Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Pontiac Torrent problems

Owners filed 240 complaints about the 2006 Pontiac Torrent with NHTSA between Feb 2006 and Sep 2021. The most-cited component is visibility (73).

Complaints
240
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
15
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility73
  2. Electrical system63
  3. Engine29
  4. Steering29
  5. Engine and engine cooling21
  6. Visibility/wiper16
  7. Service brakes14
  8. Seats12
  9. Vehicle speed control11
  10. Structure11
  11. Suspension10
  12. Air bags10
  13. Electronic stability control (esc)9
  14. Fuel/propulsion system7

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20068
20075
20083
200912
201029
201147
201218
201315
201449
201518
201610
201713
20188
20194
20200
20211

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility

73 reports
“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 complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2018VisibilityODI 11104279

Electrical system

63 reports1 crash5 fires
“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 complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2019Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)Fire reportedODI 11206455

Engine

29 reports3 fires
“The contact owns a 2006 Pontiac Torrent. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the power steering failed to operate as designed, the brakes seized, and the vehicle lost motive power with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact poured water onto the onboard computer, located on top of the engine to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic installed a new onboard computer however, the new onboard computer failed to operate without the service code required. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be serviced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,500. The VIN was unavailable.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2021EngineODI 11434556

Steering

29 reports3 crashes1 fire
“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 complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2018Steering, Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 11105309

Engine and engine cooling

21 reports
“I HAVE NO HEAT FROM THE VEHICLE NO MATTER WHICH SETTING IS USED. I HAVE READ SEVERAL ARTICLES THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT AND CHEVY EQUINOX. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 7, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10641909

Visibility/wiper

16 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHEN THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED, COLD AIR BLEW FROM THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE KEMP BLEND DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (WALSER BUICK GMC OF BLOOMINGTON, 4601 AMERICAN BLVD WEST, BLOOMINGTON, MN 55437) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3687100903. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 20, 2017Visibility/wiperODI 11055798
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.