There are 50 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2006 Pontiac Torrentin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
THE HEAT DOESN'T WORK IN CAR FREEZING COLD IN CAR
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.
HEATING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, SOMETIMES HEAT ONLY BLOWS COOL AIR, MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES THIS IS A DEFECT BUT ONLY ISSUED A LIMITED SPECIAL COVERAGE. THE SPECIAL COVERAGE EXPIRED IN FEB 2016, MY VEHICLE HEATING UNIT BROKE IN OCT 2016! THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THIS DEFECT! LISA OF HEATING UNIT CAUSES UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS WHEN WINDOWS CAN NOT DEFROST AS A RESULT OF DEFECT, ALSO OCCUPANTS FREEZE THEIR ASSES OFF IN THE WINTER! UNCONSCIONABLE THAT GM WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT!
A NUMBER OF UNUSUAL ISSUES HAVE PLAGUED US WITH THIS CAR! THE KEYS SLIDE OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. AT RANDOM TIMES, THE ENGINE WILL REV, BUT THE CAR WILL BARELY MOVE UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY STOPS. EVEN THEN IT WILL TURN ON AND THE ENGINE WILL RUN, BUT IT WON'T MOVE. AT OTHER TIMES, THE ELECTRICAL SHUTS DOWN AND THERE IS NO POWER AT ALL, NO LIGHTS OR SOUNDS. WE'VE REPLACED THE BATTERY (A VERY EXPENSIVE ONE AT THAT) TWICE, AS WHATEVER IS HAPPENING DRAINS IT. THE CAR THROWS CODES THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PASS INSPECTION. THESE INCLUDE: E-VAP, THROTTLE BODY, ASSORTED SENSORS, BREAK PEDAL, GAS CAP, HEAT/AC MOTOR, AND SO ON. WE HAVE REPLACED AND/OR REPAIRED EVERYTHING ON THE CODE LIST AND STILL, IT WON'T CLEAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ABS, AND TREAD LIGHT REMAIN ON NO MATTER WHAT WE DO. WE WERE ADVISED TO KEEP DRIVING IT UNTIL THE COMPUTER CLEARED THE CODES TO "READY", BUT IT'S NOT WORKING. RECENTLY, WHITE WISPS OF SMOKE WERE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, ALONG WITH A BURNING SMELL. THE CAR JUST DIED AND REFUSED TO START. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING WITH NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND DRIVING. WE'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD BY MECHANICS THAT THEY ARE DANGEROUS ISSUES, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE WHILE DRIVING, AND FAILURES THAT CAUSE WRECKS. THEY CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY THEY ARE OCCURRING, ESPECIALLY AFTER REPAIR. ONE PERSON SAID WE PROBABLY MADE SOME REPAIRS THAT WERE UNNECESSARY, BUT WE NEEDED THE CAR TO PASS REQUIRED INSPECTION. WE ARE SINKING TOO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS VEHICLE TO KEEP IT RUNNING AND CANNOT AFFORD A NEW PAYMENT AS THIS ONE IS PURCHASED IN FULL. WE ARE DISABLED, NEEDING DEPENDABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS AND DAILY ERRANDS. WHY AREN'T THERE RECALLS? THIS MODEL IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND FORUMS FOR THESE FAULTY CODES & ISSUES! INCREDIBLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
MY IGNITION SWITCH MOVES OUT OF THE "RUN" POSITION, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK BUT RUNNING. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE THE SPEED IS 45 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CAR TURNS OFF. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THE KEY, INCLUDING THE FOB. I EVEN EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE TURNING OFF WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED BUT RUNNING. THE DEALER ADMITS TO A RECALL ON ANOTHER MODEL OF PONTIAC DURING THE SAME YEAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT FAILED TO TURN OFF WITH THE KEY IN THE OFF POSITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE KEYS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE KEYS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAT AND DEFROSTER IN MY CAR. IT DOES NOT WORK, AND THUS CAUSES MAJOR VISIBILITY PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE WINDOWS CANNOT DEFROST. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, WHICH, IF LEFT UNREPAIRED, COULD CAUSE A WRECK. I TOOK THE CAR TO A GM DEALER, AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A BROKEN TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE, SINCE IT IS QUITE COSTLY (ABOUT $1100) TO REPAIR. I FOUND THAT GM HAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED THIS FREE OF CHARGE TO THE OWNERS BECAUSE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT (SPECIAL COVERAGE/POLICY ADJUSTMENT 11135). THE ACTUATOR HAD BEEN DESIGNED POORLY, USING PLASTIC INSTEAD OF METAL. THIS CAUSES THE PLASTIC TO BREAK WHEN THE ACTUATOR OVER-ROTATES. THIS PROBLEM VIOLATES THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 103, WHICH STATES THE STANDARDS OF HAVING A WORKING HEATER AND DEFOGGING/DEFROSTING SYSTEM. THIS PROBLEM IS MENTIONED IN 87 OF THE 198 COMPLAINTS FOR THE 06 PONTIAC TORRENT, AND HAS A TSB #10044379. WITH A SEVEN-YEAR COMPLAINT HISTORY, I WOULD EXPECT THE COMPANY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I CONTACTED GM WITH THIS INFORMATION AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT ME IN 1 BUSINESS DAY. IT HAS BEEN OVER 5 DAYS NOW AND NO WORD FROM THEM. ALL I WANT IS FOR THIS TO BE FIXED/COVERED BY GM BECAUSE IT IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE (I.E. I CANNOT AFFORD IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S HAZARDOUS). I WOULD LIKE TO DRIVE SAFELY AND WITH FULL VISIBILITY!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAT FAILED TO WORK IN THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,100.
1. KEY LOCKS IN IGNITION 2. ABS LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKES WARNING LIGHT , AIRBAG AND STAY ON. . BRAKES LOCK UP ,TIRES ROLL WONT STOP, PULSATION THEN BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR. THE LIGHTS STAY ON NO GM MECHANIC CAN REPAIR. 3. CLICKING, TAPPING AND BURNING SMELL COMING FROM UNDER DASH AND STEERING COLUMN. 4 .WHEN IT RAINS PUDDLES ON PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER ON FLOOR OF CAR LIKE THE DOORS ARE NOT LINED UP WITH CAR. 5. HIGH BEAM LIGHTS COME ON BY THEMSELVES CANT TURN OFF DRAIN BATTERY ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. 6. STEERING LOCKS IN TURN. BACKEND OF VEHICLE NOT BALANCED RIDES SIDEWAYS.AT HIGH SPEED. IM SURE SOMEONE HAS LOST A LIFE IN THESE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES IF A STUDY WA S DONE PROFESSIONALLY FROM 2006 TO 2015 . THESE DEFECTS WOULD BE THE CAUSE . I PAID 20,000 FOR THIS VEHICLE NO ONE CAN REPAIR .THAT'S WHY PRODUCTION WAS DISCONTINUED TO PREVENT LAWSUITS. VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED BOUGHT BACK FROM CONSUMERS AND PUT OUT OF CIRCULATION ITS DANGEROUS. *TR
AFTER SHUTTING OFF MY 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT, I HEARD A CLICKING THAN A POWER UP TYPE SOUND AND NEXT I KNEW THE CAR WAS TURNING OVER TRYING TO START. I DO NOT HAVE AUTOMATIC START AND NO THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. I PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE HOOD TO INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION. I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY COVER TO REMOVE THE POSITIVE CABLE SO ALL WAS QUIET. THINKING IT MAY HAVE RESET ITSELF I PUT THE CABLE BACK INTO THE BATTERY, THE SAME THING HAPPENED, I AGAIN REMOVED THE CABLE AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. I WAS INFORMED THE UNDERHOOD FUSE BOX WAS SO CORRODED UNDER THE BOX IT SELF THAT WHEN ANY MOISTURE IS IN THE AIR OR SNOW PER SAY IT IS CAUSING THE FUSES TO SHORTEN THEMSELVES OUT. I WAS TOLD THIS COULD POTENTIAL CAUSE A FIRE AND WAS TOLD TO GOOGLE THE SITUATION AND SEE. LOW AND BEHOLD HE WAS RIGHT! PEOPLE HAVE HAD FIRES, MELT DOWNS, YOU NAME IT. THE EYE OPENER REALLY CAME IN WHEN THE MECHANIC WENT TO ORDER THE PARTS...THERE ARE ONLY 7 OF THESE UNDERHOOD FUSE BOXES IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES. YES, ONLY 7! THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS!! THIS COULD POTENTIALLY KILL SOMEONE. AS THESE VEHICLES ARE GETTING OLDER THE WORSE THIS SITUATION COULD GET. *TR
THE SEAT HEATER STOPPED WORKING. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP TO HAVE HEATER REPLACED. MECHANIC REMOVED OLD HEATER PAD; THE HEATER PAD HAD A HOLE BURNED INTO IT ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. SOME VERY MINOR SCORCHING ON AREAS THAT WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE HEATING PAD. I HAVE THE PART STILL FOR REFERENCE. *TR
MY BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR HAS FAILED AND FELL OFF INSIDE OF MY CAB CAUSING MY HEAT TO FAIL INSIDE MY CAB FOR BOTH DEFROST AND HEAT. I LIVE IN A COLD CLIMATE AND IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT HEAT IN THE WINTER. THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN QUOTED ME 9+ HOURS OF LABOR TO REMOVE MY DASH, INSTALL THE NEW ACTUATOR AND RE-INSTALL MY DASH. IT WILL TAKE THREE DAYS TO REPAIR AND COST ME $1800 TO FIX. APPARENTLY, AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AND MY LOCAL AUTO SHOP, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH PONTIAC TORRENTS AS I'VE ALSO READ DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE ON THIS SITE. HE SAID THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL ON THE PART, AND I SHOULD CHECK. HOWEVER, AFTER SEARCHING MY VIN, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A RECALLED PART AT THIS TIME. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED AS THIS IS SUCH A COSTLY REPAIR TO BE MADE FOR A FAULTY PART FROM GM. PLEASE HELP AS THIS IS NOT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE WITH PONTIAC TORRENTS. *TR
ABLE TO TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL GEAR AND RUNNING. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE SOME WORK WAS DONE, HOWEVER, WHEN CHECKED WITH ATTENDANT, INCIDENT RECURRED. CAR STARTED PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL REMOVED KEYS FROM CAR CAR CONTINUED RUNNING, ENGINE DID NOT CUT OFF. *TR
THE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR BECOMES BROKEN AND DETACHED. THIS CAUSES NUMEROUS ISSUES: THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, DRIVER SIDE WINDOW, DRIVER LEFT SIDE MIRROR TO BECOME INOPERABLE. *TR
I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH MY IGNITION AND IT STRIPPING TWICE WITHIN A YEAR. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO CHANGE THE IGNITION FUSE MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST THREE MONTHS. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT HAPPENED THIS MORNING WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 45 MPH MY TRUCK COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE A BYSTANDER GET OUT OF THEIR VEHICLE AND PUSH MY TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PERSON MOVING MY VEHICLE, IT AUTOMATICALLY STARTED BACK UP. I'M NOT TOO SURE HOW OR WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE WARNING SIGNALS. THIS HAPPENED TO ME LAST WEEK AS WELL. ONCE I START THE TRUCK UP IT RUNS FINE AND THEN JUST SHUTS OFF AND AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, IT STARTS BACK UP AUTOMATICALLY. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT. I REALLY HOPE GM OR PONTIAC LOOKS INTO THIS ISSUE... THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUES THAT I HAVE BEEN HAVING. I BELIEVE THIS IS SAD THAT AS MANY COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED ABOUT THIS VEHICLE, THAT THERE IS NOT YET A RECALL ON IT. *TR
MY CAR WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST ,YET I AM HAVING SO MUCH TROUBLE WITH MY IGNITION,CAN NOT TURN MY KEY IN THE IGNITION. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING A GARAGE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ENTERING A DRIVEWAY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, THE KEY WOULD SPORADICALLY FAIL TO ENTER THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,900. UPDATED 4/28/14*CN THE DEALER STATED THE ECM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING 55MPH ON A TRIP THE HEAT JUST STOPPED BLOWING. AS SINCE, THIS WEATHER HAS BEEN -20 AND -25 BELOW AND I HAVE NO DEFROST, HEAT. I WENT TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC ONLY TO FIND OUT THE HEAT/AIR/DOOR IS BROKE. COST OF REPAIRS 1200.00 TO 1,500.00 IT IS AN ALL DAY JOB. THE DASH AND ALL COMPONENTS WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND PUT BACK ON. NEEDLESS TO SAY WITH THIS WINTER BEING ONE OF THE COLDEST I UNDERSTAND AND CAN FEEL WHAT OTHERS ARE GOING THROUGH THAT HAS THIS SAME PROBLEM... AND I HAVE TO BUNDLE JUST TO GO TO WORK. I WORK AN HOUR AWAY AND AFTER FINDING THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM !!!! I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE MONEY GIVEN TO THE ONES THAT NEEDS THIS FIXED. *TR
I AM TOTALLY OUTRAGED FINDING OUT THAT GM PLACED A NON SAFE PART ON THIS TRUCK THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW. IT WILL COST $1000.00 EVEN AFTER KEEPING THIS TRUCK MAINTENANCE FREE, TROUBLE FREE FROM REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT THE DELIVER THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM. I AM VERY UPSET THAT THIS PART WAS NOT RECALLED AS THE PART COSTS BETWEEN $22-100.00 WHILE THE LABOR BECAUSE OF WHERE IT IS WILL COST UP TO $1000.00 AT THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM AND GET REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECK UPS WITH. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH ALL OF THE CONSUMERS ON HERE: THE ACTUATOR THAT OPERATES THE HEATER BLEND DOOR - OVEREXTENDS AND BREAKS THE HEATER BLEND DOOR. THIS CAUSES THE HEATER TO NOT WORK AT ALL. THE ACTUATORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THE HEATER DOORS ARE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THEY BREAK DUE TO A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. IF THE HEAT DOESN'T WORK THE WINDOWS WON'T DEFROST SO THIS IS A VISIBILITY HAZARD. I ALSO LISTED IT AS AN ELECTRICAL AND UNKNOWN HAZARD. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
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 Apr 25, 2026