2009 PONTIAC G8 Suspension Problems

FRONT END KNOCKING NOISE OVER BUMPS

Mileage: 40,000

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE FRONT SUSPENSION SHAKES AND CLUNKS WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. BOTH BALL JOINS HAVE TEARS IN THE RUBBER BOOTS WHICH I'M SURE CAUSES WATER AND ROAD DEBRE TO ENTER BALL JOINT AND CORRODE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AND WHEN A BALL JOINT LETS GO IT CAN BE FATAL SENDING THE CAR IN ANY UNCHOSEN DIRECTION. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS HAPPENING TO EVERY SINGLE PONTIAC G8 OWNER I'VE COME ACROSS. THIS IS LIFE THREATENING, BALL JOINT LETS GO ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR WILL GO INTO A ROLL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION

Mileage: 67,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT AND VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SWAY BAR, TIE ROD, AND HOB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000. UPDATED 07/27/16*LJ

Mileage: 146,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

Mileage: 52,000

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

Mileage: 49,035

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WANDERED OUT OF THE LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND LOOSE BALL JOINTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE A PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

Mileage: 30,000

THIS CAR CLEARLY HAS LCA (LOWER CONTROL ARM) ISSUES. I HAD MINE REPLACED 10K MILES AGO. THEY ARE NOISY AGAIN. WITH JUST A LITTLE RESEARCH YOU WILL FIND THAT AROUND 80% OF G8 OWNERS HAVE FRONT END SUSPENSION ISSUES. WHY ISN'T GM RECALLING THIS? *TR

Mileage: 55,000

I RECENTLY ENCOUNTERED A CLUNKING/KNOCKING NOISE IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER SMALL BUMPS, AS WELL AS SEVERE SHAKING/VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING AND STEERING. THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND ON FREEWAY CURVES. SINCE THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TRUSTED LOCAL MECHANIC. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. AFTER DOING SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THERE WERE BOTH A SERVICE BULLETIN AND A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN FOR ISSUES WITH THE G8 SUSPENSION, SPECIFICALLY THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THESE ISSUES INCLUDED PROBLEMS WITH THE RUBBER BOOT OVER THE FRONT END LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT, WHICH MAY BECOME DISLODGED OR TORN COMPROMISING THE SEAL. MOISTURE INSIDE THE BALL JOINT SEAL COULD CAUSE CORROSION, SHORTENING THE SERVICE LIFE OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. MY LOCAL MECHANIC COMPLETED THE REPAIRS AND ALSO DID A FRONT-END ALIGNMENT. THEY SUPPLIED ME WITH THE DEFECTIVE LOWER CONTROL ARMS, WHICH SHOWED EVIDENCE OF THE TORN RUBBER BOOT ON BOTH ARMS AND CORROSION. AFTER CONTACTING WITH GMS CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY ARE NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING FURTHER BECAUSE I DID NOT TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP (WHO CHARGE OVER $1,000 FOR THESE REPAIRS). I EVEN OFFERED TO SEND THEM THE DEFECTIVE PARTS, BUT THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED. THEY USED THE EXCUSE THAT THE RECALL ONLY INCLUDED CERTAIN VIN'S AND MINE WASN'T INCLUDED, YET I HAD THE SAME EXACT PART FAILURE AND SYMPTOMS AS OTHER VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 54,000

ABOVE ABOUT 40 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A SHAKE AND THE DEALER KEEPS TELLING ME THAT THEY DO NOT FEEL IT, SEEMS LIKE THEY WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT SEEMS LIKE GM WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH. THIS IS A LINK TO A 30 PAGE THREAD OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND ALMOST EVERY PERSON THAT IS HAVING THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. THIS IS CURRENTLY AN ANNOYANCE BUT IT MAY BE A SIGN OF A FAILING STEERING / SUSPENSION PART. HTTP://WWW.G8BOARD.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=46325. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

IN APRIL 2009 MY PONTIAC G8 BEGAN MAKING GROANING AND CRACKING NOISES. OBSERVATION INDICATE THAT NOISE IS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND IS MOST PREVALENT WHEN THE CAR IS WARM. RESEARCH ON THE NUMEROUS WEBSITES INDICATE THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEALERS DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM AND THE POTENTIAL SAFETY IMPACT OF LOSING CONTROL OF THE AUTOMOBILE. SO FAR THE MOST COMMON RESPONSE SEEMS TO BE TO IGNORE IT OR PROVIDE A PIECE MEAL SOLUTION. I BELIEVE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE STEERING IS EFFECTED AND AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. IT SEEMS THE GT MODELS ARE MOST EFFECTED WITH NO MENTION OF THE V6 OR THE GXP EDITIONS HAVING PROBLEMS. THE GXP HAS IMPROVED FRONT SUSPENSION AND THE V6 IS LIGHTER. IT MAY BE THAT THE G8 GT VERSION HAS A ENGINE THAT IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND ULTIMATELY CAUSES A DEGRADATION OF THE SUSPENSIONS PERFORMANCE. I HAVE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND SO FAR THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE DONE IS REPLACE A TIE ROD. THE NOISE ABATED BUT NOW CONTINUES. SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN NO SAFETY CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE I TEND TO BABY THE CAR BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST THE FRONT SUSPENSION. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

MY 2009 PONTIAC G8GT WITH 14,000 MILES HAS HAD A FRONT END SHAKE IN IT SINCE NEW. HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER 8 TIMES TO HAVE IT FIXED TO NO AVAIL. HE CAR HAS STARTED TO WANDER BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SO I DECIDED TODAY I WAS INSPECTING IT TO SEE IF I COULD FIND ANYTHING. THE LAST TIME I HAD IT TO THE DEALER I TOLD THEM I COULD HER THE FRONT STRUT BUSHINGS GOING BAD THIS WAS ABOUT 1000 MILES AGO. TODAY DURING MY INSPECTION I FOUND THAT BOTH FRONT STRUT BUSHINGS ARE BAD. I WAS CHECKING A COUPLE OF FORUM BOARDS TODAY AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR AND PONTIAC AN GM ARE WELL AWARE OF IT. WHY HAVEN'T THEY ARE ANYBODY MADE GM STEP UP AND FIX THIS BEFORE SOMEBODY GET HURT OR KILLED? *TR

Mileage: 14,034

AT 23,000 MILES MY LOWER FRONT RIGHT BALL JOINT WENT BAD AND A WOBBLE WAS NOTICED WHEN BRAKING HARD. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT BALL JOINT WAS BAD AND THIS A COMMON PROBLEM AND SOME VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT MY CAR WAS NOT ON THE RECALL OR CAMPAIGN LIST. THE BALL JOINT PROBLEM IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITHIN THE G8 COMMUNITY BUT IS NOT BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY THE DEALERS OR GM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, THIS PROBLEM COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES. THEY HAVE REDESIGNED REPLACEMENT CONTROL ARMS/BALL JOINTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE LIMITED INVENTORY. THIS RECALL SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC TO INFORM THE CONSUMER OF THE POTENTIAL FAILURE AND DESTRUCTION THAT COULD TAKE PLACE. THIS RECALL SHOULD BE OPENED UP TO ALL G8'S NOT JUST BE VIN NUMBER. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE MORE CARS THAT HAVE DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT ARE NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 23,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE STRUTS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY REPAIRED. HE HAS TAKEN HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE STRUTS INSULATED ON THE VEHICLE WERE DEFECTIVE AND COULD NOT BE REPLACED. THE DEALERS ARE ALSO OUT OF THE PARTS AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

Mileage: 18,000

MY PONTIAC G8 GT HAS EXPERIENCED PREMATURE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEAR AND FAILURE FROM ALL FOUR OF THE FRONT BALL JOINTS -- UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS. GM HAS STATED THAT THIS WEAR IS FROM A BAD "BOOT DESIGN", BUT THERE ARE NUMEROUS VEHICLES WITH MULTIPLE BOOT REPLACEMENTS AND CONTROL ARM REPLACEMENTS THAT HAVE THEN GONE BAD -- ONCE AGAIN. THIS THEREFORE POINTS TO THE BALL JOINT DESIGN AS BEING THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE PREMATURE WEAR AND FAILURE! THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON ALL FOUR OF THE CONTROL ARMS FOR THIS VEHICLE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BY A FAULTY BALL JOINT BREAKING! *TR

Mileage: 25,000

AFTER ONLY 11,000 MILES MY FRONT RIGHT BALL JOINT WAS BAD AND A WOBBLE WAS NOTICED WHEN BRAKING HARD. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE LCA TO FIX IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE PREMATURE FAILURE AND COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE INJURIES IF A MORE SOLID FIX ISN'T COMPLETED. *TR

Mileage: 11,000

AFTER ONLY 11,000 MILES MY FRONT RIGHT BALL JOINT WAS BAD AND A WOBBLE WAS NOTICED WHEN BRAKING HARD. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE LCA TO FIX IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE PREMATURE FAILURE AND COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE INJURIES IF A MORE SOLID FIX ISN'T COMPLETED. *TR

Mileage: 11,000

":ALIGNMENT PULL" PONTIAC G8 2009. WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN TO THE LEFT, STEERING DOES NOT COME BACK TO CENTER, PULLS TO LEFT. WHEN MAKING A SHARP RIGHT, STEERING DOES NOT CENTER, PULLS TO THE RIGHT. TIRE AIR PRESSURE HAS BEEN CHECKED, TIRE HAVE BEEN BALANCED AND CHECK FOR OUT OF ROUND. *TR

Mileage: 5,700

FRONT SUSPENSION: CONTROL AND CASTER ARMS: BALL JOINTS. *TR

Mileage: 10,000

FRONT SUSPENSION: CONTROL AND CASTER ARMS: BALL JOINTS. *TR

Mileage: 10,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE LEFT SIDE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AND HAVE FAILED AGAIN ALONG WITH THE RIGHT SIDE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR HIS VIN AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A TOTAL FAILURE AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

Mileage: 3,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 PONTIAC G8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, HE NOTICED A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500 AND THE CURRENT WAS MILEAGE 4,800.

Mileage: 45,000

THE 2009 PONTIAC G8 HAS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT END. AT 16000KM THE BALL JOINTS WERE FALLING OUT ON MY PONTIAC G8. THIS COULD HAVE LEAD TO A CONTROL FAILURE OF THE CAR AND A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AS THE DEALER HAS STATED THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OTHER CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONSIDER THIS CAR TO BE UNSAFE, AND FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON IT. *TR

Mileage: 10,000