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2006 Pontiac Torrent

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

209 reports with mileage · 31 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports10 fire reports11 injury reports

What owners actually said

240 reports
125,000 miles · Feb 12, 2015
Electrical System

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 PO…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10683122

130,000 miles · Jan 29, 2015
Electrical SystemSeats

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

NHTSA ODI #10679648

Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2015
Unknown Or Other

THE IGNITIOIN SWITCH CONTINUES TO LOCK UP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10671726

121,000 miles · Jan 6, 2015
Unknown Or Other

ANYTIME THERE IS RAIN OR MELTING SNOW, THERE IS A PUDDLE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD. DURING COLDER WINTER MONTHS THERE IS MOISTURE INSIDE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS, CAUSING FOGGING AND EVEN FROST ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. ALSO HAS CAUSED A DISGUSTING, MOLDY, ROTTEN SMELL THAT IS HARD TO GET RID OF.

NHTSA ODI #10670434

92,000 miles · Dec 31, 2014
Engine

AT TIMES THE CAR DOESN'T CRANK OR START WHEN IGNITION KEY IS TURNED TO START. ON-GOING ISSUE THAT OCCURS AT LEAST 4-6 TIMES PER MONTH. UNSURE WHY THIS HAPPENS. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. IS THERE A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE? *JS

NHTSA ODI #10669218

79,000 miles · Dec 31, 2014
Electrical System

ONE MORNING I GO TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND MY CAR IS DEAD. WHEN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROVIDES A JUMP START, IT'S FOUND THAT MY HIGH-BEAMS WERE ON. I DID NOT LEAVE ANY LIGHTS ON. I COULD NOT GET THE HIGH-BEAMS TO TURN OFF UNTIL I PULLED THE TURN SIGNAL/MULTIFUNCTION LEVER TOWARD ME AND HELD IT THERE. ON 4 MORE OCCASIONS, THIS EXACT SA…

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ONE MORNING I GO TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND MY CAR IS DEAD. WHEN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROVIDES A JUMP START, IT'S FOUND THAT MY HIGH-BEAMS WERE ON. I DID NOT LEAVE ANY LIGHTS ON. I COULD NOT GET THE HIGH-BEAMS TO TURN OFF UNTIL I PULLED THE TURN SIGNAL/MULTIFUNCTION LEVER TOWARD ME AND HELD IT THERE. ON 4 MORE OCCASIONS, THIS EXACT SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED. MY CAR WAS DEAD AND REQUIRED A JUMP START. THE HIGH-BEAMS WOULD NOT TURN OFF UNLESS I PULLED THE LEVER TOWARD ME AND HELD IT THERE. THIS ISSUE IS, NOT ONLY DRAINING MY BATTERY BUT DAMAGING IT. IT'S A HUGE INCONVENIENCE AND LEAVES ME STRANDED AT TIMES. ALSO, IT'S DANGEROUS. I'VE SMELLED & NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEVER AND STEERING COLUMN. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE YET. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10669216

120,000 miles · Dec 10, 2014
Visibility

THE HEATER IS NOT BLOWING ANY HOT AIR AT ALL. THE KNOBS/SWITCHES ALL WORK AND IT FORCES AIR OUT BUT ITS VERY COLD AIR, AFTER READING THIS SITE AND OTHERS IT LOOKS LIKE THE BLEND DOOR IS BROKEN, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS. I SEEN THE SERVICE ALERT FOR IT BUT IT SAYS UP TO 100,000 MILES, MINE HAD MORE THAN THAT WHEN I PURC…

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THE HEATER IS NOT BLOWING ANY HOT AIR AT ALL. THE KNOBS/SWITCHES ALL WORK AND IT FORCES AIR OUT BUT ITS VERY COLD AIR, AFTER READING THIS SITE AND OTHERS IT LOOKS LIKE THE BLEND DOOR IS BROKEN, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS. I SEEN THE SERVICE ALERT FOR IT BUT IT SAYS UP TO 100,000 MILES, MINE HAD MORE THAN THAT WHEN I PURCHASED IT, GM SHOULD AT LEAST PAY FOR IT NO MATTER HOW MANY MILES. I HAVE A TODDLER AND ITS WAY TO COLD TO BE RIDING IN THE CAR WITH NO HEAT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED NOW! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10663301

100,000 miles · Dec 5, 2014
EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, AN UNKNOWN ODOR WAS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FIRE COMING FROM UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AND THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, AN UNKNOWN ODOR WAS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FIRE COMING FROM UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AND THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10662406

75,050 miles · Dec 3, 2014
Seats

THE SEAT HEATER ON THE DRIVER SIDE MELTED THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE SEAT BACK. IT MELTED ABOUT A NICKEL SIZE HOLE IN THE SEAT AND MELTED SEVERAL SPOTS IN THE CLOTHING I WAS WEARING. THE WIRE FOR THE HEATED SEATS IS STILL STICKING THROUGH THE HOLE. THE HEAT IN THAT ONE SPOT STILL GETS HOT WHEN THE SEAT HEATER BUTTON IS PRESSED, SO…

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THE SEAT HEATER ON THE DRIVER SIDE MELTED THROUGH THE FRONT OF THE SEAT BACK. IT MELTED ABOUT A NICKEL SIZE HOLE IN THE SEAT AND MELTED SEVERAL SPOTS IN THE CLOTHING I WAS WEARING. THE WIRE FOR THE HEATED SEATS IS STILL STICKING THROUGH THE HOLE. THE HEAT IN THAT ONE SPOT STILL GETS HOT WHEN THE SEAT HEATER BUTTON IS PRESSED, SO IT IS A CONTINUING SAFETY CONCERN TO ANYONE WHO DRIVES THE VEHICLE. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10661931

111,700 miles · Nov 11, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineVisibility/wiper

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.…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10654156

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.