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GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, PONTIAC,
and the PONTIAC Emblem are registered trademarks;
and the name TORRENT is a trademark of General
Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time
it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles
first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General
Motors of Canada Limited” for Pontiac Division
whenever it appears in this manual.

Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if
it is needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is
sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.

Canadian Owners

A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer or from:

Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207

How to Use This Manual

Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.

Index

A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is
an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and
the page number where it can be found.

Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 06TORRENT A First Printing

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Vehicle Damage Warnings

Also, in this manual you will find 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 specific component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.

If you need help figuring out a specific 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

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These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:

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Front Seats ......................................................1-2

Rear Seats .....................................................1-10

Split Folding Rear Seat .................................1-10

Safety Belts ...................................................1-12

Child Restraints .............................................1-30

Older Children ..............................................1-30
Infants and Young Children ............................1-33
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-36
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-40
Lower Anchors and Tethers for

Children (LATCH) ......................................1-42

Securing a Child Restraint in a

Rear Seat Position ....................................1-47

Securing a Child Restraint in the

Right Front Seat Position ............................1-50

Airbag System ...............................................1-53

Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-55
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-58
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-59
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-59
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-60
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-61
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped

Vehicle ....................................................1-62

Restraint System Check ..................................1-62

Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-62
Replacing Restraint System Parts

After a Crash ............................................1-63

Section 1

Seats and Restraint Systems

1-1

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Front Seats

Manual Seats

{

CAUTION:

You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.

Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar.
Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat
is locked in place.

1-2

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Driver Seat Height Adjuster

If your vehicle has a manual driver seat height
adjuster, it is located on the outboard side of the seat
near the front of the seat cushion. To raise the seat,
move the lever upward repeatedly until the seat is
at the desired height. To lower the seat, move the
lever downward repeatedly until the seat is at the
desired height.

Six-Way Power Driver Seat

If your vehicle has this feature, the control is located
on the outboard side of the driver’s seat. To adjust
the seat do any of the following:

•

Move the seat forward or rearward by moving
the control forward or rearward.

•

Raise or lower the front portion of the seat by
sliding the front of the control up or down.

•

Raise or lower the rear portion of the seat by
sliding the rear of the control up or down.

1-3

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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

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Reclining Seatbacks

{

CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.

To adjust the seatback on the driver’s seat, lift the
lever on the rear outboard side of the seat and move
the seatback to the desired position. Then release
the lever to lock the seatback in place.

Driver’s Seat with Manual Recline and

Manual Height Adjuster shown

1-5

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To adjust the seatback on the front passenger’s seat,
lift the lever on the outboard side of the seat and
move the seatback to the desired position. Then release
the lever to lock the seatback in place. If your front
passenger’s seat is a flat folding seat, you must fully
raise the lever to disengage the seatback.

Passenger Seat with Folding Seatback

Option shown

1-6

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{

CAUTION:

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.

The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it
will not be against your body. Instead, it will
be in front of you. In a crash, you could go
into it, receiving neck or other injuries.

The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a
crash, the belt could go up over your
abdomen. The belt forces would be there,
not at your pelvic bones. This could cause
serious internal injuries.

For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.

Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.

1-7

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Head Restraints

Press the button on
the side of the head
restraint to lower it.

Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces
the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

1-8

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Passenger Folding Seatback

The front passenger’s seatback may fold flat.

{

CAUTION:

If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer
objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo
is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inflating
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 inflate. For more information,
see Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-55 and
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-31.

{

CAUTION:

Things you put on this seatback can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash. Remove or secure all items
before driving.

To fold the seatback, do the following:

1. Lower the head restraint all the way.

2. Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it.

Slide the seat as far back as it will go and release
the bar. Try to move the seat back and forth to
make sure it is locked into place.

3. Lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side

of the seat, up fully and fold the seatback forward
until it disengages.

1-9

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4. Continue to fold the seat forward until it locks in

the folded position.

5. Pull up on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

To raise the seatback, do the following:

1. Lift the recliner lever, located on the outboard side

of the seat, up fully and push up on the seatback.

2. Continue raising the seatback until the seatback

re-engages.

{

CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.

3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is

locked in place.

The recliner lever is also used to recline the seatback
while a passenger is seated. See Reclining Seatbacks
on page 1-5.

Rear Seats

Split Folding Rear Seat

The rear split bench seatbacks have three available
positions — folded forward, upright, or partially reclined.
Both of the seatbacks can be moved to any of the
three positions independent of the other seatback
position. The rear bench seat can also be moved
forward and rearward.

1-10

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{

CAUTION:

If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the seatback to be
sure it is locked.

{

CAUTION:

A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.

To fold the seatback down, do the following:

1. Ensure all three of the safety belts are unbuckled

and the front seatbacks are not reclined.

2. Lift the lever located on the top of the seatback to

release the seatback.

3. Fold the seatback forward to the desired position.

1-11

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To recline the seatback, do the following:

1. Lift and hold the lever located on top of the

seatback.

2. Tilt the seatback rearward, then release the lever

when the seatback is in the desired position.

To slide the entire seat forward or rearward, do the
following:

1. Lift and hold the release bar located under the

front of the seat cushion to unlock the seat.

2. Slide the seat to the desired position.

3. Release the bar.

4. Try to move the seat back and forth to ensure

the seat is locked in place.

Safety Belts

Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone

This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.

{

CAUTION:

Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.

1-12

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