2008 PONTIAC TORRENT Complaints

NOTED GAS SMELL AROUND THE BACK OF VEHICLE. REVIEWED FOR POSSIBLE GAS CAP ISSUE BUT THIS WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. FURTHER REVIEW FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFIED A SMALL GAS LEAK COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. GAS TANK IS LOCATED NEXT TO EXHAUST PIPE THAT COULD CAUSE FIRE. TOOK VEHICLE TO NOTED DEALER AND THEY CONDUCTED A MORE DETAIL REVIEW OF PROBLEM THAT WAS IDENTIFIED GAS LEAK WAS COMING FROM TOP OF GAS TANK (FUEL PUMP AND LINES ISSUE) AND IF NOT NOTED OR ATTENDED TO COULD RESULT IN POSSIBLE IGNITION OF GAS TANK, EXPLOSION AND POSSIBLE LOST OF PASSENGER LIFE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF ACTIVITY THAT WOULD ENHANCE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. CLEARLY A VEHICLE DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO AVOID POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUES. A RECALL SHOULD BE REVIEWED. THIS ISSUE SHOULD WARRANT COMPLETE WARRANTY COVERAGE BY VEHICLE AT NO EXPENSE TO OWNER. NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE BUT A DEFECTIVE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR IS FAULTY. IT WILL NOT STAY ACTIVE WHEN THERE IS A PERSON SEATING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. EVERYTIME I TURN ON THE CAR THE CHECK AIR BAG LIGHT TURNS ON. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMALLY STRONG ODOR OF FUEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM THE SEALS OF THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT AWD. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 45 MPH WHEN THE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

I PURCHASED A NEW SET OF BRIDGESTONE TIRES IN FEBRUARY 2010 THAT WERE RATED AT 80,000 MILES. I HAD THEM ROTATED ON A REGULAR BASIS. I JUST WENT IN FOR ANOTHER TIRE ROTATION WHICH DISCOUNT TIRE REFUSED TO PERFORM DUE TO THE UNSAFE CONDITION OF MY TIRES. I ONLY GOT 36,982 MILES OUT OF THE BRIDGESTONE TIRES, WHICH WERE SUPPOSED TO BE RATED AT 80,000 MILES. IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT I DID NOT GET EVEN CLOSE TO THE NUMBER OF MILES RATED ON THE TIRES, I FOUND OUT THAT BRIDGESTONE HAD CHANGED THE RATING ON THE TIRES TO 0 MILES. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT BRIDGESTONE DID NOT INFORM ME, AS THE CUSTOMER, OF THIS QUALITY/SAFETY CONCERN ON THE TIRES. INSTEAD I HAD TO HEAR OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES FROM DISCOUNT TIRE AT THE TIME OF ROTATION. LASTLY, THE FACT THAT BRIDGESTONE CHANGED THE RATING ON THE TIRES FROM 80,000 MILES TO 0 MILES IS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM THE BRIDGESTONE COMPANY THAT THERE IS A WEAR CONCERN WITH THESE TIRES. DISCOUNT TIRE INFORMED ME THAT BRIDGESTONE WOULD ONLY GIVE ME CREDIT FOR $37.00 TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF EACH NEW TIRE. A WEAR CONCERN SUCH AS THIS WOULD MAKE ME EXPECT A RECALL NOTICE AND NEW TIRES WOULD BE PROVIDED TO ME AT THE EXPENSE OF BRIDGESTONE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM APPALLED AT BRIDGESTONE'S CONDUCT. OBVIOUSLY BRIDGESTONE DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR TIRES. I HAVE DONE MY PART AND ROTATED THE TIRES ON THE SCHEDULE: ROTATED: SEPTEMBER 2010 AT 56,018, ROTATED:MARCH 2011 AT 64729, ROTATED: MAY 2011 AT 67,866, ROTATED: SEPTEMBER 2011 AT 74,296, NEW TIRES PURCHASED: MARCH 2012 AT 83,620. *TR *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A LOUD METAL ON METAL CLANKING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE DRIVE SHAFT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE FOURTH TIME PERTAINING TO THE DRIVE SHAFT REPLACEMENT. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE REPEATED FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE DRIVE SHAFT. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

AFTER INFLATING A TIRE, THE VEHICLE'S VALVE STEM BROKE AT THE TPMS SENSOR RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF ALL AIR IN THE TIRE. *TR

WITHIN 1 MONTH OF EACH OTHER 2 VALVE STEMS BROKE. TIRE WENT FROM BEING RIGHT ON TIRE PRESSURE TO NO TIRE PRESSURE IN SECONDS. VALVE STEM BROKE ONCE BY REMOVING VALVE STEM CAP AND THE OTHER ONE REMOVING TIRE PUMP NOZZLE. BOTH TIMES TIRES WENT COMPLETELY FLAT IN SECONDS. DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME ABOUT $325 TO REPLACE THESE TIRE STEMS. THIS LEAVES ME WITH 2 MORE IN QUESTION. MY FAMILY RIDES IN THIS VEHICLE WITH ME A LOT. NOTICED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT SIMILAR INCIDENTS AND CONCERNS. THE DEALERSHIP ACTUALLY SUGGESTED THESE PROBABLY GOT BROKE AT A CAR WASH. THEY BOTH BROKE IN FRONT OF MY FACE TRYING TO ADD AIR. SOMEONE WILL DIE BECAUSE OF THESE TIRES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THERE WAS A BURNING INSULATION SMELL AND WHEN TURNING ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER THEY FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT THEN DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CHECKED THE FUSE WHICH WAS BURNED OUT. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED AGAIN AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE MOTOR BURNED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED . THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47000. UPDATED 01/27/11*JB

WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND IN A NORMAL MANNER. AS I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AT FIRST THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AS IF THE BRAKES HAD NOT BEEN APPLIED. THE CAR CONTINUED MOVING AT THE SAME SPEED. AS I CONTINUED TO PUSH DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR DID SLOW DOWN, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT FEEL NORMAL. THE PEDAL FELT AS IF IT WERE MOVING THROUGH SOME SORT OF THICK LIQUID. THE INCIDENT LASTED A FEW SECONDS. I HAD TO MAKE THE TURN AT A SPEED THAT WAS TOO HIGH. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. SINCE THEN, THE BRAKES HAVE BEHAVED NORMALLY. I HAD THE DEALER CHECK MY BRAKES. THEY FOUND NOTHING AND CHARGED ME FOR A BRAKE INSPECTION EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE, THEY CLAIM, THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED GM IN RESPONSE TO MY COMPLAINT. AT GM'S INSTRUCTIONS, MY BRAKES WERE CHECKED AGAIN AND AGAIN NOTHING WAS FOUND. TODAY, A GM REPRESENTATIVE DROVE THE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING. THE APPROACH HAS BEEN TO TRY TO REPRODUCE THE ERROR. SINCE THE BRAKES NOW WORK, THEY CAN'T FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG TO CAUSE THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE COMPANY HAS DONE ALL THEY INTEND TO DO AND I AM LEFT DRIVING A CAR UNDER WARRANTY THAT HAS SOME KIND OF BRAKE DEFECT. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE NEXT TIME IT OCCURS, I CAN AVOID AN ACCIDENT. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF THE FAILURE. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT TO HAPPEN. *TR