tires 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

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving with the automatic transaxle. If you
need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator all the way down.
LOW FOUR (L4):This position is also used for
normal driving, however, it offers more power and lower
fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose LOW FOUR (L4)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When going down a steep hill.
LOW TWO (L2):This position gives you more
power but lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D). You can use LOW TWO (L2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want
to use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Do not drive in LOW TWO (L2) for more
than 25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.Use AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) or LOW FOUR
(L4) as much as possible. Do not shift into
LOW TWO (L2) unless you are going slower than
65 mph (105 km/h) or you can damage your engine.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Transaxle Overheating
If the transaxle uid temperature rises above
284°F (140°C) or rises rapidly, the Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light will ash. SeeEngine
Coolant Temperature Warning Light on page 3-31for
more information. When the transaxle overheats it will go
into a protection mode and will default shift into fth gear
if in the AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) position, or
second gear if in the LOW TWO (L2) position. Continue
driving the vehicle in either position depending on the
required vehicle speed and load. Once the uid
temperature lowers to the normal temperature range,
the transaxle will return to the normal shift patterns.
Towing or driving on long hills can cause the transaxle
uid temperature to be higher than normal. If the
transaxle uid temperature will not cool, you may
need to pull over and check the transaxle uid level.
You should also check the engine coolant temperature.
If it is hot, seeEngine Overheating on page 5-23.
2-21

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The check engine light comes on
to indicate that there is a problem and service is
required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle.
This system is also designed to assist your service
technician in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with
this light on, after awhile, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good, and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that
may not be covered by your warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 5-3.
3-32

Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance
of this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a
level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not
the right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need
to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the
street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not
be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There is something else about drinking and driving that
many people do not know. Medical research shows
that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash
injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal
cord, or heart. This means that when anyone who
has been drinking — driver or passenger — is in
a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or
permanently disabled is higher than if the person
had not been drinking.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reexes, perceptions, attentiveness,
and judgment can be affected by even a
small amount of alcohol. You can have a
serious — or even fatal — collision if you
drive after drinking. Please do not drink and
drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with
a group, designate a driver who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-9.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
4-5

If the AWD system is unable to protect the system from
overheating, the traction off light will come on to indicate
no protection capability. If this light comes on, take your
vehicle in for service.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the engine stalls while you are driving, the power
steering assist system will continue to operate until you
are able to stop your vehicle. If you lose power steering
assist because the electric power steering system is not
functioning, you can steer, but it will take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in either direction several
times until it stops, or hold the steering wheel in the
stopped position for an extended amount of time,
you may notice a reduced amount of power steering
assist. The normal amount of power steering assist
should return shortly after a few normal steering
movements.
The electric power steering system does not require
regular maintenance. If you suspect steering system
problems, such as abnormally high steering effort for
a prolonged period of time, contact your dealer for
service repairs.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned
on the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject
to the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction.
If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice,
you will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle
at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you
are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems — steering and braking — have to do their
work where the tires meet the road. Unless you
have four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard
braking can demand too much of those places.
You can lose control.
4-11

The same thing can happen if you are steering through
a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those
two control systems — steering and acceleration — can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the
road and make you lose control. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the
way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your
front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through
the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed.
Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
nd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly
pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right in front of you.
You can avoid these problems by braking — if you
can stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is
not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes — but, unless you
have anti-lock brakes, not enough to lock your wheels.
SeeBraking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
4-12

Remember that your passenger side outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to
be farther away from you than it really is.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not ashing,
it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you are being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area
of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Traction Control System (TCS),
remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9.Ifyou
do not have this system, or if the system is off, then
an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing
your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
4-15

Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer
and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored surface — and
slow down when you have any doubt.
If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you
do not have ABS, then in a braking skid, where the
wheels are no longer rolling, release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This
restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down
steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as
the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
4-16

What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you
are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They
may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they
also make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark.
When you are faced with severe glare, as from a
driver who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle
with misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a lm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and ash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and
are not even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as
on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread
left, you will get even less traction. It is always wise
to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while
you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when
your reexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-17

The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if
your windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy
rain can make it harder to see road signs and traffic
signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road,
and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer uid reservoir lled
with washer uid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas
on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start
to separate from the inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They will not
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control
of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your brakes work normally.Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before
you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build
up under your tires that they can actually ride on
the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough
and you are going fast enough. When your vehicle
is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if
your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure
in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water
is standing on the road. If you can see reections
from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and
raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could
be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
4-18