Air Bags. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports

Engine complaints

3 reports

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20,000 miles · Feb 28, 2018

Engine

RIGHT SIDE OIL LEAK FROM THE VALVE COVER, LEAKING ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD @20000 MILES. FIRE CONCERN.

NHTSA ODI #11075419

61,000 miles · Apr 11, 2017

Engine

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HELLO, I AM WRITING TO YOU TODAY TO INFORM YOU OF A COMMON AND KNOWN ISSUE WITH ALL GM LS ENGINES THAT COME WITH ACTIVE FUEL MANAGEMENT (AFM) OR DISPLACEMENT ON DEMAND (DOD). THE LIFTERS IN THE ENGINE BEGIN TO FAIL SOMEWHERE AFTER 40,000 MILES - WITH THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE OCCURRING IN MY OWN VEHICLE AT JUST OVER 61,000 MILES. IF YOU WERE TO GOOGLE "LS DEAD LIFTER", "LS LIFTER FAILURE" OR "GM PISTON SLAP", THE ISSUES ARISES. I HAVE CONTACTED THE PONTIAC DIVISION AT GM TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS, BUT THEY SAID THAT THERE IS "NOTHING THEY CAN DO SINCE THE ENGINE IS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THEIR WARRANTY". THIS IS A BS AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A RECALL IF IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND FROM WHAT I READ ON A COUPLE FORUMS, GM HAS EVEN SENT A TSB (TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN) TO THEIR DEALERS IN THE PAST IN REGARDS TO THE ISSUE ON THIS ENGINE FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT GM MODELS. SYMPTOMS AND NOISE ON THE "DEAD LIFTER" ISSUE: YOU WILL HEAR A TICKING OR KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE ITSELF UPON START UP. NOISE TENDS TO BE LOUDER ON A COLD START UP AND WILL GRADUALLY SOFTEN (BUT NOT COMPLETELY GO AWAY) ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARM. THE TICKING OR KNOCKING NOISE CONTINUES DURING IDLING AND REVVING, SPEEDING UP AS YOU PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR.

NHTSA ODI #10971938

35,900 miles · Oct 14, 2015

Engine

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A TAPPING NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING - WHETHER THE CAR WAS AT IDLE OR MOVING. THE TAPPING WOULD NOT CEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE #2 VALVE LIFTER HAD COLLAPSED INTO THE CAMSHAFT AND DAMAGED THE CAMSHAFT. ALL 16 LIFTERS, CAMSHAFT AND ASSOCIATED GASKETS WERE REPLACED. HAD WE CONTINUED DRIVING THE CAR, MORE DEFECTIVE LIFTERS WOULD HAVE COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. AT THAT POINT, THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE LIFTERS ARE DEFECTIVE IN ALL GM CARS WITH THIS ENGINE (SEE SERVICE BULLETIN 10-06-01-007D).

NHTSA ODI #10782071

Official recalls

15V399000 · Seat Belts

Jun 23, 2015

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the cable breaks, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

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.

14V540000 · Electrical System:ignition

Sep 9, 2014

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position could cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

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.

11V534000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Nov 4, 2011

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THIS DELAY MAY RESULT IN INCREASED HEAD INJURY TO CERTAIN FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.

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.

09V172000 · Service Brakes, Air:antilock:control Unit/module; Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems

May 21, 2009

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: INAPPROPRIATE, NON-STANDARD LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH OR DRIVING ON A SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER-INFLATED TIRE CAUSES THE TIRE TO OVERHEAT AND CAN LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE.

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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems

Consequence: INAPPROPRIATE, NON-STANDARD LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH OR DRIVING ON A SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER-INFLATED TIRE CAUSES THE TIRE TO OVERHEAT AND CAN LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE.

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.

Service Brakes, Air:antilock:control Unit/module

Consequence: INAPPROPRIATE, NON-STANDARD LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH OR DRIVING ON A SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER-INFLATED TIRE CAUSES THE TIRE TO OVERHEAT AND CAN LEAD TO TIRE FAILURE.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.