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2008 Pontiac Torrent

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
97,140 miles · Jan 9, 2012
Tires

AFTER INFLATING A TIRE, THE VEHICLE'S VALVE STEM BROKE AT THE TPMS SENSOR RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ALL AIR IN THE TIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10443145

91,000 miles · Nov 20, 2011
StructureTires

WITHIN 1 MONTH OF EACH OTHER 2 VALVE STEMS BROKE. TIRE WENT FROM BEING RIGHT ON TIRE PRESSURE TO NO TIRE PRESSURE IN SECONDS. VALVE STEM BROKE ONCE BY REMOVING VALVE STEM CAP AND THE OTHER ONE REMOVING TIRE PUMP NOZZLE. BOTH TIMES TIRES WENT COMPLETELY FLAT IN SECONDS. DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME ABOUT $325 TO REPLACE THESE TIRE S…

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WITHIN 1 MONTH OF EACH OTHER 2 VALVE STEMS BROKE. TIRE WENT FROM BEING RIGHT ON TIRE PRESSURE TO NO TIRE PRESSURE IN SECONDS. VALVE STEM BROKE ONCE BY REMOVING VALVE STEM CAP AND THE OTHER ONE REMOVING TIRE PUMP NOZZLE. BOTH TIMES TIRES WENT COMPLETELY FLAT IN SECONDS. DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME ABOUT $325 TO REPLACE THESE TIRE STEMS. THIS LEAVES ME WITH 2 MORE IN QUESTION. MY FAMILY RIDES IN THIS VEHICLE WITH ME A LOT. NOTICED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT SIMILAR INCIDENTS AND CONCERNS. THE DEALERSHIP ACTUALLY SUGGESTED THESE PROBABLY GOT BROKE AT A CAR WASH. THEY BOTH BROKE IN FRONT OF MY FACE TRYING TO ADD AIR. SOMEONE WILL DIE BECAUSE OF THESE TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10436513

42,000 miles · Aug 30, 2010
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING INSULATION SMELL AND WHEN TURNING ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER THEY FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT THEN DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CHECKED THE FUSE WHICH WAS BURNED OUT. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED AGAIN AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING INSULATION SMELL AND WHEN TURNING ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER THEY FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT THEN DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CHECKED THE FUSE WHICH WAS BURNED OUT. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED AGAIN AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE MOTOR BURNED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED . THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47000. UPDATED 01/27/11*JB

NHTSA ODI #10352832

28,000 miles · May 7, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND IN A NORMAL MANNER. AS I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AT FIRST THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AS IF THE BRAKES HAD NOT BEEN APPLIED. THE CAR CONTINUED MOVING AT THE SAME SPEED. AS I CONTINUED TO PUSH DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR DID SLOW DO…

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WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND IN A NORMAL MANNER. AS I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AT FIRST THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AS IF THE BRAKES HAD NOT BEEN APPLIED. THE CAR CONTINUED MOVING AT THE SAME SPEED. AS I CONTINUED TO PUSH DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR DID SLOW DOWN, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT FEEL NORMAL. THE PEDAL FELT AS IF IT WERE MOVING THROUGH SOME SORT OF THICK LIQUID. THE INCIDENT LASTED A FEW SECONDS. I HAD TO MAKE THE TURN AT A SPEED THAT WAS TOO HIGH. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. SINCE THEN, THE BRAKES HAVE BEHAVED NORMALLY. I HAD THE DEALER CHECK MY BRAKES. THEY FOUND NOTHING AND CHARGED ME FOR A BRAKE INSPECTION EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE, THEY CLAIM, THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED GM IN RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT. AT GM'S INSTRUCTIONS, MY BRAKES WERE CHECKED AGAIN AND AGAIN NOTHING WAS FOUND. TODAY, A GM REPRESENTATIVE DROVE THE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING. THE APPROACH HAS BEEN TO TRY TO REPRODUCE THE ERROR. SINCE THE BRAKES NOW WORK, THEY CAN'T FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG TO CAUSE THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE COMPANY HAS DONE ALL THEY INTEND TO DO AND I AM LEFT DRIVING A CAR UNDER WARRANTY THAT HAS SOME KIND OF BRAKE DEFECT. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE NEXT TIME IT OCCURS, I CAN AVOID AN ACCIDENT. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THE FAILURE. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10329313

900 miles · Jul 28, 2008
Air Bags

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE. THE INDICATOR DISPLAYS A "PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF" WARNING EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OR MORE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER ST…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE. THE INDICATOR DISPLAYS A "PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF" WARNING EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OR MORE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. DURING THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE KEPT FOR A FEW DAYS AND MUST BE BROUGHT IN WHILE THE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,300. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/19/08. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10236008

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.