2006 Pontiac Torrent Suspension Problems

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).

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?

MY CAR WON'T START ON THE FIRST CRANK AT TIMES...I HAVE TO GIVE IT GAS OR IT WILL STALL...IT ALSO STARTS UP HARD AT FIRST IT DID IT OCCASIONALLY NOW IT'S START TO DO IT EVERY TIME I START MY CAR...I TOOK IT TO GET LOOKED AT NO ONE KNOWS...THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AS WELL AND READS FUEL CODES...PLEASE HELP

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND RIDING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD THERE WOULD BE A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE CORNER OF THE RIGHT FRONT INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 09/15/11*LJ UPDATED 09/23/11*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THERE WAS A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE REAR AXLE, TIE ROD, AND OTHER COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED. THE DEALERSHIP READJUSTED THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE PROBLEM CEASED. ALSO, WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE LIFTERS IN THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DID NOT ALSO CLOSE COMPLETELY. THIS HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. UPDATED 10/31/2006 - THE CONSUMER HAS MET WITH A GM REP. GM HAS AGREED TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE BUT NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING. *NM