11 Common Problems With The Pontiac GTO (2004-2006) • Cars Simplified

[@ExtraSimplified]

Each video chapter is noted in the description, and some of them have an affiliate link to the related part. Check out that gear oil link, though! So many reviews mentioning the GTO!

[@jeremyarmand5631]

Do you happen to know which brake light wire to put the 6ohm resistor into. I ran into the same problem with traction light and couldn't figure it out. Do I install the resistor on power or ground side?

[@67judge]

I’ve had ownership of my 2006 GTO for 15 years and every problem you mentioned I resolved it. One ☝️ thing you forgot to mention are the Door 🚪 lock actuators on one or both sides go bad. At least they both were replaced once so far. For the rear gear oil Torco plus their additive will cure the gear noise for me. Improved racing Oil pan baffle will stop 🛑 oil starvations in drag racing and drifting. Oh Saftey Alert 🚨!!! Change that Factory fuel line in the engine bay to Earl’s or Russel’s. The OEM one is a Fire 🔥 hazard. P.S. lf the car 🚗 is left more than 2 or more weeks without starting you may have to Jump it. Darn Battery 🔋 drain.

[@CarsSimplified]

Ah yes, I forgot the fuel line. I think that was one of the few things done to mine when I got it. I also don't drive around with the engine covers on, and I've heard the engine cover is what cuts through the stock line. I should probably check again just to be sure, though!

[@anthonysantoyo2038]

Now I’m for sure going to buy one thank you

[@RJ-ie8eu]

How did you fix the oil starvation issue?

[@daggern15]

If you're commonly not running the car for 2-3 weeks at a time, I recommend an isolator switch (the screw-down kind that goes on the battery terminal, not the key type ones. They're cheaper and easier to install than the key ones). You'll have to set your clock every time you drive the car if you use that but it saves having to get a jumper pack out every time.

[@mikeprice8307]

What about airbag fault?

[@Vsilvers99]

297k still going strong

[@heatherroquemore3356]

You drive it hard?

[@popsncracks9108]

With $40k maintenance bill

[@Vsilvers99]

@@heatherroquemore3356 very. Now the motor is in a 72 C10 still being driven very hard with heads and a cam

[@Vsilvers99]

@@popsncracks9108 nope

[@RBNelson]

That’s what I like to hear

[@permabulk1454]

My 04’ is the most reliable v8 car I could ever fathom. I’ve had some reliability issues in terms of easy stuff. But this car overall is super reliable. Only things I’ve dealt with in this vid (bought an 04m6 in 16’ with 6k miles currently in 2023, 7 years later at 75k miles) are the fuel door popper, sagging rear springs and the loud fuel injectors. Not the lifters at all I change my oil every 3-5k miles w/ 5w30 full synth. No problems.

[@TheDubu8]

My problem with the my gto is that once I fix something it's like "O hey since you are fixing that here's this I wanted to talk you about" cars am I right?

[@BA-AA-ADGTO]

SO TRUE!!!!! 😜🤷‍♂️😜

[@patriotguy3168]

You got that right.

[@GTOHawg]

Ok. I have owned my 04 since Dec 2004. 2nd motor..3rd transmission..driveshaft .3 set of gears..radiators,, brakes(a lot) tires and many a many smiles.

[@prodalexsaibot6402]

Smiles per gallon :)

[@ontherunjg]

My problems in 14 years. 2006 bought new. 4 batteries Cracked radiator Replaced electrical window mechanism twice Head gasket leak Water cooler AC compressor and condenser. Expensive Lots of small things.

[@francistaylor1822]

I had one for 8, battery died was only problem I ever had. I have my second now battery died straight away lol

[@killerofkingz8536]

Even with all the problems that are annoying fixes you still get the bang for your buck scenario i’m looking at an 06 LS2 6 speed and even though it doesn’t have any of these problems yet I would start looking at replacing these just to get one step ahead so you would have a true reliable bad ass car and great job on the video this is the only video I found so far that actually identifies the common problems with the GTO

[@chrismarek7864]

Another issue I noticed a lot of GTOs have is the stitching coming apart on the seats.

[@StashingClips]

the stitching wasnt UV rated, the sun ruins the threads!

[@davidgardiner4620]

@yack2095 an upholstery place restitched my seats with UV resistant threads but they still deteriorated again over time

[@sarka555]

Thank you for making this video, man. I bought an 06 GTO about a year ago around June 2020 that I have as a daily. This video will help a lot.

[@Joe-qj5dm]

How many miles how much did you pay I'm going to buy one and I'm struggling and I don't know what to do what did you do

[@sarka555]

@@Joe-qj5dm Mine is the Brazen Orange color GTO you see in the profile picture, it was in great condition when I bought it, a big reason why I paid 14,000 but the guy wanted 15,000 for it. I probably could've gotten 13 or a little less. But it was well taken care of, and the people were really nice, great people. It was garage kept and babied. 140,000 is a lot of miles but a well maintained LS2 can reach 200,000 - 250,000 miles. I drove 8 hours to Houston to buy it.

[@SwarmiNCAA]

​@@sarka555 nice im looking at one rn none under 23k

[@StelioKontos42069]

@@SwarmiNCAA yup bought mine with 78k for 22k

[@vortexgen1]

I fixed the wire harness behind the glovebox before I had any problems, when joined the GTO forums and found out about it a long time ago. The people in the different forums on line, have a lot of very useful knowledge and are a very good resource.

[@justanobserver530]

Back seats thread's stretch. I think every GTO I've seen, including mine that I purchased new, has the rear seats showing the padding

[@mackenzielenz8229]

A few more common issues: Leather stitching comes apart due to UV exposure. Interior metal laminated pieces start to bubble Door window comes loose from window track (window can actually hit the door latch cable and open the door -- dangerous!) Carrier bearing failure -- car has two piece driveshaft and requires carrier bearing. And, I personally got hit with a bad ECM last month (P0601 code) - - ECM replacement in progress...

[@davidgardiner4620]

Good luck, replacing mine was a nightmare

[@rickdonaldson8999]

Don't know if anyone is still having the battery drain issue but something you can look into for it is the bcm sleep timer. Somehow someway they end up maxed out on the sleep timer which keeps the BCM on for a long time draining the battery. You can use a GM Tech2 and shorten the sleep timer to get the BCM to turn off sooner.

[@StelioKontos42069]

you are my hero if this works

[@m85sims]

What is a GM tech2 and where do you get one at?

[@rickdonaldson8999]

@@m85sims its the GM scan tool used at the dealerships

[@msterz8246]

Has anyone had Dealer or person with a Tech 2 adjust the BCM timer? and had it work?

[@chadeverhart2451]

I bought mine new in 2006, not sure if it was mentioned in the comments, but after my 2nd radiator tank splitting, I replaced it with a Mishimoto all aluminum radiator and problem solved. With only 57k, I would have never guessed replacing the radiator twice.

[@jiggy7928]

When I had my 06 GTO, I had to replace the struts and springs from Lovells. Make a huge difference in the ride quality. Great video!

[@CarsSimplified]

Thanks! I've heard Lovell's and Pedders are the two big names for better shocks and springs on these cars.

[@RowdyCM]

WhiteLine is good too

[@morimech7976]

Drove my '05 GTO brand new off the lot and the only problem you mentioned that I have had is the trunk not unlocking. The one major issue I have had with mine is the driveshaft. The hangar bearings rip apart and then you have vibration and clunking noises. Also have the seat stitching problem.

[@darrengaither3428]

For the Fuel tank latch there is a manual lever in the back seat at the head rest just FYI on that, the issue with the Drain is the security system. this car doesn't have a FAB,. the Key has to make connection to the ignition to send the start single to the computer. the security features on this car is the major issue. If you want to test to see if anything else could be the issue , get a test light and disconnect the ground from the battery, connect the test light between the post and ground cable, start pulling fuses and when the light turns off you found the issue.

[@396375a]

For such a short video, a lot of information delivered so coherently too. I've always been a SBC/BBC guy, and just recently I was made aware how (some) MOPAR cars back in the 60's/70's had the oil sump in the front causing oil starvation issues like this GTO. Good video, well done!!!

[@QkSilver04GTO]

Owned mine since December 2004... did the radius rod bushings and most of the rear suspension. No issues with the BCM wiring but wrapped it with rubber hose and zip tied it. Replaced the rubber fuel line with a Russell's stainless line. Headliner is starting to sag, will replace it this coming summer. Mine only has 9941 miles on it and I love it. Plenty of mods done and more to come...

[@crazeguy26]

that's nothing for me my Honda is clocking at least 7500mile a month. timing belts every 9 months for a baby convince and born a timing belt lives is hard life.

[@TreyHerrera]

The radius rod bushings cause wheel shake under hard braking just FYI

[@JustinAnville]

This is a MUST HAVE upgrade. Reduced my wheel shake to nothing.

[@pedroskates]

I was wondering why that was happening. So i shouldnt replace my rotors?

[@daniel5590000]

I’ve changed my radius rod bushing went polyurethane but I still have a shake when I brake at higher speeds I feel it when I’m coming off the freeway and coming to a stop any ideas ? Thanks 2005 gto m6

[@marlonbl3u71]

Agree 100% on the ECU,battery, transmission and also fuel pump problems. Now my steering is wobbling 😫, never stops, still love my 06 🐐

[@justmorg1920]

My steering wheel is wobbly too at 60 mph lol. And it’s a bit crooked. I need a steering wheel alignment and possibly a wheel alignment. I have a new used diff with 30k on it. And I also need new bushings I’m sure. But she’s a beauty and she’s on her way up now.

[@BenTheAVGNFan]

Please make a vid on the wiring harness behind glovebox! I'm having electrical issues... love your content btw!!

[@mikeshay2240]

On my 2006 the heater/ac blower motor won't turn off.

[@CarsSimplified]

Thanks! I made that video about the wiring harness behind the glove box a while ago, but forgot to come back here and tell folks that were asking for it.

[@racecarfabricationrestoration]

Hello - I just found your channel and I want to watch your video on the wiring harness situation behind the glove box. Can you share the link to that video. Thank you. (My channel is race car fabrication & restoration

[@dbdan61]

Had my 04 for two years and is my daily (180k miles). The gas door got stuck and had to open through trunk and removed carpeting. Looking forward to more GTO content when you have more time! 🙂 Thanks for all your videos!

[@CarsSimplified]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to making more! I have two small projects I want to do when it's not too cold, but I may talk myself into doing one in the cold anyway.

[@661_lsxgto9]

Next time that happen just stick a id or card in between it while someone pushes the button to open it

[@Ben-wk8zf]

How many miles did it have when you bought the car ?

[@MrUltraworld]

I went through every issue you mentioned. I bought my 05 Quicksilver new, it has just 44k miles on it now. You can eat off the engine. I recently went through the car and replaced just about anything that could wear out. I had to do a clutch because it sits in storage so much. I did the flywheel and rear main seal too. Then I did belts, hoses, flushed the coolant system, changed the plugs and wires. Changed the trans and diff fluids too. Did all new struts, shocks, and springs. Anything it needs, it gets.

[@YoungManDub]

Plugs and wires? The LS2 has coil packs..

[@MrUltraworld]

It has wires that go from the coil packs to the plugs, they get fried on the headers@@YoungManDub

[@richmcdowell]

Replaced my 04s radius rod and strut mounts with polyurethane bushings from whiteline. I also replaced the strut to knuckle bolts with bolts from a parts store as I've read the factory bolts are one time use only. I wrapped my bcm wires in rubber hose as my signals popped fuses when I bought mine back in 08. Over 175k and 13 years still loving mine.

[@CarsSimplified]

Sounds like some good upgrades! Were those the camber adjusting bolts by any chance? I have those on mine, trying to nudge my wheels out just a bit to eliminate the slightest bit of tire rub on the front struts.

[@richmcdowell]

@@CarsSimplified not the outer bolts. The bolts that hold the struts to the spindles. I can't remember what grade they are, however.

[@ExtinctLS1GTO]

I've had my 04 GTO now for 6 years and I haven't had any issues with the BCM yet..but I'm going to do something once I have the car back home (she's getting a 408 with LS3 top end) since I work in the 12 Volt industry now..also I have done all Polyurethane on everything suspension related and it is a massive improvement for anyone considering! A few other things that wasn't mentioned is the door lock actuators, mine act very strange and I need to replace them..also the carrier bearing on the factory driveshaft can be a problem as well..honestly there's a few little quirks with these cars but overall I think they're an incredible car to own!

[@abeclarkatp2595]

Thanks for publishing this. If your current draw is bad enough to say, completely drain a battery in 2 days or less, it is not the BCM, or alarm, or any of the normal parasitic drain stuff. It is most likely the diodes in the alternator have gone bad, allowing current to backflow to while the car is not running. The trunk is a cheap and easy fix, change the lift struts. The radius rod bushings are bad in every, single GTO that has been on the road. They are a safety item that affects nearly every aspect of how the car drives and if they haven't been replaced already they should be the first thing a new GTO owner fixes. I've not heard the fuel door being a common issue.

[@CarsSimplified]

Ah, I remember reading some threads about battery drain mentioning the alternator, but I probably figured it was the basic "if the alternator is bad it won't charge the battery" stuff and skipped that reply before it explained that part about the diode. Makes sense! I wonder if I could replace the doide(s) in one of these alternators with some solder work instead of replacing the whole thing. I have some that are probably not a direct fit, but worth a try I would assume!

[@abeclarkatp2595]

@@CarsSimplified Replacing diodes one's self is definitely old school cool. If you do end up replacing the alternator I've read where others have replaced theirs with one from a Caprice PPV as a direct fit upgrade.

[@CarsSimplified]

Ooh, good to know! I think that same engine has a pulley unit upgrade of some sort, too? One of the tensioners is on it if I'm recalling it correctly.

[@methodical1234]

Some of these issues apply to the LS2. The LS1s for example I've never heard of having an oil starvation issue.

[@rick4fun2003]

good info--i am currently looking for a GTO (2005-2006) good to know this problems ahead of time!!

[@CarsSimplified]

Thanks! Feel free to ask any questions. There were some good additional issues pointed out by others in the comments as well!

[@ebank12]

Good luck on that journey I also am in the market for one badly are u looking to get manual or auto transmission?

[@drakebrungardt4260]

Great videos buddy! Love all your videos. So happy gm/Pontiac gave it one last run that gave us a car we all enjoy so much.

[@EddieEscobar-i5x]

I have an ‘04. I had major electrical issues. Codes would go off for abs, TC, fuel gauge would drop to empty and the AC would quit working. It wasn’t the harness behind the glove box, it ended up being a faulty ABS control module. Once replaced, it fixed all of those issues. Other than that, it has been an amazing car. It is now procharged, with borla exhaust, etc. Super fun and reliable car. I drive it daily!

[@crowsbridge]

Man, all these comments, I'm not sure I want one anymore. Been driving my Grand Am GT since 04 and haven't had any problems at all.

[@T.R.R.Jolkien]

Keep it. GTO has too many problems

[@michaelbratton68]

I have an '05 LS2 6-speed, original owner. At 135K miles now. I've been through 3 sets of front strut mounts and need another set...front end clunking sound. I have heard about the wiring harness behind the glove box issue. I need to check that too...my horn will randomly blow by itself while sitting in traffic or hitting a bump. Another item I have replaced multiple times is my driver's side visor. It breaks internally and will not stay up. I have purchased 3 new ones on Ebay over the course of ownership. I think the cam inside the visor is plastic and breaks from frequently putting it down and up. Rubber exhaust hanger at the rear split causing tips to hang down and I was unable to find replacements, so I put treaded hose clamps around the rubber and reinstalled...problem solved. Other than these things, it's been a pretty good car. It even survived me hitting a 12 foot alligator on I-49 south of Alexandria, LA at 2:30 in the morning coming back from a Whitesnake concert! Body shop and insurance company had fun with that one!

[@leifurhilmarson3154]

I am daily driving my 04 completely stock 104k miles atm. I have owned it since about 65k miles and had 0 issues. Car is fun drive and okay mileage but I can't bring myself to put any money into it since it'd be cheaper to buy one already fixed up.

[@CarsSimplified]

I miss daily driving mine, especially the commute I had in Florida. Definitely a fun car. Have you checked to see if your strut mounts are collapsed? I didn't even know mine had a problem until I noticed the discs at the top of the strut towers were pretty high. (You'll see a gap and it will drop into place where it's supposed to be once you get the wheel off the ground with a floor jack or lift.)

[@JB54379]

Give it some years and your GTO might be worth more than you think. These seem to be more sought after as the years go by.

[@Biowolf626]

Put the Aussie badges on it, that would throw people off

[@JB54379]

@@Biowolf626 Do you know of a place that sells the entire Aussie badges for the 2004 GTO?

[@ontherunjg]

In 14 years I have had my 2006 only 2 of the problems have showed themselves. On my 4th battery with only 68K miles and the electrical problem behind glove compartment. That happened really early on like in year one. Was covered by warranty.

[@terrymiller9788]

I only have three of these problems with my 04 which is the headliner gas door and rear Springs. The gas door I just push the button several times before getting out and it's always open that way

[@baileystephenson7906]

My weirdest problem on my 04 is that sometimes my traction control randomly turns off and won’t come back on unless I restart the car. I have already checked the wiring harness

[@rolltheclip4463]

Same here

[@StelioKontos42069]

ive noticed this problem under two different circumstances, whenever the car sits for a couple days and the battery drain happens, prolly not enough juice to start the car and traction control i guess. the second circumstance which ive only had happen 25% of the time is when i go into the secret menu on first startup.

[@JB54379]

The battery drain is the worst for me. I hate it and feel I am constantly jump starting my GTO if I don't drive it daily. If I do not start the car, at least, once a week, the battery is dead and I have to jump it or trickle charge. It's much worse in the winter when the temps get below freezing. The battery is dead if not started every 3-4 days.

[@StelioKontos42069]

disconnect the negative

[@patriotguy3168]

Good video, I’ve replaced all that shit already. I also recommend replacing the driveshaft bearing if you don’t want a 1 piece drive shaft. Mine was completely destroyed when I replaced it with a one piece.

[@str8channel]

So was mine... totally destroyed

[@marquisquintana5304]

I’m having The same issue right now I went to replace The transmission output shaft seal because it began to leak And when I took it to the shop they showed me that The drive shaft bearing is completely destroyed But I have no symptoms of shaking or anything in the car so I think I’m gonna continue to drive it until I experience symptoms and then eventually switch to a one piece

[@MrAndersonAFK]

Might have been mentioned already but you forgot the ignition locking up lol happened to me once and took hours of lithium spray and other crap to finally break it loose, hasn't happened since but some people take it apart and use a Dremel on one area of it to prevent it from locking

[@hgvr494]

Replace oil pan oem baffle with aftermarket one that holds oil upfront under hard acceleration.

[@Superstuffed]

04 here. 1) I have an issue with my windows not rolling down right away, i have to hold them for 5 secs and then they'll go down. 2)And don't forget the shift knob rattle. 3)The trunk not opening really gets me. Especially when I have to open it manually from the inside (multiple pulls) 4) e-brake might not hold at times so I really have to yank that bad boy up! 5) Might have to do with my after market clutch but when it get's hot it starts to act up. It gets sensitive but I just pump it a couple times and it's good. 6) Dead battery all the time 7) Sometimes door doesn't open so I have to manually open it. And of course that makes the alarm go off.

[@Chunknannigans]

I have an 05 and my dash randomly turns off with a flashing traction control and abs message. Checked the wiring under the glove box and it's all fine and I even wrapped it in rubber to not rub or cut the harness. Just randomly happens lol

[@michaelhagerty3822]

This is always a great video to go back on to make sure I get everything checked out on my 2006 with 50k miles. Not sure if anyone mentioned but I had minor issue with the rear brakes. A whooshing and squeak that would come and go for no reason. I cleaned, Changed rotors and pads and calipers. The noises would come back after a few days or weeks. Check your emergency brake or parking brake set up. There are a set of Ebrake pads. They look like horse shoes. If they becomes worn down or warped and driven on for too long will cause this. Probably cause by the rear wheel shift you stated in your video. They are pretty simple to replace and aren't terribly expensive either. Might save someone with the same issues some money going through the entire brake system to find it. Thank you again for the help.

[@jb6574]

The suede on the door panels will sometimes bubble up or begin to peel away from the door panels. The plastic on the steering wheel also starts to wrinkle. Dash gremlins. Out of no where the gas gauge will go to zero or the Speedo will go erratic. The paint on the door handles will begin to chip off.

[@prestige_123]

On my 04 I definitely have the rear spring sag! I've had ppl ask me if the car has been lowered, now it's to the point where it scrapes going over the slightest bump in the road 😅

[@F.U.andS.T.F.U]

I've got a friend who owns one . He didn't drive it very often so his battery was always dead. He was told that it was his anti-theft was draining it.

[@JB54379]

Might be. Something definitely drains the battery fairly quickly in these cars if they are not daily driven.

[@charlieperez8356]

Mines been parked in the garage for about 4 months cuz of the battery lol

[@JonnyAbs-0]

yeah my batteries have always lasted only 2-3 years

[@BA-AA-ADGTO]

@@charlieperez8356 Your not alone man! I recommend doing a quick connect battery tender when it’s being driven but not in use

[@MC-bh8ph]

Thanks for all the tips. Ive had one for about 2 years now, first thing i did is check and reinforce the wiring harness. It was fine, yet I still have electrical problems. The fog light indicator in the dash stays on even when the car is off, and if the car is running the head lights will be on even if the switch is in the off position

[@geniuscommentalert9376]

Thank you very muck sir. Finally found a real review and not pretty pictures with dub step music.

[@Borrowed-Time]

Yes, I have an 06 Gto and I had to take the radio fuses out because it constantly drain the battery and the radio would not turn off

[@trollerguy]

Tumbler in ignition key lock goes bad where the key will not rotate to turn ignition on. Finally had to go with a better one custom made for the fix no more problem. Four ignition locks went bad stranding me before I got this good one. But I do have battery drain issues. If i let my GTO sit more than 4 days without starting it battery will run down. As long as I use it during that time my battery stays up.

[@RBNelson]

Where did you get it

[@ls2goat406]

I’m on my second gto, went from an auto 5.7 to a 6 speed 6.0. I couldn’t be happier even though mine has problems here and there I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

[@twizzy4856]

How was the 5.7 it’s one Not too far from me that has 130k miles on it should I get it?

[@Towerr72]

No mention of the paint issues that seemed to plague a bunch of cars through the model years? I had an 04 Yellowjacket that developed a bad case of clearcoat peel. When I had the car I was a frequent visitor of the LS1GTO forums and it seems like it hit a whole bunch of cars.

[@ThePhoenixw68]

The fuel door is such a pita. Ive gone through 2 new ones that worked originally. Current one wont lock and pop. The oem rubber fuel line is sus and causes fires. Replaced mine with a braided line. The Blaupunkt system is def the problem. Ive left my 06 without trickle charging for 2 weeks and it started right up with a touchscreen pioneer i put in.

[@WAFFLEooFILMS]

My rear differential, master cylinder, and starter all went out at the same time 😭 I wish I had a garage to work in so I could slowly work on my 2004 GTO over time. Now it's been just sitting for about a year. Best car I've ever driven. I feel when the wheels come loose, when to step on the throttle and hit them gears like I'm casually chewing gum lol. People still offer me a lot of money for it bit I plan on keeping it forever ☺

[@sSkillaz336]

Key cylinder seizing up to the point where you can't turn the key to start the engine

[@scotthellmann8109]

I have a 06 spice red metallic 6-speed manual with 26,000 miles on it. Owned it for about 7 years and bought it with under 15, 000 miles mi on it. The only problem I have had is keeping traction and that is not a joke. B&m short throw shifter, stage 2 center force clutch, Cooks headers and Cooks mid pipe, Corsa sport Cat-Back exhaust, fast lsxr 102 intake manifold and Vararam intake. The car made 392 wheel horsepower to the wheels on a mustang Dyno which runs low

[@StelioKontos42069]

couldve been at 400whp and some change with an msd intake and a duspeed otrcai

[@RBNelson]

Looking at 06 one today 15K odometer- this utube is helpful

[@chiefjoe528]

Great job! Now I’m rethinking if I want to purchase one.

[@jhonsmith2150]

I'd still get one! These issues r not tht bad, an we fix these problems n our driveway! ,👏👌😎

[@brcollinscollins9141]

Not seeing to many of them on the road anymore, that's usually and indiction that eaithe owners are putting them up or weekend driver or the car is in the junkyard..damaged unibody. They manufactured 42,000 altogther before Ponitiac went out of business.....When they first came out in 04 they had a hevfty price sticker of $37K plus the $3K gas guzzler tax...told the dealer, you eat the gas gluzzer tax and I will take it off your hands.... A dealer in Houston,Texas - Tommy Vaughn Ford to me that I was at the wrong dealership looking for an investment car..Wanted to purchase the 04 Mustang Cobra GT...didn't care for the mistichrome paint job...don't want a chick magnet...be married over 30 year....He closed the car up and asked me what I was looking for, told him an investment car....he told me, your at the wrong place......They will make hundreds of thousands 04 Cobra mustang 4.6 litre but if you will go down to Erne Guzman pontiac GMC and look at the new GTO (2004) that will be an investment car...the word is out that they make a little over 40 thousand of them and then Pontiac is going ***bye bye*** due to piss poor management problems and lack of sales...That will be an investment car...

[@theortegafamily3398]

Why didn’t you mention the fuel line that rubs on the engine cover the 2 Piece drive shaft . The slave cylinder the stock clutch the rip on the shoulder of the seat the ect.... lol thanks for the videos very helpful the cable that snaps in the trunk lid actuator of wait you said that the weather seals the front window cracking .... never ends but I love my GTO...

[@MrDerekRobinson]

Well the slave and clutch is an issue the varies with the drivers skill with this particular car. It's not the most efficient setup and most people try to speed shift it causing significant wear on top of users who shift improper, and of course the clutch gets worse from there. To be honest, GTOs get dogged so it's not necessarily the design, but people don't consider the abuse they've put these cars through and that the design what meant for such abuse, and many other manual cars go through aftermarket modification for the same reasons, like short throws to get around the long shift reach. Lol

[@AKDevilman]

I have the window crack. Thats from the torque of the engine, I'm on windshield number 3 now(owned my goat for 4 years now)....I change my clutch oil every spring with an old turkey baster. ...oh and a new slave and master when I put the LS7 clutch in it....love my GTO and it's quirks. TBH though, if I saw this video before I had decided to buy mine I probably would not have. I flew to Los Angeles from Alaska to pick up mine. Drove it back 3k miles across canada....was an absolute blast. Found out how fast she will really go....HAHA 🤣🤣🤣

[@Since_84]

I've owned my 2006 GTO for 15-16 years and I've only had the transmission rebuilt, and just recently had the suspension rebuilt...lower control arms, shocks, struts/mounts, sway bar end links, etc. It has 70k miles.

[@CarsSimplified]

Pretty reliable! Did you go with original equipment for the suspension rebuild or did it get some performance parts?

[@Jonnymg4]

A tranny rebuild in 70k miles is low, not really reliable, did you drive it hard?

[@802Garage]

But Stephen, I thought the LS was perfect and infallible? Hahaha. The oil starvation issues are true across the board for LS based engines, minus dry sump, depending on your use case and maintenance of course. Oiling mods are a must do mods for drift cars as well! Awesome overview video.

[@CarsSimplified]

Oh, that's right, I take it back. =P I've heard that some people just add a full quart after the top of the fill line on the dip stick is reached. Seems like that could cause overfill issues, but I haven't seen anyone say it's a problem on the GTO. Thanks!

[@JB54379]

I think the oil starvation is mainly with the LS2. It is a major flaw with that engine, which is why GM did not keep it around long IMO. The LS1 is proven, over years, and does not seem to have any oil issues.

[@802Garage]

@@JB54379 I mean more so for LS derived engines such as the truck engines anyways. Check out Taylor Ray's video on keeping LS engines alive for more info. I think it's called 5 mods to keep your LS alive or something. Granted drifting is different than daily use, but room for improvement is still there.

[@4.6_Nate]

I've heard you can solve battery drain *on manual cars* by leaving them in reverse when off, similar to the C6 corvette, something about the circuit shutting off in the reverse gear. Dunno how to solve it on auto cars though.

[@StelioKontos42069]

you're cappin for real?

[@4.6_Nate]

@@StelioKontos42069 that's what I've been told, and I see a lot of guys do it on their GTO manuals

[@StelioKontos42069]

@@4.6_Nate good looking out i'll try it next time i drive it. have you tried it or do you not suffer from battery drain?

[@4.6_Nate]

@Stelios Kontos I have tried it and it seems to work, however I also drive my car on a daily basis, so it doesn't usually drain anyways

[@ISawSomethingOnTheInternet]

My ‘04 has electrical issues, checked the firewall wire running by the ECU, no issue - did preventative maintenance to prevent rubbing. My dash cluster/gauges, including the backlighting don’t get power most of the times, sometimes they operate properly, other times no power and I have to drive the car without working gauges. I know upon startup if they are working or not. Sometimes they fail or work while driving, but that’s infrequent. I think this is also related to my accelerated battery drain that drains a new battery in a couple days if I don’t disconnect it. I likely have a short somewhere, but am not an electrician by any stretch and need to have it looked at by a pro. I also heard of people having to replace their battery cables because they corrode from the inside out, so you can’t see the issue until it is too late. Some people down here in my South FL GTO group have done a trunk relocation of the battery while replacing the wires, but I don’t think I want to deal with that risk or reduction in the tiny trunk space.

[@CarsSimplified]

I've heard about the '04s having gauge cluster issues that were supposedly mostly fixed early in the life of the car under warranty, but some of them started out fine and gradually stopped working well out of the warranty period. My GTO was bought in Florida (near Tampa) and while the battery was in the stock location, there was a single 0 guage wire leading through the body from the stock battery area to the trunk, like the previous owner gave up on the conversion. I pulled it out but I will likely relocate the battery if I do anything big under the hood. Lots of potential added room and it also allows for bigger battery sizes to be installed! Definitely not much space back there, though, especially with trunk-mounted fuel tanks.

[@dbdan61]

The cluster issue happened to me twice recently. After totally powered off (lights, engine, windows) on the road one day I found out the battery connectors were terribly corroded and the battery was sliding under braking and hard turning. I went to auto part store replaced connectors and installed a battery tie down. No issues since.

[@baby-sharkgto4902]

@@CarsSimplified I feel like the battery leads going to the trunk were most likely because the previous owner had an amp and speaker cabinet in the trunk

[@craigbuda9957]

Definitely battery drain. Power trunk latch failed. Took months for the part to come from Austrailia. Ignition cylinder locked up on my wife, Got it home with a flat blade screwdriver and hammer fix found on LS1 GTO. I replaced the ignition cylinder myself, not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. The gauges went ape shit on me once but it hasn't happened since. Its an 04, approaching 28,000 miles. It sits most of the winter months here in NC.

[@colemanhancock7859]

I’ve had my window wiper switch go out on my goat. Nothing beats not seeing in the rain 🙃 I must say though, there’s more problems than meets the eye to the differential. That whine noise that you were describing was happening since the car was at 0 miles. 60k miles later popping, grinding when ever I’d take a sharp slow turn. Went to a junk yard and bought a whole new rear end no issues since. Other than the occasional popping coming to a stop. Your video was very helpful though. I would have never guessed the radius rod bushings would be an issue. Better off to replace them now while they’re actively cracking! Another thing to add for GTO owners is to check the stabilizer bars that ride parallel to the front struts. The OEM ones are super skinny and will bend.

[@paullancaster6829]

Can’t forget about the driver’s sun visor breaking, fuel line rubbing on the engine cover and the ECU failing.

[@anthony91688]

That damn driver side visor I thought it was random in these cars, but I guess it’s more common than I thought.

[@fedupgamer9075]

Definitely replace that fuel line with a steel braided one. I was scared to drive mine until I got it changed out.

[@wickedcaitsith]

The center display in the gauge cluster is dead in mine, so I have no idea how many miles are on the car. Plus, I just really hate the 1st to 4th gear lockout. I feel like that's unsafe because if I'm watching the road and not the gauge cluster I won't notice that it's active and I end up almost stopping dead in traffic because I can't go to second gear.

[@Rayvisin]

Chevy mileage is stored in the ecu

[@Ricarmania465]

I own a 05 gto. Lately I having electrical problems ones the car gets warm and I turned off I doesn’t wanna start again and the battery die after trying a few times plus my battery drain over night Hopefully I can find the issue behind the glove compartment

[@geovannimonge8397]

A remeadie i found to keep the noisy lifters quiet. I used mobile 1 10w30 instead of the recommended application. And a quart of supplement motor oil. Seems to perform great than before.

[@Alexrust94]

My '05 has a solid driveshaft and 4.11 gears. Any speed above 80 and the whole thing vibrates like an earthquake. Had the driveshaft balanced and rear diff rebuilt and it still vibrates like crazy!

[@liammorley6727]

Try balancing the wheels? Maybe your driveshaft is completely shot. Usually one of those two is the issue

[@06GOAT56943]

How about peeling door handles, ignition barrels, bubbling of the steering wheel spoke covers, stitching on the rear corner of seats coming undone. You could make a list a mile long for these cars.

[@carlwylie5196]

I've been to at least 5 different shops. I have a $2000 bill. And I still can't get the check engine light fixed

[@IIGrayfoxII]

Fuel door unlocker is a standard failure point on holden commodores since the mid 90s Seriously, Holden/GM has known about this issue for ages and never fixed it.

[@krackablack169]

I had my fuel pump go out and the dealer told me to try and not have the fuel gauge go below 1/4 tank because of the way the pump is set up. They said it will eventually suck up air and burn the pump out.

[@jakeburr9363]

Intake manifold bolts come lose making a knock sound. Happens due to motor vibration. Seen it many times people think a bad rod in the end just a few bolts need tighten

[@brcollinscollins9141]

I own a 2005 "yellow'" jacket pontiac GTO (26,265 original miles on it ) and was told by the dealer that the steel trap that the used to anchor the car to the ship not only cause the sag in the rear end but also caused the car to lean a little bit on the drivers side...you have to look pretty hard but it's there. Also still on the car are the original shipping plastic covers they put on the door running boards....Freaked the dealer out when he saw the original shipping covers still in place. I have the tremec 6 speed in mine and about a year ago I blew the hydralic hose at the throwout bearing in the bell housing....Getting ready to have that fixed. A dealer in Houston,Texas - Tommy Vaughn Ford to me that I was at the wrong dealership looking for an investment car....They will make hundreds of thousands 04 Cobra mustang 4.6 litre but if you will go down to Erne Guzman pontiac GMC and look at the new GTO (2004) that will be an investment car...the word is out that they make a little over 40 thousand of them and then Pontiac is going under due to management problems and lack of sales...That will be an investment car....My hot rod days are over...I used to run a 1966 Chevy Nova sport coupe (11.21 et consistently ) and used to run the car at the old and gone Alamo dragway in Poteet,Texas just south of the Alamo city back in 1974......That was another misunderstood car by Chevrolet....anyways watch out for the hydralic hose line breaking and leaking at the throw out bearing of the car.....My fellow car club collector tell me if I can keep it together until 2025 I may get what i paid for it ...$25 grand for it...especially if there are only 10 thousand or left still on the road...Fastest car I ever saw go to the junkyard.....

[@namesake7139]

Man should I even buy one then? I was looking into getting one but these issues seen inevitable. I have a 92 Camaro RS. Still strong. Basic upkeep and it's a looker. Ice always wanted a GTO but I don't want to be bracing for costly issues.

[@mickabikhair675]

The rear wiring harness lighting and electrical system for modified lights go to Reference along with all issues the internal technicians guild for GM Holden Australia SIP techline publications. There are internal services bulletins for all these issues raised supplied to technicians. They are available in the GM SIP or published several times per year

[@michaelblair7109]

So the Pontiac GTO is a Holden Monaro from Australia, watched the video and I have not had one of these issues with my 04 CV8 Monaro. With regards to the fuel flap on my car it is a lever down by the drivers seat you pull which I think is mechanical so always works. As for the Boot you call it a trunk it is probably the boot struts that need replacing, that was one of the 1st things i replaced and my boot opens fine. My car has done 122,000 Kms and still looks like new the interior is perfect along with the paint and overall condition. Engine is faultless and I have changed the caster bushings to Polyeurphane and the front sway bushes otherwise just regular maintenance. Not heard of the glovebox issue nor had any electrical issues although I did change out the stock Radio for a Pioneer unit and the car can sit for a month without a drive and still has enough charge in the battery although I do like to run a trickle charger on it.

[@Joeshomegarage]

The BCM wires really cause some weird things to happen. 1st GTO the headlights would come on randomly when it was parked. Look out the window and oh lights on again! LOL 2nd GTO the radio would come on by itself when parked. Then of course there's that phantom horn honk!

[@hybred757]

04s have the phantom gauge issues...I’m starting to think this is also the ABS module issue. I am having to replace the ABS module. The Fuel gauge error / ABS / and airbag show up on the dash intermittently (at first) and now it’s constantly on. Trouble shot electrical, grounds, BCM, and it all led to the ABS module.

[@quaidepiper8073]

Any leads on where I can find the column tilt pieces? GM says they're discontinued.

[@opmiii]

Oh my GTO cluster will go to Red hot to back down like turning on the AC. I haven't checked the glove box wiring harness but that should be next.

[@tylerolear2098]

I have an 05 GTO. Has anyone had issues with steering wheel shake at highway cruising speeds? I know it's listed all over the forums without a definitive answer. I assumed it was all the old bushings in the front end. But I just replaced everything except the steering rack itself. Running out of ideas.

[@CarsSimplified]

I don't know if there's a specific-to-the-GTO reason for that. Have you made sure your wheels are balanced and not bent? If you have only one bent wheel and all four wheels/tires are the same size, you may be able to do a DIY check by swapping the front and rear wheels. If it goes away, the problem is related to the wheels. If it stays, it is either something else or you had a bent or out of balance wheel on the back, too. There are definitely some worn suspension/steering parts that can cause that, but I don't know what you've already done besides the bushings.

[@msterz8246]

I Have this too. Any resolution?

[@RBNelson]

@@msterz8246 watching -interested

[@msterz8246]

Just did the Radius rod bushings, and the issue is Fixed.!!!@@RBNelson

[@dclawfantum]

I think I'm an oddball on this one, but my GTO does not like GM/ACDelco water pumps. The factory water pump died at ~30,000 miles - dealer refused to repair. Replaced it with a GMB unit from NAPA and had no issues with the replacement. The engine got starved for oil ~99,000 miles and I rebuilt it, replacing the water pump with an ACDelcco unit since I was going full rebuild on the engine. The new pump didn't last 2,000 miles. Bought another new GMB unit from NAPA and it's been good for ~18,000 miles now.

[@jasonlangmead8418]

Doesn't sound to bad . No worse than other vehicles I've owned....I want one !

[@mongorian1158]

Many gto owners say the battery drain issue is caused by the (VATS) vehicle anti-theft system, not sure if true but I replaced the battery terminals from the stockers which helped add .4 volts while running. Usually idling around 13.8/14 volts with no electical, grounding or charging issues.

[@perfectperspectives]

No it's the entertainment center. I put a recorder in the car overnight and could hear it cycling every hour or so. I disconnect the battery when not driving it regularly.

[@Randy1290]

Great video. The automatic transmission is another weak link. I lost the 3-4 clutch pack.

[@dylanhanes7205]

Mine just did same shit 1st and second still work nothing after that

[@richjustrich8043]

I must have a good Tuesday made car. My only issue you listed is my trunk lock. Door locks and for some reason I needed a new cam after sitting for the winter as I always do. And I’ve owned my Goat since 2006.

[@perfectperspectives]

My bolts holding the trunk latch were loose. Check that

[@kennymilton7457]

Is no traction control an issue?? That's the first button I push once I start it, Everytime lol

[@CarsSimplified]

Honestly I did that a lot, too, but I would always assume if I didn't turn it off, it was on. When I would drive home at 2 AM in the rain, I wouldn't turn off the traction control, but the car did for me. Surprise!

[@kennymilton7457]

@@CarsSimplified interesting. I feel like my car feels completely different with it on. I also have this dead space in my rear end, like the drive shaft has to catch up to the diff when taking off from a stop. I had a g-force hardened rear end installed but still does it.

[@kennymilton7457]

@@CarsSimplified and that play is enough to trigger the tc

[@CarsSimplified]

Oh, interesting; mine seems to have a little play, but so far it hasn't done anything to the TC yet. The TC would be locked off when turning the headlights on (even before moving, if I recall correctly) and even if the headlights were turned off, the TC would not be able to turn back on until the car was shut off. You could drive around all day with no TC issues until the headlights were turned on. I've had that drivetrain delay in mine for a while, and it is most noticeable when I shift from forward to reverse or the opposite. I have always just assumed that between the noise and that slack, the final drive gear had too much slack in it. Once I get this car road legal, I'll see how bad it is and investigate more.

[@kennymilton7457]

@@CarsSimplified that's crazy. My car doesn't have any or had any of the issues in the video besides the headliner sag. But I also changed out the entire suspension, put in poly bushings where you can, radius rod arms. I almost wanna look into just slapping a solid rear axle in. This girl to heavy to throw around corners anyways. I have my vette for that. 😈

[@billsmith810]

I have a 2004 and my only issues are power steering whine even though it has plenty of fluid and no issues with the steering, and I believe my coolant tank as a small crack that only leaks when driving so after a few days I'll get the low coolant warning. My clutch slave cylinder gave up the job around 20K and I ended up replacing the entire clutch/pressure plate etc.. I bought the car in Feb 2015 that had 750 miles on it and was driven by salesman who apparently beat it a bit because the first to second synchro hangs a bit if driven aggressively. Basically this car was my daily commute vehicle for 13+ years and while driven aggressively on occasion has been an awesome car. It is now my weekend cruise vehicle.

[@ElOgKoRa]

Definately cover the wire harness behind the glove box with some corrugated wire loom. i did that and the metal it was rubbing up against. you know just to be on the safe side. 😁

[@fedupgamer9075]

My driver's side leaks badly whenever it rains hard. I saw an old barely readable write up about it being a blocked drain that causes water to fill up in the left side rocker panel and spilling into the drivers floor. I can't find this drain yet.

[@0Ejay0]

Cracked firewall from clutch pedal. Gm didn’t reinforce the hole made for the clutch master when they made models shipped to USA.

[@tjclt250r]

i have a 06 GTO i notice the upperseam on the driver seat is a very common problem for it to seperate...i havent had any electrical problems yet but i will check behind glove box thanks for the list

[@2steaksandwiches665]

I had one of these 15 years ago. I’m thinking about getting another one. They have gone up in value but the good ones seem to be well over $25,000. I’m going for a 2004 because I don’t like the hood scoops and they are less expensive. And I have a Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio for Insane performance

[@rodneyjones8433]

I have a 2004 w 78xxx miles I'll let go for $14,000

[@2steaksandwiches665]

@@rodneyjones8433 what color and auto or stick ?

[@rodneyjones8433]

@@2steaksandwiches665 Black, with black interior, 4 Speed Automatic

[@Randy1290]

I'm surprised that there aren't that many gto repair videos. I thought about recording my repairs to share with everyone just like you did.

[@CarsSimplified]

Go for it! It's always good to have more video search results and more ideas out there for people to find.

[@Coda5610]

My issues are hard to get into reverse (aftermarket shifter), alternator going out and radiator blew

[@Joeshomegarage]

Great video! I'm subbing. I don't think it's the entertainment system because I've owned 2 06's with aftermarket stereo systems and still had the battery drain issues. I'm pretty sure it's related to the factory security system. I kept both cars on battery tenders during the winter months. Now I have a CTS-V and no battery issues at all.

[@9unslin9er]

Have you ever figured this problem out? Did you disable the system?

[@Joeshomegarage]

@@9unslin9er no I just kept them on battery tenders during the winter months. Never had that issue with my cts-v but it was kept in a temperature controlled garage.

[@9unslin9er]

@@Joeshomegarage I read on the forums about the Body Control Module being the culprit. They get set at an hour before putting electrical to sleep.