Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Pontiac Torrent submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN, IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON THEIR OWN. THE SERVICE STABILTRAK LIGHT BLINKS, STABILITRAK OFF, AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF FLASH. IT FEELS AS IF THE WHEELS DO NOT SLOW AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE MAKES AN AWFUL NOISE.
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR DOESN'T WORK. IT DOESN'T RECONIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CHILD AND AN ADULT. THIS HAPPENS WHEATHER MOVING OR SITTING STILL. THIS HAS BEEN MESSED UP FOR A LONG TIME. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE ITS PARKED, OR ON ANY TYPE STREET. I'VE HAD IT CHECKED AND THE REPAIR MAN SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STABILITY, TRACTION CONTROL, AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS KEPT RANDOMLY FLASHING. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED AND TRAVELING ON BUMPY ROADS, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO THE POINT OF POTENTIALLY STALLING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE TWICE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES CONTINUED. ALSO, THE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES FAILED TO ILLUMINATE, AT TIMES, DURING THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND HAD NOT ISSUED ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT FIRST HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING DURING THANKSGIVING AND HAS STAYED ON THRU TODAY DEC. 3 2017
THE STABILITY LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. NOW ADDING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. LITTLE LOSS OF POWER. SEEMS LIKE A COMMON THING WITH THIS CAR.
"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. IT FIRST STARTED WITH MY CAR SLOWING DOWN, DIDN'T MATTER HOW HARD YOU PRESS THE GAS IT WILL NOT MOVE. THEN AFTER LETTING IT SET OF A MINUTE/COOLDOWN, IT WILL RIDE FOR A FEW MILES THEN COMPLETE STOP WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING. I NOTICE A HOT SMELL COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND STABILITRACK STATE THAT IT NEEDS SERVICE. WHEN I DRIVE IT THE BRAKES STOP THE CAR ON ITS OWN. I TOOK THE CAR TO GMC AND IT COST ME $1700 FOR THEM TO FIX BRAKE PRESSURE MODULE, BRAKE ELECTRIC CONTROL PANEL, I REPLACED HUB BEARINGS AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. SINCE THOSE THINGS WERE REPLACED, I CAN DRIVE A LITTLE LONGER WITHOUT THE HUB BEARINGS. I TOOK MY CAR TO GMC 3 TIMES. AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND THEY SAID THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED, HOW WHEN IT WAS NEVER USED.
MY AIR BAG LIGHT ON PASSENGER SIDE IS NOT AT ALL WORKING. OFF WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. NOW MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MAKES ALL LIGHTS ON MY DASH TO COME ON. TRACTION CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AIR BAG, AND SO ON AND SO ON. TOOK CAR TO SERVICE CENTER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG..
SERVICE STABILITRAC LIGHT CAME ON EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS UNDER HARD OR FULL THROTTLE ON DRY PAVEMENT. UNIT TAKEN TO THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY AND I WAS SENT A BILL TO TEST THE UNIT AND TOLD THAT UNIT NEEDED A NEW MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. TOOK UNIT HOME, MASS AIR FLOW TESTED OUT FINE. I REPLACED THE SENSOR ONE MONTH LATER AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS TO THIS DATE. I HAVE TESTED EVERY SENSOR RELATED TO THE STABILITRAC SYSTEM ON THIS UNIT AND ALL ARE FINE. GENERAL MOTORS HAS AN ISSUE WITH THIS STABILTRAC SYSTEM BUT IS FAILING TO ADMIT. RESEARCH ON MULTIPLE GM PRODUCTS VERIFIES A CONSISTENT ISSUE ACROSS THE BOARD. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AS IT SHUTS DOWN MANY OF THE INSTALLED SAFETY SYSTEMS WHEN THE SERVICE STABILTRAC LIGHT COMES ON AND THE STABILITRAC GOES INACTIVE. I HAVE WORKED ON CARS FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND KEEP UP TO DATE ON HOW NEWER SYSTEMS FUNCTION. I AM NOT BITTER TOWARDS GM AS I HAVE OWNED OVER 20 GM PRODUCTS IN MY LIFE. THIS ALONG WITH THE STEERING ISSUES NEED TO BE A SAFETY RECALL BEFORE TOO MANY LIVES ARE INJURED OR LOST TO FORCE THEIR HAND ON THE RECALLS.
AS I STARTED MY VEHICLE I NOTICED A MESSAGE SAYING TO SERVICE STABILITRACK CONTROL. I TRIED PRESSING THE BUTTON TO TAKE IT OFF BUT NOTHING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD ARE CONSTANTLY COMING ON. OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS, I CONSTANTLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE "CHECK ENGINE"; "SERVICE STABILITRAK"; AND "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" LIGHTS COMING ON. I LIVE IN PA AND WAS DRIVING TO MISSISSIPPI WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED AND NEEDLESS TO SAY I PANICKED. I CALLED BACK HOME TO MY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I SHOULD BE OKAY UNTIL I GOT HOME, THAT I ONLY NEEDED TO BE CONCERNED IF THE ROADS WERE WET. IT WAS ON THE ENTIRE TRIP AND BY THE TIME I GOT HOME AND WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT TURNED OFF. THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHY. NOW IT COMES ON WHENEVER IT WANTS TO AND STAYS ON FOR DAYS. THEN IT GOES OFF FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN COMES ON AGAIN. NO RHYME OR REASON AS TO WHAT CAUSES IT. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT MAY BE CAUSING A BIGGER PROBLEM. NOT HAPPY THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY RESOLVE TO THIS.
FOR MONTHS THE AIRBAG, TRACTION CONTROL AND SEATBELT LIGHTS HAVE LIT INTERMITTENTLY AND STAYED ON FOR A FEW MINUTES OR A FEW DAYS. SOMETIMES THEY LIGHT IMMEDIATELY UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE OR THEY MIGHT LIGHT UP IN A FEW MINUTES OR IN AN HOUR OR TWO. WHEN THERE IS A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON AT LEAST UNTIL THE PASSENGER GETS OUT. AFTER SEEING THE RECALLS FOR THE 2007 TORRENT, I BELIEVE GM HAS KNOWN ALL ALONG ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND SEVERAL RECALLS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE 2008 TORRENT.
VALVE SPRING ON CYLINDER 6 COLLAPSED AND CREATED A MISFIRE ON THAT CYLINDER. THE HEAD HAD TO BE REMOVED AND MACHINED. IT CAUSED BAD ACCELERATION FROM IDLE TO ALMOST 10MPH. THEY REPLACED THE SPRING, ROCKER, AND PUSH ROD AMONG OTHER THINGS, I.E. GASKETS.
SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL IT MADE THE NOISE/SOUND AS THOUGH IT WANTED TO ACCELERATE BUT WOULD MOVE NOWHERE. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON IT ACCELERATED FOR ABOUT 5 SEC WHEN PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE GAS PEDAL, THEN REPEATED THE ACTION (SOUNDING LIKE IT WANTED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED BUT WENT NOWHERE). *TR
CAR REFUSED TO ACCELERATE WHEN I TRIED TO GET OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAD TO FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR AND ENGINE LIGHT LIT UP FOR A FEW MINUTES ONLY. JERKING (LACK OF ACCELERATION) CONTINUED UNTIL CALLED GM HO AND CONNECTED WITH MY DEALER UNDER "SPECIAL COVERAGE." HAD TO TAKE A MECHANIC ON THE ROAD AND DUPLICATE TO BE SURE I WAS NOT DISMISSED AGAIN WITHOUT FIXING. GIVEN A HARD TIME ABOUT GETTING THE FULL SPECIAL COVERAGE TO COVER THE SPARK PLUG WIRES & SPARK PLUGS, BUT DEALER GAVE IN SINCE REPEATED VISITS FOR SAME PROBLEM. STILL AWAITING A "SPECIALIST" FROM GM TO CALL BACK REGARDING SPARK PLUGS BEING INCLUDED AND WHY I CANNOT VIEW THE ACTUAL "SPECIAL COVERAGE" DOCUMENT AS TO THIS PROBLEM POSSIBLY REPEATING ITSELF EVERY 6 MONTHS PER OTHER OWNERS. *TR
REPORTED VERY SLUGGISH ACCELERATION "CHUGGING" BETWEEN 45-65 MPH FOR THE LAST YEAR. NO ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY "COULDN'T RECREATE IT" SO NOTHING DONE. *TR
ASIDE FROM IGNITION KEY BEING STUCK IN IGNITION SWITCH, WHICH IS STILL THAT WAY, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. ON HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70MPH. ALSO, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SHOWS IT BEING OFF. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE SERVICE STABILITYTRAK AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION AND THE WARNING LAMPS WERE NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,500.
I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRES VERY EARLY ON DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR (I THINK ABOUT 35K MILES) SO THAT IS THE FIRST ISSUE. AFTER CHANGING MY TIRES, I NOTICED THE VEHICLE'S TRACTION CONTROL SEEMS TO FAIL. I WILL BE AT A DEAD STOP AND GO TO ACCELERATE WHEN MY TIRES SLIP AND THE TRACTION FLASHES. I HAD MY TIRES LOOKED AT AND THEY WERE DEEMED TO BE FINE. NOW THAT IT IS SNOWING, IT WAS AT ITS WORST TODAY. IT WAS FISHTAILING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON SNOW/ICY ROADS AND THE TIRES WON'T GRIP THE ROAD AT ALL FOR THE FIRST 400 FEET OR SO EVERY SINGLE TIME I GO FROM A STOP. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I FELT MORE COMFORTABLE DRIVING MY PONTIAC VIBE OR GRAND AM IN SNOW THAN THIS AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TRACTION CONTROL!! NOBODY IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY, BUT I SEE OTHER REPORTS. THERE SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL!!! *TR
THE FIRST NIGHT I NOTICED THE "SERVICE STABILITRAK" LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. THE NEXT NIGHT MY BATTERY COMPLETELY DIED AND I HAD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE. THEN, THE DASHBOARD SAID "SERVICE STABILITRAK" SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON OR IT SAID "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL." FROM WHAT I'M GATHERING ONLINE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO MY "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" LIGHT COMING ON AND MY SPEED WILL BE LIMITED TO SOMETHING LIKE 10-20 MPH AND I'M AFRAID BECAUSE I ALREADY WORK OVERNIGHT AND AWAY FROM HOME. I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 56K MILES ON THE TRUCK AND I GOT IT A YEAR AGO WITH 24K MILES ON IT. IF THE PROBLEM IS THIS COMMON, WHY IS THE VEHICLE NOT RECALLED? THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES $80 TO EVEN PUT THE CAR ON THE COMPUTER TO SEE THE PROBLEM... *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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