Pontiac · Torrent · 2006
0
Recalls
240
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2006 Pontiac Torrent has no recalls and 240 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: visibility (46 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
The contact owns a 2006 Pontiac Torrent. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the power steering failed to operate as designed, the brakes seized, and the vehicle lost motive power with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact poured water onto the onboard computer, located on top of the engine to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic installed a new onboard computer however, the new onboard computer failed to operate without the service code required. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be serviced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,500. The VIN was unavailable.
THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY POWERS DOWN COMPLETELY LOOSING STEERING, BRAKING, ACCELERATION, EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND LIGHTS, NO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW OR LOCATION. NO RHYME OR REASON TO THE SPORADIC COMPLETE SHUT DOWN AND DOESN'T START BACK IMMEDIATELY AND SOMETIMES MINUTES TO HOURS BEFORE IT WILL. NOT SAFE IN THE HIGHWAY OR SIDE ROADS OR ANYWHERE. THERE IS A FAULT WITH THE PROGRAMMING IN THE ECU AND GM IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN REPAIR IT. VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED AND I SPENT JUST AS MUCH AS THE PURCHASE SINCE REPLACING PARTS! IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED IF YOU GOOGLE SEARCH THE YEAR MAKE AND MODEL WITH DYING WHEN DRIVING OR SIMILAR IT'S CLEARLY SOMETHING WITH MOST OF THESE VEHICLES UNFORTUNATELY! SCARY AND UNSAFE FOR EVERYONE ON THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY AFTER DARK WHEN IT HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANYTHING TO ALERT OTHERS, PLEASE HELP THIS VEHICLE WILL DIE WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR INTERSTATE AT HIGH SPEED OR LOW SPEED WHEN BRAKING OR ACCELERATING OR SITTING AT A RED LIGHT! I HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED AND IT STILL HAPPENS AND THE REPAIR SHOP NOW IS STILL WAITING FOR GM TO REWRITE OR CHANGE THE PROGRAMMING TO HOPEFULLY FIX THE ISSUES BUT THIS IS UNBELIEVABLY DANGEROUS AND CAN BE DEADLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES INADVERTENTLY DISENGAGED WHILE IN USE AS SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND FLAMES WERE SEEN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CONTACTED AS THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE RAIN. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, MY CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WHEN I WOULD HIT A BUMP OR WHEN I WOULD PRESS ON THE BRAKES. THE KNOCKING WAS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE CAR IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY (VERY TRUSTWORTHY) MECHANIC TODAY AND HE SAID THE AXLE BODY OF THE CAR WAS RUSTED AWAY AND THAT'S WHAT HOLDS THE SUSPENSION IN PLACE. THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL SITUATION THAT YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE, AND IS NOT FIXABLE. I WAS DRIVING ON WELL-PAVED STREETS AT A LOW SPEED (NO MORE THAN 35MPH).
WHILE DRIVING AND STOPPING MY BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AND THE ABS AND TC CONTROL LIGHTS TURN ON THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES
THE HEAT DOESN'T WORK IN CAR FREEZING COLD IN CAR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS UNKNOWN NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10573465. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET WHEN IT BROKE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE. IN ADDITION, A BURNING ODOR WAS EMITTED THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FRONT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE HEATER FAILED TO PRODUCE HOT AIR AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO DEFROST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATER BLEND DOOR WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (LANCE BUICK GMC, 2 CHAUNCY ST, MANSFIELD, MA) WERE BOTH NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILALBLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND AND VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE ABNORMAL NOISE RECURRED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
MY HEATED SEAT BURNED A HOLE THROUGH MY SEAT AND THROUGH MY SWEAT SHIRT AND ONTO MY SKIN BURNING ME. MY CAR WAS PARKED AND I WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT WAITING FOR IT TO WARM UP
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 194,152.
POWER STEERING FAILURE WITHOUT PRIOR SYMPTOMS - POWER ASSIST FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AFTER BEING DRIVEN/PARKED/STARTED AND DRIVEN. WAS THEN PARKED/WAITED AND IT WORKED AGAIN(?) - OTHERS HAVE REPORTED FAILURE WHILE UNDERWAY. CONSIDER THIS NOTICE AS DATE-STAMPED FOR FUTURE LEGAL USE. PLEASE ADVISE ON NEXT STEPS/OPTIONS. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2006/PONTIAC/TORRENT/STEERING/PROBLEM.ASPX
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHEN THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED, COLD AIR BLEW FROM THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE KEMP BLEND DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (WALSER BUICK GMC OF BLOOMINGTON, 4601 AMERICAN BLVD WEST, BLOOMINGTON, MN 55437) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3687100903. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.
WHERE TO START AS IT WOULDN'T LET ME SELECT MORE THAN 3 OPTIONS. I BOUGHT MY TORRENT IN 06 WITH 65K MILES ON IT AND FIGURED THAT A 40K/ 4 YEAR WARRANTY WAS A GOOD IDEA. IT WAS!! IT ALL STARTED WHEN I TOOK IT TO A CAR WASH A WEEK AFTER BUYING IT, WELL I EXITED THE CAR WASH AND HAD NO THROTTLE WITH GAS PEDDLE, I WAS STUCK. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TUBES THAT ALLOW THE SUN ROOF TO DRAIN WERE CLOGGED AND WATER BACKED UP AND TRAVELED DOWN THE LEFT FRONT PILLAR AND FRIED THE THROTTLE SENSOR. REPLACED IT AND ON I WENT. THESE TUBES BLOCKED UP 3 MORE TIMES IN A FEW YEARS ONLY FRYING IT ONE OTHER TIME. WITHIN THE FIRST 3 YEARS WITH LESS THAN 80K MILES EVERY HUB HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT PASSENGER TWICE, AND FRONT DRIVERS 3 TIMES. 2 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT AROUND 67K MILES THE DRIVE SHAFT BEARING NEEDED REPLACING. AROUND 76K MILES THE ENTIRE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AROUND 85K MILES THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FRONT A WORN BEARING THAT DESTROYED OTHER INTERNAL PARTS. AROUND 83K MILES THE FRONT LEFT BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN, WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE KNUCKLE MAY BE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM AS CHIPS OF MATERIAL WERE SEEN TO BE FALLING OFF BEHIND THE HUB. JUST LAST WEEK AT ONLY 101K MILES THE FRONT LEFT HUB WAS BAD AGAIN!! THAT MAKES 5 TIMES ON THAT ALONE. VARIOUS OTHER ISSUES INCLUDE MULTIPLE ABS SENSORS FAILING PREMATURELY MORE THAN ONCE. I GET ANNUAL ALIGNMENTS, BRAND NEW TIRES ANUALLY, HAVE REPLACED STRUTS AND SPRINGS AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THE ENTIRE BOTTOM IS RUSTING OUT THE WORST HE'S EVER SEEN FOR A VEHICLE. THESE WERE ALL OEM PARTS BY THE CHEVY DEALER, NOT CHEAP AFTERMARKET INSTALLED IMPROPERLY BY SOME BACKWOODS MECHANIC. CAN I JUST POST THIS ONE LENGTHY COMPLAINT OR DO I NEED TO CREATE ONE FOR EVERY ISSUE?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT WHILE IDLING AND LEAKED COOLANT. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY ADD ANTIFREEZE/COOLANT TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FIVE YEARS AGO AND THE HEAT NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNKNOWN; HOWEVER, THE WATER PUMP, BELTS, PULLEY, TEMPERATURE COOLING SENSOR, AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. AFTER THE REPAIR, WHEN THE HEAT WAS TURNED ON, AN ANTIFREEZE/COOLANT ODOR WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT COULD HEAR THE ENGINE FANS TURNING ON WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN OF 120,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROST SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN ACTIVATED IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT A BURNING SENSATION EMERGING FROM THE SEAT. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE HEATED SEAT AND CONTINUED DRIVING HOME. THE CONTACT GOT HOME AND NOTICED A HOLE IN THE SEAT AND IN HER JACKET. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATED SEAT ELEMENT WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
HEATER SOMETIMES BLOWS ONLY COLD AIR, REGARDLES OF SETTINGS
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2006 Pontiac Torrent has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 240 owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Pontiac Torrent.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2006 Pontiac Torrent.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2006 Pontiac Torrent are visibility (46 reports), steering (16 reports), electrical system (16 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2006 Pontiac Torrent. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.