Problems · by component

2006 Pontiac Torrent electrical system problems

63 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Pontiac Torrent cite electrical system, 26% of all 240 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
63
26% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“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 complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2018Electrical system, EngineODI 11101838
“HEATING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, SOMETIMES HEAT ONLY BLOWS COOL AIR, MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES THIS IS A DEFECT BUT ONLY ISSUED A LIMITED SPECIAL COVERAGE. THE SPECIAL COVERAGE EXPIRED IN FEB 2016, MY VEHICLE HEATING UNIT BROKE IN OCT 2016! THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THIS DEFECT! LISA OF HEATING UNIT CAUSES UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS WHEN WINDOWS CAN NOT DEFROST AS A RESULT OF DEFECT, ALSO OCCUPANTS FREEZE THEIR ASSES OFF IN THE WINTER! UNCONSCIONABLE THAT GM WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 21, 2016Electrical system, Unknown or other, Visibility/wiperODI 10927348
“A NUMBER OF UNUSUAL ISSUES HAVE PLAGUED US WITH THIS CAR! THE KEYS SLIDE OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. AT RANDOM TIMES, THE ENGINE WILL REV, BUT THE CAR WILL BARELY MOVE UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY STOPS. EVEN THEN IT WILL TURN ON AND THE ENGINE WILL RUN, BUT IT WON'T MOVE. AT OTHER TIMES, THE ELECTRICAL SHUTS DOWN AND THERE IS NO POWER AT ALL, NO LIGHTS OR SOUNDS. WE'VE REPLACED THE BATTERY (A VERY EXPENSIVE ONE AT THAT) TWICE, AS WHATEVER IS HAPPENING DRAINS IT. THE CAR THROWS CODES THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PASS INSPECTION. THESE INCLUDE: E-VAP, THROTTLE BODY, ASSORTED SENSORS, BREAK PEDAL, GAS CAP, HEAT/AC MOTOR, AND SO ON. WE HAVE REPLACED AND/OR REPAIRED EVERYTHING ON THE CODE LIST AND STILL, IT WON'T CLEAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ABS, AND TREAD LIGHT REMAIN ON NO MATTER WHAT WE DO. WE WERE ADVISED TO KEEP DRIVING IT UNTIL THE COMPUTER CLEARED THE CODES TO "READY", BUT IT'S NOT WORKING. RECENTLY, WHITE WISPS OF SMOKE WERE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, ALONG WITH A BURNING SMELL. THE CAR JUST DIED AND REFUSED TO START. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING WITH NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND DRIVING.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2016Electrical system, Service brakes, EngineODI 10924191
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT FAILED TO TURN OFF WITH THE KEY IN THE OFF POSITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE KEYS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE KEYS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 25, 2016Electrical systemODI 10861309
“MY IGNITION SWITCH MOVES OUT OF THE "RUN" POSITION, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK BUT RUNNING. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE THE SPEED IS 45 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CAR TURNS OFF. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THE KEY, INCLUDING THE FOB. I EVEN EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE TURNING OFF WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED BUT RUNNING. THE DEALER ADMITS TO A RECALL ON ANOTHER MODEL OF PONTIAC DURING THE SAME YEAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2016Electrical systemODI 10849811

Showing 6 of 63 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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

Other 2006 Torrent problem areas