instrument panel PONTIAC TORRENT 2006 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
..............................................1-10
Safety Belts
.............................................1-12
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Airbag System
.........................................1-53
Restraint System Check
............................1-62
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-15
Mirrors
....................................................2-27
OnStar
®System
......................................2-32
Storage Areas
.........................................2-34
Sunroof
..................................................2-40
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-23
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-38Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-36
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-40
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-42
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-45
Tires
......................................................5-46
Appearance Care
.....................................5-74
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-82
Electrical System
......................................5-83
Capacities and Specications
.....................5-88
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Index................................................................ 1
2006 Pontiac Torrent Owner ManualM

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along
with the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specic component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help guring out a specic name of
a component, gage, or indicator, reference the
following topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

Manual Lumbar
If your vehicle has this
feature, the knob is
located on the front of the
driver seat lower cushion
on the inboard side.
Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to
increase or decrease the lumbar support.
Heated Seats
If your vehicle has
heated seats, the
switches are located
on the center console
of the instrument panel
above the shift lever.
Press the switch, nearest to the seat, once to turn
the heated seat on to the high setting. Both indicator
lights will be lit. Press the switch a second time to
turn the heated seat to the low setting. One indicator
light will be lit. Press the switch a third time to turn
the heated seat off.
The ignition must be on for the heated seats to operate.
1-4

or the instrument panel... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
1-16

Airbag System
Your vehicle has a frontal airbag for the driver and a
frontal airbag for the right front passenger. Your vehicle
may also have roof-mounted side impact airbags.
Roof-mounted side impact airbags are available for
the driver and the passenger seated directly behind
the driver and for the right front passenger and
the passenger seated directly behind that passenger.
If your vehicle has side impact airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the airbag covering on the
ceiling near the driver’s and right front passenger’s
window.
Even if you do not have a right front passenger seat
in your vehicle there is still an active frontal airbag in
the right side of the instrument panel. Do not place
cargo in front of this airbag.{CAUTION:
Be sure that cargo is not near an airbag.
In a crash, an inating airbag might force
that object toward a person. This could cause
severe injury or even death. Secure objects
away from the area in which an airbag would
inate. For more information, seeWhere Are
the Airbags? on page 1-55andLoading Your
Vehicle on page 4-31.
Frontal airbags are designed to help reduce the risk
of injury from the force of an inating frontal airbag.
But these airbags must inate very quickly to do their
job and comply with federal regulations.
1-53

{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither
the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag
system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle. To read how,
seeOlder Children on page 1-30orInfants
and Young Children on page 1-33.
There is an airbag
readiness light on
the instrument panel
cluster, which shows
the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-26
for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
1-55

The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.If your vehicle has a side impact airbag for the driver
and the person seated directly behind the driver, it is
in the ceiling above the side windows.
1-56

Your vehicle may or may not have side impact airbags.
SeeAirbag System on page 1-53. Side impact airbags
are intended to inate in moderate to severe side
crashes. A side impact airbag will inate if the crash
severity is above the system’s designed “threshold level.”
The threshold level can vary with specic vehicle design.
Side impact airbags are not intended to inate in frontal
or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag
should have inated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal airbags, ination is determined by what the
vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the
vehicle slows down. For side impact airbags, ination is
determined by the location and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
inator, which inates the airbag. The inator, airbag,
and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules
inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel
in front of the right front passenger. For vehicles
with side impact airbags, there are also airbag modules
in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including many
frontal or near frontal collisions, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those airbags. Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for side impact airbags.
1-59

What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?
After a frontal airbag inates, it quickly deates,
so quickly that some people may not even realize the
airbag inated. Roof-mounted side impact airbags
deate more slowly and may still be at least partially
inated minutes after the vehicle comes to rest. Some
components of the airbag module may be hot for a
short time. These components include the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s frontal airbag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag. For vehicles with roof-mounted side impact
airbags, the ceiling of your vehicle near the side
windows, and the vehicle metal near the rear windows
and tailgate may be warm. The parts of the airbag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but
not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and
dust coming from the vents in the deated airbags.
Airbag ination does not prevent the driver from
seeing out of the windshield or being able to steer the
vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing problems
but cannot get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to inate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from
the right front passenger airbag.
1-60

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front
or sides of the vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end or side sheet
metal or height, they may keep the airbag system
from working properly. Also, the airbag system may
not work properly if you relocate any of the airbag
sensors. If you have any questions about this,
you should contact Customer Assistance before
you modify your vehicle. The phone numbers
and addresses for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction Procedure
in this manual. SeeCustomer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 7-2.
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder
light and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any
other loose or damaged safety belt system parts.
If you see anything that might keep a safety belt
system from doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s airbag, or the side
impact airbag covering (if equipped) on the ceiling
near the side windows, the airbag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the airbag
module in the steering wheel, both the airbag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s airbag, or side impact airbag module
and ceiling covering for roof-mounted side impact
airbags (if equipped.) Do not open or break the
airbag coverings.
1-62