2008 Pontiac TORRENT: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
125 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
80,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 99 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 46 of 125 complaints (36.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 15 | 12.0% |
| Braking behavior | 10 | 8.0% |
| Steering behavior | 10 | 8.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 5.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 3.2% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 2.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 46 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 25 |
| Electrical System | 15 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 15 |
| Engine | 11 |
| Steering | 8 |
| Structure:Body | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
Air Bags: 46; Fuel/Propulsion System: 25; Electrical System: 15; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 15; Engine: 11; Steering: 8; Structure:Body: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 12 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 28 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 26 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 18 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 28; 75,000 to 99,999: 26; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 8
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (28). 26 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 23 |
| 2016 | 24 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2008: 1; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 9; 2013: 8; 2014: 17; 2015: 23; 2016: 24; 2017: 13; 2018: 11; 2019: 8; 2020: 2; 2021: 2; 2023: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 15 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10236008 · 2008-07-28 (July 28, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE. THE INDICATOR DISPLAYS A "PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF" WARNING EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OR MORE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. DURING THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE KEPT FOR A FEW DAYS AND MUST BE BROUGHT IN WHILE THE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236008 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10329313 · 2010-05-07 (May 7, 2010)
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…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10329313 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10352832 · 2010-08-30 (August 30, 2010)
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…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10352832 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10436513 · 2011-11-20 (November 20, 2011)
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 G…
Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436513 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10443145 · 2012-01-09 (January 9, 2012)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 97,140 miles reported. Look up ODI 10443145 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10447302 · 2012-02-09 (February 9, 2012)
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…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10451113 · 2012-03-11 (March 11, 2012)
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 DISAPPOINT…
Owner-reported narrative. 83,620 miles reported. Look up ODI 10451113 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10470714 · 2012-08-15 (August 15, 2012)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470714 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.