2006 Pontiac Gto problems & reliability
216 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Pontiac Gto. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2006 Pontiac Gto vehicles were involved in 9 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension → | 191 | 88% |
| Tires → | 19 | 9% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 3% |
| Power Train | 4 | 2% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 1% |
| Steering | 3 | 1% |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 0% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 2,750 miles (middle 50% between 851 and 21,500 miles), based on 142 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My 2006 pontiac cable shifter was inspected some time on november 2014! Problem is the cable shifter on may 1 2016! The cable shifter was out of position and my car woudn't start! If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would…”
Power Train · filed May 4, 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac gto. While parked, the vehicle failed to shift from the neutral position. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the clutch slave cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The…”
Power Train · filed Jul 13, 2015
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac gto. The contact stated that the clutch pedal became loose and the transmission failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 32,000.”
Power Train · filed Jan 6, 2015
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FRONT STRUT TO TIRE INTERFERENCE
Preliminary Evaluation PE07010 · opened Feb 16, 2007 · closed Aug 8, 2007
Technical service bulletins
620 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Pontiac Gto. The 10 most recent:
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 18, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 30, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 30, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 30, 2025
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to Submit a Field Product Report (FPR) (U.S. and Canada Dealers Only).
02-00-89-002X · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 9, 2024
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized…
PIT3271P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 6, 2024
Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to…
General Communication · Service Campaign · issued Aug 26, 2024
This service bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
01-06-01-011P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 5, 2024
This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.
18-NA-099 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2024
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and…
24-NA-098 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 6, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2006 Pontiac Gto in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Pontiac Gto?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 2,750 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.