2001 Pontiac AZTEK problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
216 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 120 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 27 of 216 complaints (12.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 45 | 20.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 29 | 13.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 25 | 11.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 20 | 9.3% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 3.7% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 1.4% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 27 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 22 |
| Air Bags | 16 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 13 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 11 |
| Unknown Or Other | 11 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage | 9 |
Electrical System: 27; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 22; Air Bags: 16; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling: 13; Fuel System, Gasoline: 11; Unknown Or Other: 11; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 16 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 26 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 32 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 23 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 16 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 16; 25,000 to 49,999: 26; 50,000 to 74,999: 32; 75,000 to 99,999: 23; 100,000 to 149,999: 16; 150,000 and above: 7
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (32). 96 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 33 |
| 2003 | 33 |
| 2004 | 44 |
| 2005 | 28 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 18 |
| 2008 | 12 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2001: 7; 2002: 33; 2003: 33; 2004: 44; 2005: 28; 2006: 10; 2007: 18; 2008: 12; 2009: 5; 2010: 4; 2011: 2; 2012: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 7; 2015: 3; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 45 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 29 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 25 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.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001473 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
SOON AFTER PURCHASE THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE THAT BEGAN IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. THE CLICKING NOISE THEN TURNED INTO A POPPING NOISE THAT COULD BE FELT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THERE IS WIND NOISE ON THE LEFT FRONT DOOR POST, NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT IS INOPERABLE, THE HORN IS INOPERABLE, AND THE WIPERS DO NOT TURN OFF AT TIMES. *JG *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001473 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002736 · 2003-01-15 (January 15, 2003)
I OWNED A PONTIAC AZTEK 2001. I USE TO NOTICE THIS CAR / SUV FREQUENTLY SWAYED WITH BREEZE - MORE SO THAN OTHER CARS I HAVE DRIVEN. ON A WINDY DAY AROUND 10:30 PM NIGHT WHILE DRIVING WITH FAMILY ON A FREEWAY (US23 S) NEAR FENTON MI, WE NOTICED EXCESSIVE FREEZING WINDS CAUSING THE THE CAR TO SWAY ABNORMALLY. FINALLY IT SWAYED WITH THE BREEZE PUSHING THE CAR TO THE NEXT LANE ( I WAS ON THE FAST LANE ON THE TWO LANE FREWAY) BUT INSTEAD OF RETURNING BACK.. IT CONTINUED THE SLIDE. IT APPEARS WE HIT A PATCH OF BLACK ICE AND WITH THE FORCE OF THE WI…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002736 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030495 · 2003-07-31 (July 31, 2003)
FUEL LEAK OVER LEFT REAR TIRE. FILL TANK FILLTUBE PULLED LOOSE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY, MILEAGE 20,373. REQUIRED BRAND NEW FILL TUBE ASSEMBLY AND WIRING. COULD HAVE POSED A FIRE HAZARD.
Owner-reported narrative. 20,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030495 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039742 · 2003-09-11 (September 11, 2003)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS CONTINUOUSLY GOING OUT. DRIVER IS NOT AWARE OF THE SPEED DUE TO ODOMETER NOT FUNCTIONING, NOR HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE GAS TANK DUE TO FUEL GAUGE FAILURE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039742 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002277 · 2003-01-07 (January 7, 2003)
FUEL TANK DROPPED PARTIALLY, CAUSING SPARKS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002277 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030349 · 2003-07-29 (July 29, 2003)
I HAVE A 2001 PONTAIC AZTEK WITH 39,978 MILES ON IT. MY TRANSMISSION HAS GONE BAD ALREADY AND IS GOING TO COST 2,000+ DOLLARS FOR REPAIR. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED FAR TO SOON FOR A NEWER VEHICLE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 39,974 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030349 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041310 · 2003-10-06 (October 6, 2003)
WHEN I BOUGHT MY 2001 AZTEK IN SEPTEMBER 2001, I WAS TOLD BY THE SALESPERSON THAT IT WOULD BE A DEPENDABLE DURABLE CAR. IT HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT. WILL NOT KEEP ALIGNMENT SO THE TIRES HAVE WORN PREMATURELY. THE SEAL AROUND THE PASSENGER DOOR LEAKED CAUSING CARPET DAMAGE WHICH WAS NOT REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER HAD A CRACK AND ONE WEEK AFTER REPLACEMENT, THE CAR RAN HOT. LUCKILY, ALL OF THIS HAPPENED UNDER WARRANTY. ONE WEEK AFTER THE CONDENSER WAS REPLACED, THE CAR RAN HOT. ONE WEEK AFTER THE INTAKE WAS FIXED, I…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041310 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071680 · 2004-04-27 (April 27, 2004)
FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS HT TIRES. SIZE P21570R1575 PERFORMED ERRATICALLY. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED THAT STEERING WHEEL SHOOK. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, AND NOTICED THAT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071680 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10073220 · 2004-05-26 (May 26, 2004)
THIS PONTIAC AZTEK HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. WHEN IT OCCURS, EVERYTHING STOPS WORKING INCLUDING THE STEERING, THEREFORE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. WE HAVE BEEN IN 3 NEAR ACCIDENTS SINCE THE VEHICLE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM ALWAYS SEEMED TO SHUT DOWN WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON BUSY HIGHWAYS. THE RESULT OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE HAS BEEN 3 BURNED OUT FUEL PUMPS (EACH COSTING $700.00 TO REPLACE), AN ELECTRICAL HARNESS NEEDING REPLACEMENT AND CONTINUED ELECTRONIC FAILURES…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10073220 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10068156 · 2004-05-01 (May 1, 2004)
AS OF YET DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM BUT I HAVE A 2001 PONTIAC AZTEK MADE BY GM I WAS INFORMED OF THE LEAKY GASKET WHEN I WENT IN FOR A OIL CHANGE. THEY QUOTED ME $755.00 TO FIX IT. WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY AND EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SERVERAL OTHER CASES IN THE AREA GM REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AFTER READING ABOUT THE PROBLEM ONLINE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBLITY OF IT STALLING OUT IN SOME RANDOM PLACE. I HAVE A 7 MONTH OLD BABY THAT I WANT TO TRY AND PROTECT. PLEASE MAKE GM RESPONSIBLE FOR THERE MISTAKE IN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10068156 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081411 · 2004-07-06 (July 6, 2004)
WHILE TRYING TO CROSS A STOP SIGN CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL AND THE GEARS SLAMMED INTO PLACE. BY THE TIME CONSUMER CAME TO THE NEXT INTERSECTION VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT MOVE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 39,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081411 at NHTSA ↗