDENTS AND LOW MILES. TOOK TO DEALER "QUALITY CHEVROLET IN ESCONDIDO CALIFORNIA TO HAVE THE CODES READ AS MY READER WOULD NOT DISPLAY THEM. DEALER SAID THEY WOULD DIAGNOSE IT FOR $115.14. DEALER KEPT IT TWO DAYS AS THEY SAID THEY WERE TOO BUSY WITH GM IGNITION KEY RECALL AND DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO READ THE ERROR CODES. THE SECOND DAY, DEALER SAID "BAD NEWS", YOU WILL NEED TO PAY US AN ADDITIONAL $1,041.00 TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT PRESENCE MODULE. TOTAL WOULD BE $1,156.14. THEY SAID ALL OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WON'T WORK WHILE YOU HAVE THIS ERROR CODE. THIS IS CRAZY. A SAFETY SYSTEM LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT FAIL AND IT SHOULD NOT KILL ALL THE OTHER AIR BAGS. I ASKED DEALER FOR ERROR CODES AND PART NUMBER. THE ERROR CODES ARE U0170 LOSS COMMUNICATION WITH PASSENGER PRESENCE AND B0081 PASSENGER PRESENCE SYSTEM. THE PART NUMBER IS GM #92225595. I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND THE PRICE FOR NEW MODULE FROM A GM PARTS SELLER WITH 1 YEAR WARRANTY IS $262.50. I CHECKED THE WEB NHTSA AND OTHER SITES AND THIS FAILURE IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS PONTIAC G8 VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY GM FOR FREE AS A RECALL OR WARRANTY. PLUS, IT SHOULD NOT DISABLE ALL THE OTHER AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS NEGLIGENT AND UNSAFE. PLUS, THE DEALER IS TAKING HUGE PROFIT ON REPLACEMENT FEE. IT TOOK ME 10 MINUTES TO REMOVE THE MODULE FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. WHY WOULD THE DEALER "QUALITY CHEVROLET IN ESCONDIDO CALIFORNIA" BE SO GREEDY ON SAFETY ITEM AND CHARGE $1,156.14 FOR REPLACING A $262.50 PART THAT TAKES ONLY 10 MINUTES TO REMOVE AND 10 MINUTES TO REPLACE AND 10 MINUTES TO CALIBRATE OR PROGRAM? THIS IS PURE GREED AND DEALER IS SIMPLY CAPITALIZING ON THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I WAS GOING OVER TSB AND RECALLS AND NOTICED THERE WAS AN UPDATE FOR THE AIRBAG. HERE IS WHERE THE FUN STARTS! MY WIFE SCHEDULES AN APPOINTMENT WITH OUR LOCAL DEALER AND TAKES IT IN FOR THE SOFTWARE FLASH. ALL GOOD RIGHT? WRONG! THE SERVICE TECH TOLD HER SHE NEEDS TO HAVE THE AIRBAG MODULE AND SENSOR REPLACED AT THE TUNE OF 1200.00 BUCKS AND NOW A AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. I TOLD MY WIFE TO CONTACT GM CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH SHE DID LAST WEDNESDAY (04/02) AND WAS ASSIGNED A CASE ID AND CASE WORKER WHICH SHE EXPLAINED THE ISSUE TOO AND WAS TOLD SHE WOULD BE CALLED BACK WITH IN 24 HOURS.. WELL GUESS WHAT, HAVEN'T HEARD BACK YET. SHE HAS MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THEM WITH NO CALLS RETURNED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE HE PRECEDED THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE BRAKE EMITTED A BURNT ODOR AND THE WHEELS SMOKED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE INTO A SAFE AREA, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 60,000.

WHILE MAKING A SOME WHAT SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT ON A FREEWAY AT APPROX 60 MILES PER HOUR (LEGAL SPEED FOR SITUATION) NOTED VIBRATION IN RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION. IT FELT LIKE THE TIRE WAS ATTEMPTING TO COME OFF THE RIM.. I BACKED OFF AND THE PROBLEM DISSIPATED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT REAR LOWER SUPPORT ARM HAD SEVERE PLAY IN THE BALL JOINT. THE SAME ISSUE IS PRESENT WITH LESS WEAR IN THE FRONT LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE PLAY HAS CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR IN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED REGULARLY AT THE DEALERSHIP AT SUGGESTED 5,000 MILE TIME FRAME. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT DETECT ANY PROBLEM IN THE SUSPENSION DURING ANY OF THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCES. CONSIDERING THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR THERE IS UNREASONABLE WEAR OCCURRING IN SUSPENSION PART CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

I PURCHASED MY G8 GT BRAND NEW IN FEB. 2009. IN 2012 I HAD MY PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG LIGHT COME ON. I WAS AWARE OF A RECALL AND BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. THEY SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL BUT AS A ONE TIME COURTESY THEY WILL FIX IT. THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND I FELT SAVE DRIVING MY CAR. WELL, MARCH OF 2014 MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. NOW A DIFFERENT LIGHT. THE FIRST LIGHT SAID PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. THIS TIME IT SAYS AIR BAG FAULT. AGAIN, I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE WITH THIS LIGHT ON. I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AGAIN, AND THEY INFORM ME THAT IT IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND IT WILL COST ME $800.00 TO REPLACE WHATEVER MODULE THAT IS BROKEN. HOW MANY MODULES MAKE UP THE COMPRESSION OF THE AIR BAG AND HOW COME AIR BAG SAFETY NO MATTER WHICH MODULE OR LIGHT ISN'T PART OF THE RECALL? IN ADDITION TO THE AIR BAG PROBLEM I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS IN 2009-2011 WITH THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS AND MOUNTS, FRONT SUSPENSION, AND A BAD HARMONIC BALANCE, LASTLY ROTORS WARPED OFTEN. I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR THIS CAR AND EXPECTED MAINTENANCE FOR THIS VEHICLE TO BE COSTLY AT SOME POINT BUT NOT THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT GM SHOULD MAKE SURE IS FLAWLESS BEFORE MASS PRODUCING A DEATH TRAP. *TR

WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR SON TO DAYCARE THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN OUR 2009 PONTIAC G8 WITH ONLY 31K ON IT. WE BROUGHT IT A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY READ THE CODES AND THEY CAME BACK AS U0170 AND B0081. TOLD US IT WILL BE OVER $400.00 FOR PARTS AND AROUND $300.00 IN LABOR SINCE THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WHICH THE CAR STILL HAS AS THIS TIME. WE WOULD BE STUCK PAYING FOR IT. THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT WEAR OUT AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. SINCE THIS SRS LIGHT IS ON IT MAKES THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IT SHUTS THE AIRBAGS OFF THAT ARE MANDATORY SINCE 1998. NOW WITH THE STATE INSPECTION COMING UP SOON (NOT SURE IF IT PASSES WITH THE SRS LIGHT ON) THE CAR WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SIT HERE IN THE DRIVEWAY AS IT IS UNSAFE TO PUT MY WIFE & SON IN UNTIL HE HAVE A EXTRA $900.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. GM SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS AS THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM ITS NOT A HANDFUL OF CARS ITS HUNDREDS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ERRONEOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V172000 (SERVICE BRAKES, AIR, TIRES). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 04/29/14*LJ

MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS ARE "CHUNKING" RUBBER SEPARATION. I PURCHASED MY MICHELIN PILOT A/S PLUS FROM DISCOUNT TIRES IN DECEMBER 2011(34,030 MI). MICHELIN STATES A 45K MI WARRANTY ON THESE TIRES. I'VE ROTATED THEM EVERY 5-6K MI. RIGHT NOW I'VE DRIVEN ON THEM 22K MILES. I WENT TO DISCOUNT TIRE (1/27/2014) AND THEY SAID THE FRONT TIRES ARE "CHUNKING". YOU CAN SEE TIRE SEPARATION FROM THE LAYERS OF RUBBER. THE ASST MGR ADVISED ME HE HAS SEEN THIS WITH THE MICHELIN'S PILOT A/S PLUS AND THEY WOULD PRORATE ME FOR SOME NEW TIRES. TO ME THIS IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD BE A FULL REPLACEMENT AT 100% MICHELIN'S EXPENSES. PLEASE PLEASE! INVESTIGATE THESE TIRES. *TR

AFTER HEARING ABOUT FELLOW G8 OWNERS EXPERIENCING AN AIR BAG FAULT LIGHT, I WAS NOT SURPRISED TO SEE MY LIGHT COME ON AFTER STARTING IT LAST WEEK. I HAVE THE DREADED PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE FAULT CODES B0081 AND U0170. I KNOW THAT GM HAD PREVIOUS AIR BAG ISSUES AND HAD A RECALL ON THE G8 AND I HAD THAT RECALL DONE AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GM LOOK MORE INTO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I HEAR MORE AND MORE OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS POP UP WITH THEIR CARS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS NOW I DON'T DRIVE MY CAR UNTIL I CAN GET THIS FIXED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS WOULD BE TOTALLY ON ME TO PAY FOR THIS CORRECTION. I THOUGHT SAFETY RELATED ISSUES SHOULD BE UNDER A WARRANTY NO MATTER WHAT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT GM KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE WHEN I GO TO ORDER THE PART THAT IS REQUIRED, THE PART NUMBER HAS BEEN CHANGED TO A HIGHER/DIFFERENT NUMBER THAN THE ORIGINAL. THIS CLARIFIES THAT NOT ONLY DOES GM KNOW WHICH PART TO REPLACE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT THEY CREATED A NEW AND UPDATED MODULE TO SOLVE THE ISSUE; CLARIFYING THAT THEY DO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A FAULTY PART. *TR