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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
65,000 miles · May 20, 2013
Steering

I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AUTO PARK. DRIVING HOME AND GETTING ON THE BYPASS GOING APPX 65 MPH IT WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. THE ONLY WAY TO DESCRIBE IT IS SAYING IT IS LIKE DRIVING A CAR WITH NO POWER STEERING. I TOOK IT TO 3 PLACES AND ALL SAID IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING AND COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED. MY HUSBAND TOOK IT ON VACA…

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I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AUTO PARK. DRIVING HOME AND GETTING ON THE BYPASS GOING APPX 65 MPH IT WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. THE ONLY WAY TO DESCRIBE IT IS SAYING IT IS LIKE DRIVING A CAR WITH NO POWER STEERING. I TOOK IT TO 3 PLACES AND ALL SAID IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING AND COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED. MY HUSBAND TOOK IT ON VACATION IN JUNE 2012 AND WILL NEVER DRIVE IT AGAIN BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE... HE WILL NOT LET OUR SON DRIVE IT BECAUSE HE FEELS IT IS UNSAFE. I AM FINALLY SEEING OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. WHAT CAN BE DONE. IT HAS 90,000 MILES NOW. I HAVE 3 BOYS AND DRIVE A LOT. I NEED THIS FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10512797

59,000 miles · Apr 24, 2013
Engine

BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10509469

84,625 miles · Apr 14, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineVisibility/wiper

PURCHASED VEHICLE USED ON 12/06/2006 WITH 9,968 MILES. REPLACED ENTIRE ENGINE ($5,000) ON 03/27/2009 DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET (WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY). MILEAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 84,625. IN APPROXIMATELY 2009 THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW STARTED GOING UP AND DOWN SPONTANEOUSLY. M…

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PURCHASED VEHICLE USED ON 12/06/2006 WITH 9,968 MILES. REPLACED ENTIRE ENGINE ($5,000) ON 03/27/2009 DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET (WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY). MILEAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 84,625. IN APPROXIMATELY 2009 THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW STARTED GOING UP AND DOWN SPONTANEOUSLY. MY DOG HAD HER HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW AND IT SPONTANEOUSLY CLOSED ON HER HEAD, RESTRICTING HER AIRWAY. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS RIPPED APART AND WIRING WAS REPLACED. THE WINDOW WORKED CORRECTLY FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS AND THEN IN 2011, THE WINDOW STOPPED WORKING ENTIRELY. HAVE HAD 3 WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED (ONE TWICE). IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY OF 2013, THE IGNITION SWITCH AND FUSE CENTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. MECHANICS ADVISED THAT THE FUSE CENTER/PANEL WAS ON "NATIONAL BACK ORDER" WITH NO KNOWN AVAILABLE DATE. THEY REPAIRED IT. TOTAL COST PAID FOR THAT REPAIR WAS OVER $335.87. MILEAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 171827 ON APRIL 12TH THE HEATER STOPPED WORKING AS I WAS DRIVING. THE FAN STILL BLOWS BUT ONLY COLD AIR. THE HOSES FROM THE COOLANT TANK HEAT UP WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING. KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL. ACCORDING TO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FILED THE ENTIRE DASH WILL NEED TO BE DISMANTLED TO FIX THE BLEND DOOR/ACTUATOR. KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10508170

126,000 miles · Apr 11, 2013
Electrical SystemSeatsFireInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER SEAT WIRES MELTED THROUGH THE SEAT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A THIRD DEGREE BURN ON HER LOWER BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER W…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER SEAT WIRES MELTED THROUGH THE SEAT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A THIRD DEGREE BURN ON HER LOWER BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10505930

117,000 miles · Apr 7, 2013
Steering

A FEW DAYS AGO MY TORRENT WHICH IS A 2006 MODEL, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED LOCKING UP. IT HAPPENS WHEN I START THE TRUCK UP AND I PUT IT IN ANY GEAR. THE WHEEL ITSELF WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL. LAST NIGHT WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COMPLETELY STAYED STRAIGHT AND WOULD NOT MOVE. YESTERDAY IT LOCKED UP…

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A FEW DAYS AGO MY TORRENT WHICH IS A 2006 MODEL, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED LOCKING UP. IT HAPPENS WHEN I START THE TRUCK UP AND I PUT IT IN ANY GEAR. THE WHEEL ITSELF WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL. LAST NIGHT WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COMPLETELY STAYED STRAIGHT AND WOULD NOT MOVE. YESTERDAY IT LOCKED UP IN THE PARKING LOT BEFORE I WENT TO LEAVE THE WHEEL AGAIN WOULD NOT MOVE. I THEN PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE TRUCK AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL WHERE THE WHEEL WAS MOVING LIKE NORMAL. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK. ITS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND IM A SINGLE MOM WITH A SMALL CHILD AND I DONT FEEL SAFE PUTTING MY CHILD IN THE TRUCK AND DRVING HIM AROUND WITH THE FEAR OF IT LOCKING UP AND THEN POSSIBLY HITTING SOMETHING AND HURTING US OR SOMEONE ELSE DUE TO A MALFUCTION. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10507384

79,000 miles · Mar 7, 2013
Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper

I STARTED MY TORRENT JUST LIKE ANY MORNING, THE HEATER RAN FOR MAYBE 10 MINUTES THEN JUST STOPPED. IT WILL NOT BLOW OUT ANY KIND OF AIR (HOT OR COLD). BEING WINTER, COLD AND FROSTY, THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. WITH NO DEFROSTER IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE, AND ITS VERY COLD. IT COSTS AROUND 1200 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. EVEN …

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I STARTED MY TORRENT JUST LIKE ANY MORNING, THE HEATER RAN FOR MAYBE 10 MINUTES THEN JUST STOPPED. IT WILL NOT BLOW OUT ANY KIND OF AIR (HOT OR COLD). BEING WINTER, COLD AND FROSTY, THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. WITH NO DEFROSTER IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE, AND ITS VERY COLD. IT COSTS AROUND 1200 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. EVEN IF IT IS FIXED I AS TOLD THE WAY THAT THEY MADE THE TORRENT THAT IT WILL JUST BREAK AGAIN. I DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF CASH JUST LAYING AROUND. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BUT GM IS TO CHEAP. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. I DRIVE ALONG WAYS AND ITS DANGEROUS NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10502014

68,000 miles · Jan 14, 2013
EngineEquipment Adaptive/mobilityVehicle Speed Control

TOTAL OF 4 OCCURRENCES. AFTER ACCELERATING, ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME LODGED IN ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MAT AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AFTER THE OPERATOR REMOVED PRESSURE FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. UNINTENDED, UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION CONTINUED DURING ATTEMPTED BRAKING. CONTINUED BRAKING WAS ONLY MARGINALLY EFFECTIVE AT…

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TOTAL OF 4 OCCURRENCES. AFTER ACCELERATING, ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME LODGED IN ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MAT AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AFTER THE OPERATOR REMOVED PRESSURE FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. UNINTENDED, UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION CONTINUED DURING ATTEMPTED BRAKING. CONTINUED BRAKING WAS ONLY MARGINALLY EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING VEHICLE SPEED. OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO GRADUALLY REDUCE SPEED THROUGH CONTINUOUS BRAKING ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO DELIVER POWER IN OPPOSITION. ULTIMATELY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RELEASED FROM THE FLOOR MAT AND THE DRIVER BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. PRIOR TO THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, AFTER-MARKET FLOOR MATS HAD BEEN INSTALLED FOR LESS THAN 1MONTH AND WERE SUSPECTED TO BE DEFECTIVE AS THEY HAVE NARROW, DEEP "WELLS" THAT CROSS THE MAT SIDE TO SIDE IN THE REGION BELOW THE PEDALS RATHER THAN ALONG THE LENGTH. BY INSPECTION, IT WAS EASILY DETERMINED THAT THE HEEL OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL EASILY BECAME ENTRAPPED IN THOSE WELLS. FOLLOWING THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE FLOOR MATS WERE REPLACED WITH ONES WITHOUT THE DEEP HORIZONTAL WELLS. HOWEVER, 3 ADDITIONAL SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WITH THOSE MATS. THE DURATION OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WAS MUCH LESS BECAUSE THE OPERATOR KNEW TO "KICK" THE PEDAL LOOSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10492872

Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 2013
Visibility/wiper

MY 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATER, INCLUDING THE DEFROSTER. I LIVE IN AN AREA WITH A LOT OF SNOW, ICE AND EXTREME COLD AND OFTEN TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN THE WINTER THE WINDSHIELD BUILDS TOO MUCH FROST TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUT OF IT. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE REPAIR IS VER…

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MY 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATER, INCLUDING THE DEFROSTER. I LIVE IN AN AREA WITH A LOT OF SNOW, ICE AND EXTREME COLD AND OFTEN TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN THE WINTER THE WINDSHIELD BUILDS TOO MUCH FROST TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUT OF IT. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE REPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE (ABOUT $1000). AS I UNDERSTAND IT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. I BELIEVE GM SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10492860

100,000 miles · Nov 28, 2012
Visibility/wiper

I OWN A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT MY HEATING SYSTEM STARTED GETTING INTERMITTENT THE END OF WINTER LAST YEAR 2011 I DID RECEIVE A RECALL LETTER IN. THE MAIL FROM GM ABOUT THERE HEARING SYSTEM SWITCH BUT NOTHING ABOUT THERE HEATING SYSTEM SEEMS LIKE AFTER READING UP ON THIS ISSUE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT IS HAVING HEARING SYSTEM PROB…

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I OWN A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT MY HEATING SYSTEM STARTED GETTING INTERMITTENT THE END OF WINTER LAST YEAR 2011 I DID RECEIVE A RECALL LETTER IN. THE MAIL FROM GM ABOUT THERE HEARING SYSTEM SWITCH BUT NOTHING ABOUT THERE HEATING SYSTEM SEEMS LIKE AFTER READING UP ON THIS ISSUE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT IS HAVING HEARING SYSTEM PROBLEMS I SPOKE TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT THEY SAID THAT IF ITS NOT BE SWITCH ITS NOT HERE PROBLEM FROM THE SOUNDS OF IT GM HAS MORE THAN JUST A SWITCH PROBLEM !!!! THE ECONOMY SUCKS ENOUGH I CAN'T SPEND 1000'S OF DOLLARS TRYING TO ELIMINATE A OBVIOUSLY EXISTING PROBLEM !! WHO IS THERE TO BAIL OUT WHO? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10486370

72,997 miles · Nov 26, 2012
Structure

THE UPPER TAILGATE SPOILER FLEW OFF. THIS IS NOT AN ADDED ACCESSORY.THIS IS A HEAVY BODY COMPONENT. THERE WAS NO IMPACT THAT CAUSED IT. FORTUNATELY, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO ONE BEHIND ME WAS INJURED.I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS MISSING UNTIL I DISCOVERED IT DAYS LATER. I JUST WENT OUT ONE MORNING AND NOTICED IT WAS GONE. I HAVE READ ON LINE…

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THE UPPER TAILGATE SPOILER FLEW OFF. THIS IS NOT AN ADDED ACCESSORY.THIS IS A HEAVY BODY COMPONENT. THERE WAS NO IMPACT THAT CAUSED IT. FORTUNATELY, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO ONE BEHIND ME WAS INJURED.I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS MISSING UNTIL I DISCOVERED IT DAYS LATER. I JUST WENT OUT ONE MORNING AND NOTICED IT WAS GONE. I HAVE READ ON LINE WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS DANGEROUS AND I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST ON THE CHEVY EQUINOX AND PERHAPS MORE VEHICLES FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10485996

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.