There are 15 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2008 Pontiac Solsticein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
There is an issue with all Saturn Sky’s and Pontiac Solstice’s that cause the wiring harness for the A/C FAN to melt, or even ignite. This is the same harness that was used on 2006-2010 Hummer H3 vehicles manufactured February 5, 2005, to May 24, 2010, and 2009-2010 Hummer H3T vehicles manufactured May 21, 2008, to May 24, 2010. This recall was never extended to Pontiac or Saturn. - If the blower motor connector module overheats, it can increase the risk of a fire. I’ve seen several reports of other owners dealing with this melted harness, and even a recently reported fire.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING. THIS SPRING I TOOK MY CAR OUT OF STORAGE AND RECONNECTED THE BATTERY. I FIRST NOTICED THE REMOTE ENTRY FOBS NO LONGER WOULD LOCK OR UNLOCK THE DOORS. I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE TIRE PRESSURE INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE ON THE DASH ON 8/10/17, I TOOK MY SOLSTICE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER IN OMAK WA TO HAVE THEM TROUBLESHOOT THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM. A QUICK REVIEW BY A TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THE REMOTE ENTRY NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. AFTER PERSONAL RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE TO THIS YEAR AND SEVERAL OTHER MODELS. GM WROTE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, 08-03-16-001B ON JULY 31, 2008, ACKNOWLEDGING THE ISSUE OF BAD FIRMWARE BUT HID THE INFORMATION FROM THEIR CUSTOMERS REGARDING THIS KEY SAFETY SYSTEM. IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT GM DID KNOWINGLY AND WILLINGLY SELL ME A VEHICLE WITH KNOWN A FAULTY SAFETY SYSTEM AND NOW REFUSES TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. I AM ASKING THE GM BE HELD REASONABLE FOR THEIR DECEPTIVE PRACTICE AND PROVIDE ALL REPAIRS REQUIRED TO CORRECT THE FAULTY SAFETY SYSTEM. I AM ALSO ASKING THAT I BE REIMBURSED FOR ALL TIME AND EXPENSES INCURRED DUE TO GMS NEGLIGENCE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT DUE TO GMS DECEPTIVE PRACTICE OF HIDING KNOWN FAULTY SAFETY SYSTEMS FAULT SHOULD INCLUDE PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
AIRBAG SERVICE REQUIRED DTC. PROBLEM IS WITH THE PPS SYSTEM IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED FOR THESE CARS, AS WELL AS, OTHER GM PRODUCTS. THIS CONDITION EFFECTIVELY RENDERS THE AIRBAG PROTECTION OF THE PASSENGER SEAR INOPERATIVE EVEN IF THE SEAT IS OCCUPIED. GM IS AWARE THE PROBLEM AND THEIR DEALERS WANT APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN $800 AND $1,000 TO REPLACE THE FAILED SEAT COMPONENTS. THEY FAIL BECAUSE THE DESIGN IS FAULTY IN THAT THE SENSOR PAD SENSOR CONDUCTIVE PATHWAYS SUFFER BREAKAGE. THE FORUM BLOG FOR OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM IS AN EXCELLENT SOURCE, INCLUDING PICTURES OF THE COMPONENT FAILURE AND POOR DESIGN, THAT CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://WWW.SOLSTICEFORUM.COM/FORUM/F12/PASSENGER-AIRBAG-SENSOR-75353/ . *TR
GIRLFRIEND SAT IN PASSENGER SEAT AND A "SERVICE AIRBAG" LIGHT CAM ON MY INFO SCREEN. TURNED OFF AFTER A FEW SECONDS THEN TURNED BACK ON AND HAS BEEN ON SINCE. *TR
ON A TRIP 6/14/14 HALF WAY TO MY DESTINATION, THERE WAS A LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWING A CAR/LOCK SYMBOL. I CHECKED ALL DOORS, TRUNK AND HOOD, ALL WERE CLOSED. APPX. 10 MILES LATER I FELT THE POWER SUDDENLY STALL. THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER AND GAS GAGE WERE ALL GOING UP AND DOWN. THE FUEL LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED A WARNING SIGNAL. ALL SYSTEM LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON AND OFF. I PULLED OVER AND WAITED FOR A FEW MINUTES. IN ABOUT ONE MINUTE THE LOCK SYMBOL CAME ON AGAIN. AS I PROCEEDED THE SAME GAUGES STARTED TO GO CRAZY. ON APPROACHING MY TURNOFF, I EASED OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND STARTED TO APPLY BRAKES. ABOUT MID-BRAKE, THE BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCKED AND I WAS JOLTED. THE FOLLOWING 2 STOPS WERE A REPEAT. I DROVE HOME NEXT DAY AT ABOUT 35 MPH. A NORMAL TRIP OF 2 1/2 HOURS TOOK OVER 4 BUT I WAS AFRAID OF HAVING THE BRAKES LOCK ON ME. THE LOCAL GM DEALER WAS CONTACTED FOR RECALL. IT TOOK FROM MID-JUNE TO SEPT. 12 FOR THE PARTS TO COME IN AND BE INSTALLED. THE TRIP HOME WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT FOR THE KEY BEING VERY HARD TO TURN. ON 9/22 I HAD TO MAKE AN APPROX. 400 MILE TRIP. FEELING ASSURED THAT ALL PROBLEMS HAD BEEN FIXED, I DROVE THE NORMAL SPEED LIMIT. UPON REACHING MY FIRST DESTINATION THE BRAKE SEEMED TO STOP SHARPLY. BELIEVING THAT I WAS JUST OVERLY CONCERNED I CONTINUED TO MY 2ND DESTINATION. ABOUT 20 MILES LATER LOCK LIGHT TURNED ON FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY THE OTHER MONITORED SYSTEM LIGHTS FLASHING. THE BRAKES LOCKED AS SOON AS I APPLIED PRESSURE. I WAS UNABLE TO USE MY CELL OR ON-STAR. I WENT TO THE NEAREST GM DEALER IN PUEBLO. I HAD NO MONEY TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. I WAS TOLD BY THE SAME SERVICE AGENT THAT HAD CHANGED DEALERSHIPS THAT I WOULD BE SAFE AS LONG AS I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING "WILD". I MADE THE SAME 4 + HOUR TRIP. AS I REACHED MY HOME THE CAR WAS BREAKING BY ITSELF. REPLACING THE RECALLED PART DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. A RECALL ON THE RECALL? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE NOT TAKEN CARE OF IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS 14E021000 (AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT IGNITION SWITCHES), 14V047000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), AND 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIR, BUT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALERS AND MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE A SPECIFIC DATE AS TO WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), HOWEVER THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE TO DO THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY SINCE THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO DO REPAIRS FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER HAD SURPASSED THE REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE BOTH MANUFACTURER AND DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND DECLINED TO PROVIDE ESTIMATED TIME FRAME FOR WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
IGNITION REPAIR IS STILL PENDING PARTS 6 MONTHS AFTER RECALL IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR SAFETY ISSUE. DAY FOR DAY PENALTY SHOULD BE IMPOSED ON GM FOR UNACCEPTABLE DELAY IS COMPLETING RECALL REPAIR. *TR
2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION SWITCH , AIR BAG AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE RADIO WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF BY ITSELF. THE DEALER CLEARED THE COMPUTER FOR THE ENGINE LIGHT, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. *JB
2008 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR IGNITION SWITCH REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. *JB
"SERVICE AIRBAG" MESSAGE ON DASH. PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT "OFF" EVEN WHEN THERE IS A PERSON SITTING ON PASSENGER SIDE SEAT. DEALER PERFORMED SCAN TEST. FOUND CODES B0081-71 IN THE SIR. FOUND CODE 1063 IN PP MODULE. DEALER TOLD ME THERE WAS NEED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER PRESENT MODULE. PART # 19124219, MODULE KI 11.419. COST = $607.73 PLUS LABOR OF $138.28. MILLAGE WHEN REPLACED, 60,500. DATE OF REPAIR SERVICE, 1/25/2013. WHAT IS MOST CONCERNING IS: 1.) DOZENS OF SUCH OCCURRENCES OF SAME NATURE FOR THE PONTIAC SOLSTICE HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA YEAR AFTER YEAR AND STILL NO RECALL. 2.) HOW MANY CARS HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COST OF THE PART AND OWNERS ARE DRIVING AROUND WITHOUT AN OPERABLE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG? THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED FAILURE. IT IS ALSO RELATED TO A PART THAT SHOULD NEVER FAIL. THE PART FAILURE AND COST HAS REINFORCED MY LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE GM BRAND. UNLESS I AM EVENTUALLY REIMBURSED, I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE. THE ABSENCE OF A RECALL BRINGS INTO QUESTION THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REGULATORY MISSION OF THE NHTSA. IF THIS DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR A RECALL, WHAT DOES?
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG STATUS INDICATOR LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON WHEN A PERSON SIT IN PASSENGER SEAT. THE AIRBAG READINESS LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER IS ON THE TIME AND THE SERVICE AIR BAG DISPLAY ON THE DIC. THE PROBLEM HAS TO BE IN PASSENGER SEAT SYSTEM AS IT IS SEPARATE FROM THE DRIVER SEAT. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS THIS ELECTRICAL AND MODULES WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT COULD RESULT A DEATH IN A CRASH. A LOT OF DRIVERS HAVE HAD COMPLAINTS ON THIS AIRBAG HAZARD ON ALL 06 THRU 10 PONTIAC SOLSTICE NOTED IN THE SOLSTICE FORUM. PLEASE REVIEW THE COMPLAINS DECLARE IT RECALL. THANK YOU *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026