PontiacG32009Overview/pontiac/g3/2009/base/

2009 Pontiac G3

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 G3.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2009 Pontiac G3 is a passenger car powered by a small-displacement engine requiring 4.8 quarts of 5W-30 oil, paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission and achieving EPA fuel economy of 25 city/34 highway mpg. With 18 total owner complaints concentrated in the engine area and a single recall, this model year’s reliability record points to the engine as the primary area of concern, meaning that diligent maintenance and attention to that system are key to avoiding the most common issues reported by owners.

Model year2010200920082007

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque81 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy25/34/28 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 86 · 590 CCA battery, OE oil filter 55593191. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 86 · 590 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size185-60R14OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.0-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter55593191 alt 55594651
Engine air filter25199248
Spark plug25186682
Front wiper blades95980792 alt 95980789
Serpentine belt25195582 alt 25185133
Thermostat25189205 alt 55578419
Cabin air filter96962173

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length152.8 in
Overall width65.7 in
Overall height59.1 in
Wheelbase97.6 in
Curb weight2436 lb
Track (front / rear)57.1 / 55.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined25 / 34 / 28 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume91 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.8 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 81 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 6.6 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity2.2
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.8 qt
Manual Transmission FluidGM part number 89021806
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity3.8

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug6.6 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts81 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.125 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity6.80 oz
Standard BCI Group Number86
Standard BCI Cranking Performance590 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17-23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief16.5 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-215 °F
Engine Compression100
Engine Oil Pressure35 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle70 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.086 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.080 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.945 in / 0.787 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.945 in / 0.787 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
118.4 ft. lbs.18.4 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
545 degrees45 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 37,500 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 37,500 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 50,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · EVAP Purge Control Solenoid (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect)
Every 75,000 miFuel Filter (replace)
Every 100,000 miTiming Belt (replace)
At 150,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Federal data for the Pontiac G3 spans only 2008 and 2009, making 2009 the final year in this record and the clear high point for reported issues. While 2008 generated just one complaint and zero recalls, 2009 saw complaints surge to eighteen, accompanied by one recall and a notable increase in technical service bulletins from 671 to 822. The top complaint areas for 2009—engine and power train, with three reports each, plus two unspecified “unknown or other” entries—are listed without explanatory detail, so the data does not indicate root causes. With one crash complaint and zero fire complaints recorded, the federal profile reflects elevated owner reports but no federal investigations. Given the steep year-over-year rise in complaints and the elevated volume of manufacturer service bulletins, 2009 sits at the unfavorable end of this brief two-year arc. Consequently, a prospective buyer should view this as the riskier of the two recorded model years and likely not the strongest used-car choice within this limited dataset.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
822
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
18
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 18 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine3
Power Train3
Unknown Or Other2
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1
Service Brakes1
Electrical System,Service Brakes1
Power Train,Engine1
Electrical System,Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V460000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:FluidReported 29/07/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Aveo and 2009 Pontiac G3 vehicles. The vehicles may contain brake fluid which does not protect against corrosion of the valves inside the… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS module, free of charge, in any vehicle that did not have its module replaced under a previous customer satisfaction…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 822 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
135982025-09-09Unknown Or OtherNew Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M2025-08-06Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific G3. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 G3 take?

4.8 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 G3 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the G3 get?

EPA figures are 25 city / 34 highway / 28 combined mpg.