IllustrationASIDE FROM IGNITION KEY BEING STUCK IN IGNITION SWITCH, WHICH IS STILL THAT WAY, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. ON HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70MPH. ALSO, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SHOWS IT BEING OFF. *TR
2008 Pontiac Torrent
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Torrent years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
70–25K
1225–50K
2850–75K
2675–100K
18100–150K
8150K+
99 reports with mileage · 26 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
125 reportsDRIVING AND HAD TO STOP FAST. WHEN SAFE TO CONTINUE DRIVING, UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND THE SES LIGHT WAS ON. HAD SEVERAL TROUBLE CODES INCLUDING P0700. WAS DIAGNOSED BY MECHANIC TO BE THE 3-5 CLUTCH WAVE PLATE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE SERVICE STABILITYTRAK AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION AND THE WARNING LAMPS WERE NO LONGER ILLUMI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE SERVICE STABILITYTRAK AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION AND THE WARNING LAMPS WERE NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,500.
I NOTICED EVERY TIME SOMEONE WOULD SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG SERVICE BAG MESSAGE WOULD APPEAR THE OFF BUTTON WOULD NOT SWITCH TO ON. I CHECKED TO SEE IF A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND NOTICED THE 2007 PONTIAC TORRENT HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING WITH MY 2008. I TRIED REACHING OUT TO GM WHICH I KNOW WILL TURN …
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I NOTICED EVERY TIME SOMEONE WOULD SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIRBAG SERVICE BAG MESSAGE WOULD APPEAR THE OFF BUTTON WOULD NOT SWITCH TO ON. I CHECKED TO SEE IF A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND NOTICED THE 2007 PONTIAC TORRENT HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING WITH MY 2008. I TRIED REACHING OUT TO GM WHICH I KNOW WILL TURN OUT AS A FAIL. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE ON THEIR 2008 GM VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND THE 2007 WAS RECALLED. I WAS QUOTED AROUND $900 TO FIX FROM THE DEALER AFTER I WAS ADVISED BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF GM TO GET IT TESTED BY THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY COULD FURTHER ASSIST ME IF POSSIBLE. *TR
I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES VERY EARLY ON DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR (I THINK ABOUT 35K MILES) SO THAT IS THE FIRST ISSUE. AFTER CHANGING MY TIRES, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE'S TRACTION CONTROL SEEMS TO FAIL. I WILL BE AT A DEAD STOP AND GO TO ACCELERATE WHEN MY TIRES SLIP AND THE TRACTION FLASHES. I HAD MY TIRES LOOKED AT AND THEY WERE DEE…
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I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES VERY EARLY ON DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR (I THINK ABOUT 35K MILES) SO THAT IS THE FIRST ISSUE. AFTER CHANGING MY TIRES, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE'S TRACTION CONTROL SEEMS TO FAIL. I WILL BE AT A DEAD STOP AND GO TO ACCELERATE WHEN MY TIRES SLIP AND THE TRACTION FLASHES. I HAD MY TIRES LOOKED AT AND THEY WERE DEEMED TO BE FINE. NOW THAT IT IS SNOWING, IT WAS AT ITS WORST TODAY. IT WAS FISHTAILING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON SNOW/ICY ROADS AND THE TIRES WON'T GRIP THE ROAD AT ALL FOR THE FIRST 400 FEET OR SO EVERY SINGLE TIME I GO FROM A STOP. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I FELT MORE COMFORTABLE DRIVING MY PONTIAC VIBE OR GRAND AM IN SNOW THAN THIS AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TRACTION CONTROL!! NOBODY IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, BUT I SEE OTHER REPORTS. THERE SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL!!! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
THERE IS A VERY STRONG FUEL SMELL FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE IT DOES NOT MATTER IF I HAVE A FULL TANK OR ALMOST EMPTY TANK OF GAS. THERE IS NO VISIBLE LEAKS ANYWHERE. I AM A MOTHER OF TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME. *TR
THE FIRST NIGHT I NOTICED THE "SERVICE STABILITRAK" LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. THE NEXT NIGHT MY BATTERY COMPLETELY DIED AND I HAD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE. THEN, THE DASHBOARD SAID "SERVICE STABILITRAK" SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON OR IT SAID "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL." FROM WHAT I'M GATHERING ONLINE THIS IS A COMM…
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THE FIRST NIGHT I NOTICED THE "SERVICE STABILITRAK" LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. THE NEXT NIGHT MY BATTERY COMPLETELY DIED AND I HAD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE. THEN, THE DASHBOARD SAID "SERVICE STABILITRAK" SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON OR IT SAID "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL." FROM WHAT I'M GATHERING ONLINE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO MY "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" LIGHT COMING ON AND MY SPEED WILL BE LIMITED TO SOMETHING LIKE 10-20 MPH AND I'M AFRAID BECAUSE I ALREADY WORK OVERNIGHT AND AWAY FROM HOME. I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 56K MILES ON THE TRUCK AND I GOT IT A YEAR AGO WITH 24K MILES ON IT. IF THE PROBLEM IS THIS COMMON, WHY IS THE VEHICLE NOT RECALLED? THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES $80 TO EVEN PUT THE CAR ON THE COMPUTER TO SEE THE PROBLEM... *TR
THIS VEHICLE IS LOCATED IN STATE THAT HAS EXTREME HEAT. AS THE TEMPERATURES BEGAN TO INCREASE THIS YEAR, THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT WORK REMOTELY. THEY WILL WORK IN THE COOL OF THE MORNING OR THE EVENING BUT WHEN THE SUN AND THE HEAT BEAT DOWN ON THE CAR THE LOCKS STOP WORKING. *JB
MY CAR SMELLS LIKE GAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. THERE IS NO VISIBLE LEAK AND THE SMELL IS GETTING WORSE. THERE ARE NO CODES COMING UP ON DIAGNOSTIC SCREENING. *TR
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.