2006 PONTIAC TORRENT Complaints

NO WARNING. HEAT WENT OUT ON 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. HEAT BLEND DOOR IS BROKE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF AROUND $800 TO $1,000. GM REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT AS VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. PART IS $55 TO $65 AND INTENSIVE LABOR CHARGES AROUND $1,000 (8 HOURS). THE AVERAGE AMERICAN CANNOT AFFORD THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. FOUND ON INTERNET, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THIS INCLUDES CHEVY EQUINOX'S. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH WHEN SHE ACTIVATED THE HEATER AND IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE AIR BLEND DOOR HAD FRACTURED AND POSSIBLY THE MOTOR. IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE FAILURE, THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD WOULD NEED TO0 BE REMOVED. IN ADDITION, THE DEFROSTER WAS INOPERABLE AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALER PER THE MANUFACTURER'S SUGGESTION AND THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE MECHANIC'S FINDINGS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER WAS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,675. UPDATED 02/03/11*LJ UPDATED 02/14/11

STARTED CAR ON A 20 DEGREE MORNING, AND DISCOVERED THE HEATER WOULD ONLY BLOW COLD AIR. NO HEAT NO DEFROST. AFTER CONTACTING OUR GM DEALERS SERVICE DEPT., WE DISCOVERED THERE IS AN ELECTRIC MOTOR THAT CONTROLS THE (AIR TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR) THAT FREQUENTLY MALFUNCTIONS AND OPENS THE BLEND DOOR BEYOND IT'S LIMITS AND BREAKS THE PLASTIC PINS. THE DOOR THEN NO LONGER OPENS,AND OF COURSE NO HEAT. THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN COLDER WEATHER UNTIL THIS IS REPAIRED TO THE TUNE OF $1100.00 TO $1500.00. THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD AND ALL COMPONENTS HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO ACCESS THIS $55.00 PART. GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECTIVE ACTUATOR (ELECTRIC MOTOR) AND THE LABOR TO REPLACE IT AS IT HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES (YOU CAN FIND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET) AND IT IS A HAZARD. *TR

I HAD BEEN TO A TOWN THAT WAS APPROX 30 MILES FROM MY HOME TO TAKE CARE OF SOME ERRANDS. I RETURNED BACK TO MY HOMETOWN AND STOPPED BY A STORE TO GRAB A COUPLE OF THINGS BEFORE HEADING TO WORK. I THEN RETURNED TO MY CAR AND PROCEEDED TO CRANK IT AND DRIVE OFF BUT WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO TAKE OFF I COULD NOT TURN MY STEERING WHEEL BUT MAYBE AN INCH OR TWO. I CALLED MY DAD TO COME AND CHECK IT BECAUSE HE IS A MECHANIC AND HE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. AFTER IT BEING SHUT OFF FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES HE CRANK IT UP AND THE STEERING WHEEL THEN WORKED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED BUT I WORK NIGHTS SO I DO NOT NEED TO BE STRANDED IN A DARK PARKING LOT. I HAVE ONLY HAD MY CAR FOR A YEAR. I BOUGHT IT USED BUT IT HAS NOT GIVEN ME ANY PROBLEMS UNTIL NOW. IT HAS AROUND 40,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

2006 PONTIAC TORRENT, 33,350 MILES. HEAT STOPPED WORKING. TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BROKEN AIR BLEND DOOR. PART COST AROUND $65. COST TO REPAIR, APPROXIMATELY $1000.00. MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD NEEDS TO BE REMOVED TO REPAIR THIS "CHEAP PART". THE MAJORITY OF THE COST IS LABOR. COULD NOT SEE OUT OF MY WINDOWS THIS MORNING BECAUSE THE DEFROST IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. GM SHOULD HAVE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PART. IN DOING RESEARCH, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY GENERAL MOTORS. THE DEALER WILL NOT REDUCE THE COST OF THIS REPAIR BECAUSE OF THE LABOR INVOLVED. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. PEOPLE NEED HEAT IN THEIR CAR AND THEY ALSO NEED A PROPER DEFROST SYSTEM. MANY PEOPLE, MYSELF INCLUDED CAN NOT AFFORD A $1000. REPAIR BILL ON A "CHEAP PART" WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL NOT BREAK AGAIN. *TR

THE HEAT BLEND DOOR ON MY 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT WITH 79,953. MILES ON IT FAILED ON OCTOBER 7, 2010. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS THE PROBLEM BY RESEARCHING THE INTERNET. I FOUND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE CHEVY EQUINOX & PONTIAC TORRENT, WHICH IS WHAT I OWN. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND AT FIRST HE WAS HESITANT ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND WHAT IT MAY COST AND THEN AFTER BEING PUT ON HOLD FOR SHORT WHILE HE SUDDENLY CAME UP WITH AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $ 1,000 FOR LABOR, PARTS WOULD BE EXTRA WHICH MEANS THE REAL COST WITH TAX & PARTS IS MORE LIKE $ 1,300.00. NOW IT SEEMS TO ME THAT GM SHOULD OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM AND AT THE VERY LEAST OFFER A PARTIAL SETTLEMENT BASED ON EACH CASE BECAUSE JUST ONE LAWSUIT WILL CERTAINLY COST MUCH MORE THAN THAT. IT APPEARS THAT NOT ONLY THE BLEND DOOR IS A PROBLEM, BUT ALSO THE ACTUATOR MOTOR WHICH OPERATES THE DOOR SEEMS TO BE AT FAULT BY JUMPING A FEW GEAR TEETH INSIDE THE SEALED CASE. THERE IS A WEBSITE WHERE THIS PROBLEM, REPAIR IS DOCUMENTED WITH DESCRIPTIONS AND PHOTOS OF THE JOB/PROBLEM FROM START TO FINISH. WWW.HANDYMANLYNESS.COM IS THE WEBSITE. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SHOULD NOT BE OUT OF THE QUESTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THE HEAT STOPPED WORKING; HOWEVER, THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTINUED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ACTUATOR DOOR ALSO FAILED WHICH WAS PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM GENERATING AIR TO HEAT. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84300.

2006 PONTIAC TORRENT ELECTRONIC STEERING ISSUES. CAR WAS STARTED PUT INTO REVERSE BUT THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND STEERING WAS BACK. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THIS PAST YEAR. ALSO WHEN MAKING TIGHT TURNS STEERING IS HARD TO TURN BACK THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. FEEL SOMETHING IS FAILING. *TR

I HAD VISITED THE LOCAL DEALER,CHEVROLET CASTRIOTA IN PORT RICHEY FLORIDA FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 18 MONTHS AGAIN. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AT MY COST ,NOT UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY 24 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW AND AGAIN TODAY 18 MONTHS LATER. LOOKS LIKE A PATTERN OF THESE BATTERIES LASTING 1- 2 YEARS. MY ACDELCO BATTERY ON MY PONTIAC TORRENT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE SECOND BATTERY OUT OF POCKET SINCE THE ORIGINAL BATTERY ONLY CARRIES LIMITED WARRANTY....EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERY IS NOW COVERED ,THE LABOR EACH INCIDENT IS NOT. SO EACH TIME IM IN ITS COSTING MONEY...WHAT A RACKET....THERE'S ALWAYS HAVE BEEN HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ACDELCO BATTERIES...I HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH ACDELCO OVER 10 YEARS AGO WITH OTHER VEHICLES BUT EXPECTED THEM TO BE RESOLVED BY KNOW.BUT WE ARE GUARANTEED TO VISIT THE DEALER AND PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A PRODUCT THAT CARRIES 5 YEAR WARRANTY BUT LASTS 1-2 YEARS WITH LABOR CHARGES.....,AMAZING....WHERE'S THE CLASS ACTION GURU'S WHEN YOU NEED THEM..HEEE. *TR

01-01-2009 STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH MY PONTIAC TORRENT 2006 VEHICLE MAKING LOTS OF NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING CLUNKING POPPING NOISE, DEALERSHIP CLAIMS MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR