Page 1 of 436

Seats and Restraint System............................. 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
..............................................1-10
Safety Belts
.............................................1-12
Child Restraints
.......................................1-31
Airbag System
.........................................1-55
Restraint System Check
............................1-70
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-19
Mirrors
....................................................2-36
OnStar
®System
......................................2-38
Storage Areas
.........................................2-42
Sunroof
..................................................2-47
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-24
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-42
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-64Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle
....... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-26
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-41
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-43
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-43
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-47
Tires
......................................................5-48
Appearance Care
.....................................5-82
Vehicle Identi cation
.................................5-90
Electrical System
......................................5-91
Capacities and Speci cations
.....................5-97
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-15
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-17
Index................................................................ 1
2009 Pontiac Torrent Owner ManualM
Page 4 of 436
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may be found on
the vehicle and what they mean. For more information
on the symbol, refer to the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv
Page 5 of 436

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Manual Seats................................................1-2
Seat Height Adjuster.......................................1-3
Power Seat...................................................1-3
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-4
Heated Seats.................................................1-4
Manual Reclining Seatbacks.............................1-5
Head Restraints.............................................1-7
Passenger Folding Seatback............................1-8
Rear Seats.....................................................1-10
Split Folding Rear Seat.................................1-10
Safety Belts...................................................1-12
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-12
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-17
Lap-Shoulder Belt.........................................1-25
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-30
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-30
Child Restraints.............................................1-31
Older Children..............................................1-31
Infants and Young Children............................1-34
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-37Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-40
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)......................................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position............................................1-49
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position............................................1-52
Airbag System...............................................1-55
Where Are the Airbags?................................1-58
When Should an Airbag In ate?.....................1-60
What Makes an Airbag In ate?.......................1-61
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.......................1-61
What Will You See After an Airbag In ates?.....1-62
Passenger Sensing System............................1-63
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..........
.1-68
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................1-68
Restraint System Check..................................1-70
Checking the Restraint Systems......................1-70
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash............................................1-71
Section 1 Seats and Restraint System
1-1
Page 10 of 436
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when the vehicle is in
motion can be dangerous. Even when buckled up,
the safety belts cannot do their job when 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 the safety belt properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
1-6
Page 14 of 436

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.
{CAUTION:
If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they
are 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:
Notice:Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
1. Ensure all three of the safety belts are unbuckled
and the front seatbacks are not reclined.
1-10
Page 16 of 436

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This section of the manual describes how to use
safety belts properly. It also describes some things not
to do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot
be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the
injuries can be much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the
vehicle. You and your passenger(s) 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 passenger(s)
are restrained properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any
area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats
and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is
in a seat and using a safety belt properly.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the
safety belts. SeeSafety Belt Reminders on page 3-27
for additional information.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without safety belts, they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
1-12
Page 17 of 436
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on
wheels.Put someone on it.
1-13
Page 19 of 436
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.
1-15