FaultScore

2006 Pontiac Torrent acceleration problems

11 of the 362 complaints about the 2006 Pontiac Torrent are about the throttle and cruise control — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 49,000 miles.

C

11

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Vehicle Speed Control 9 81.8%
Cruise Control 1 9.1%
Accelerator Pedal 1 9.1%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 130,000 miles Eight Mile, AL

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY POWERS DOWN COMPLETELY LOOSING STEERING, BRAKING, ACCELERATION, EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND LIGHTS, NO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW OR LOCATION. NO RHYME OR REASON TO THE SPORADIC COMPLETE SHUT DOWN AND DOESN'T START BACK IMMEDIATELY AND SOMETIMES MINUTES TO HOURS BEFORE IT WILL. NOT SAFE IN THE HIGHWAY OR SIDE ROADS OR ANYWHERE. THERE IS A FAULT WITH THE PROGRAMMING IN THE ECU AND GM IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN REPAIR IT. VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED AND I SPENT JUST AS MUCH AS THE PURCHASE SINCE REPLACING PARTS! IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED IF YOU GOOGLE SEARCH THE YEAR MAKE AND MODEL WITH DYING WHEN DRIVING OR SIMILAR IT'S CLEARLY SOMETHING WITH MOST OF THESE VEHICLES UNFORTUNATELY! SCARY AND UNSAFE FOR EVERYONE ON THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY AFTER DARK WHEN IT HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANYTHING TO ALERT OTHERS, PLEASE HELP THIS VEHICLE WILL DIE WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR INTERSTATE AT HIGH SPEED OR LOW SPEED WHEN BRAKING OR ACCELERATING OR SITTING AT A RED LIGHT! I HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED AND IT STILL HAPPENS AND THE REPAIR SHOP NOW IS STILL WAITING FOR GM TO REWRITE OR CHANGE THE PROGRAMMING TO HOPEFULLY FIX THE ISSUES BUT THIS IS UNBELIEVABLY DANGEROUS AND CAN BE DEADLY

NHTSA complaint #11256248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 93,000 miles Swansea, IL Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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.

NHTSA complaint #11105309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Cobb, OK

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, OR EVEN IN MOTION I AM ABLE TO PULL THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION. YOU HAVE TO TURN YOUR STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH AND SO ON TO EVEN GET THE RADIO TO COME ON AT INITIAL START UP. TURNING THE KEY OFF AND ON AND HOPEFULLY NOT LOCK UP THE COLUMN TO THE POINT I AM UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY ON. THE SCARY THING IS BEING ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING AND NOT IN THE OFF POSITION. THE COLD HOT SWITCH ON THE PANEL HAS TO BE TURNED VERY SLOWLY OR IT WILL NOT TURN TO AIR CONDITIONING. IF YOU DO IT TO QUICKLY, IT ACTS AS IF IT IS STILL IN THE RED POSITION. THE DEALERSHIP HAD ALREADY REPLACED THIS ISSUE WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN DEC. 2010 USED 2ND OWNERS WITH ONLY 90,000 MILES ON IT NOW. HAD ISSUES WITH THE RADIO SINCE PURCHASE DATE, THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE, BUT CONTINUED TO GET WORST TO THE POINT OF JUST PULLING THE KEYS OUT WHILE RUNNING. THE SPEED CONTROL ALSO SHUTS OFF AND DOES NOT MAINTAIN WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. IT HOLDS FOR ABOUT 2 MINUTES AND JUST SHUTS OFF. THE SPEED CONTAIN ICON STILL SHOWS ON BUT IT LOSES POWER AND DOES NOT WORK. YOU HAVE TO TURN OFF AND ON SPEED CONTROL CONSTANTLY. SO LETS SAY ITS NOT USED SO MUCH ANYMORE.

NHTSA complaint #10836230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Jackson, MS

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY SUNROOF DRAINS CLOGS REPEATEDLY WHICH CAUSES ANKLE DEEP WATER TO PUDDLE INSIDE. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED FROM WORK LAST MONTH BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AFTER RAIN LEAKED EVERYWHERE. IN ADDITION I HAD TO BUM A RIDE TO WORK BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE DUE TO THE FACT IT WAS WET FROM THE RAIN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON CAUSING MY CAR TO LOSE SPEED. ALTHOUGH PEDAL IS PUSH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FLOOR IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE. I WOULD HATE TO BE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AND LOSE SPEED DURING RUSH HOUR.

NHTSA complaint #10594672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 68,000 miles Brooklyn, WI

VEHICLE 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 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.

NHTSA complaint #10492872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,894 miles Southaven, MS

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I SET MY CRUISE CONTROL AND AFTER DRIVING A LITTLE WHILE IT RESET CAUSING ME TO SLOW DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE SECOND IS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START MY VEHICLE IT WOULDN'T CRANK CAUSING ME TO ATTEMPT TWO OR THREE MORE TIMES BEFORE IT WAS SUCCESSFUL. I TOOK IT TOO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND THEY TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. THIRD I WOKE UP SUNDAY MORNING AND I HAD NO HEAT IN MY TRUCK THE HEATER IS BLOWING COOL AIR I WAS TOLD THAT WAS THE BLEND BOX. AND WHEN I WENT TO FILL UP MY GAS TANK THIS MORNING THE FUEL METER STOPPED AT 3/4 OF A TANK WHEN I KNOW IT IS ON A FULL TANK. I HAVE NOT REPLACED ANY PARTS AT THIS TIME BECAUSE I AM AWARE IT WILL COST SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX THE BLEND BOX.

NHTSA complaint #10378590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 30,000 miles Brentwood, WI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSED CONTINUOUS ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELRATING ONCE IT WAS SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 30,000.

NHTSA complaint #10226803 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 189 miles Kihei, HI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE ENGINE SURGED AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS. THIS FAILURE OCCURS EACH TIME THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. THE MANUFACTURER/DEALER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO REPAIR IT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,000. THE CONTACT HAS REPAIR INVOICES.

NHTSA complaint #10188241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 10,000 miles Sterling Heights, MI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN THE DEFROSTER OR AIR CONDITIONING IS ENGAGED, THE RPMS SPIKE EVERY 45 SECONDS. IF THE VEHICLE IS AT A STOP, IT WILL SURGE FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A REST. ADDITIONAL BRAKE PRESSURE WILL STOP THE SURGE. SEPARATE COMPLAINT REGARDING A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AFTER IGNITION OR SHORTLY AFTER. THESE COMPLAINTS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO ODI ID NUMBER: 10168679.

NHTSA complaint #10175987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 9,600 miles Tyrone, PA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THERE WAS A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE REAR AXLE, TIE ROD, AND OTHER COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED. THE DEALERSHIP READJUSTED THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE PROBLEM CEASED. ALSO, WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE LIFTERS IN THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DID NOT ALSO CLOSE COMPLETELY. THIS HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. UPDATED 10/31/2006 - THE CONSUMER HAS MET WITH A GM REP. GM HAS AGREED TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE BUT NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING.

NHTSA complaint #10168679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,699 miles Pasadena, MD Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO BACK OUT OF PARKING SPACE, 2006 TORRENT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED IN REVERSE AT HIGH SPEED. *TS AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE CRASHED ONTO ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER'S BODY SHOP. WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO DO AN ALIGNMENT THEY NOTICED DAMAGE TO THE STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENTS (RIGHT FRONT STRUT, STEERING KNUCKLE, HUB, BEARING AND LOWER CONTROL ARM). THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE SHOP TO BE INSPECTED. THE TECHNICIAN INSPECTED AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO CODES STORED IN THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER AND DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED.

NHTSA complaint #10152991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2006 Pontiac Torrent problems

← Full 2006 Pontiac Torrent report