2006 Pontiac Torrent: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 240 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is visibility (24% of complaints); the 2008 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
240
owner complaints
10
fire reports
80,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No recall campaignsProblems tend to appear late (median 80,000 mi)Weak spot: visibility (24%)10 fire reports
Common problems
Computed from 240 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Visibility (windshield, wipers, defroster, mirrors)24% · 57 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)15% · 36 complaints
Steering (steering wheel, rack, power assist)10% · 24 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)7% · 16 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling (engine, radiator, overheating)6% · 15 complaints
Visibility/Wiper (windshield, wipers, defroster, mirrors)5% · 11 complaints
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac torrent. The contact stated that the windshield wiper blades inadvertently disengaged while in use as smoke was seen coming from the ignition. The contact pulled over and exited the vehicle. The contact opened the hood and flames were seen. The fire department was not contacted as the fire was extinguished by the rain. No injuries were sustained. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The condition of the vehicle was unknown. The failure mileage was unknown.”Owner report · Electronic Stability Control (Esc) · May 2019
“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).”Owner report · Suspension · Apr 2019
“While driving and stopping my brakes make a grinding noise and the ABS and tc control lights turn on this has happened several times”Owner report · Service Brakes · Apr 2019
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac torrent. While driving 60 mph, the engine seized. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and exhibited the same symptoms as unknown NHTSA id number: 10573465. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who could not diagnose the failure. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac torrent. While driving 50 mph, the steering wheel shook violently and the vehicle started to decelerate. In addition, a burning odor was emitted through the air vents. When the vehicle was parked, smoke was seen coming front the front driver's side tire. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000.”Owner report · Steering · Jun 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac torrent. While operating the vehicle, the heater failed to produce hot air and the windows failed to defrost. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the heater blend door was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer (lance buick gmc, 2 chauncy st, mansfield, ma) were both notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 65,000. The VIN was not availalble.”Owner report · Visibility · Jun 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac torrent. While starting the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal knocking sound and various warning indicators illuminated. The abnormal noise recurred while driving 30 mph. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and it was diagnosed that the engine failed and needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2018
“My heated seat burned a hole through my seat and through my sweat shirt and onto my skin burning me. My car was parked and I was sitting in the seat waiting for it to warm up”Owner report · Seats · Jan 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2006 pontiac torrent. While depressing the brake pedal, the steering wheel seized. In addition, the vehicle shook violently when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wheel bearing needed to be replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 194,152.”Owner report · Steering · Dec 2017
“Power steering failure without prior symptoms - power assist failed without warning after being driven/parked/started and driven. Was then parked/waited and it worked again(?) - others have reported failure while underway. Consider this notice as date-stamped for future legal use. Please advise on next steps/options. Http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2006/pontiac/torrent/steering/problem.aspx”Owner report · Steering · Aug 2017
When filing, owners marked a crash in 10 of these complaints and injuries in 15 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2006 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
Body stylesSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
How other years compare
Check your exact Torrent by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Pontiac Torrent reliable?
NHTSA has 240 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2006 Pontiac Torrent. The most complained-about area is visibility (24% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2006 Pontiac Torrent problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 80,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.