Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Pontiac Aztek problems

Owners filed 227 complaints about the 2001 Pontiac Aztek with NHTSA between Nov 2000 and May 2019. The most-cited component is electrical system (43).

Complaints
227
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system43
  2. Engine and engine cooling31
  3. Fuel system, gasoline30
  4. Equipment28
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic27
  6. Air bags26
  7. Power train23
  8. Visibility13
  9. Tires12
  10. Exterior lighting11
  11. Vehicle speed control10
  12. Suspension9
  13. Fuel system, other9
  14. Latches/locks/linkages8

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20001
20019
200234
200333
200445
200532
200610
200721
200812
20095
20104
20112
20122
20133
20147
20153
20161
20171
20181
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

43 reports2 crashes3 fires
“BOUT 3 WEEKS AGO CAR JUST KEEP ACTING UP HAD IT FOR ONE YEAR CANT READ CODES ON CAR KEEP OVERHEATING REPLACED RADIATOR CVL AXLE BRAKES OIL CHANGE TRANSMISSION FLUID CAR JUST DECIDED TO NOT PASS 50MPH BE DRIVEABLE ONE DAY DRIVING IT WENT TO A STOP SIGN BRAKE CAR CUT OFF I SEE CHECK GAUGES COME ON SERVICE LIGHT ON CANT READ CODES TO FIND OUT ANYTHING I THINK THE WIRING IS MESS UP REPLACED STARTED AS WELL JUST TO MUCH ONLY HAD IT FOR A 1AND A HALF”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 23, 2019Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11209417

Engine and engine cooling

31 reports1 fire
“PURCHASED THE PONTIAC 2001 AZTEK FROM A DEALER USED. THE FIRST WEEK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SECOND WEEK THE SERVICE VEHICLE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE THERMOMETER GAUGE WAS STUCK IN COLD, TOOK THE CAR TO CHECKERS AUTOPARTS TO DIAGNOSE. WAS A BAD THERMOSTAT. ANOTHER WEEK LATER THE ENGINE STARTED OVERHEATING. STOPPED CHECKED COOLANT. WAS GONE OUT OF THE RESERVOIR, WHICH I JUST HAD FILLED AT JIFFY LUBE THAT MORNING. STOPPED BY THEM AGAIN, THEY CHECKED THE LIQUIDS, FOUND COOLANT MIXED IN WITH THE OIL. ADVISED NOT TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SINCE IT CAN MESS UP THE ENGINE. CALLED DEALER AND HAD THEM TOW IT. THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR THE PAST 4 DAYS. STATED THAT IT WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. WONDERING IF THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE AFTER READING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING IT. AND ALSO IF PONTIAC WOULD FIX IT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10361102

Fuel system, gasoline

30 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC AZTEK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO INDICATE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT WAS STORED IN THE FUEL TANK AFTER IT WAS REFUELED. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FLOATER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 16, 2014Fuel system, gasolineODI 10610949

Equipment

28 reports1 related recall
“A/C QUIT WORKING IN MY 2001 PONTIAC AZTEC. GM DEALERSHIP REPLACED A LINE SAYING THERE WAS A HOLE. AFTER THE LINE REPLACEMENT, I'M TOLD THAT THERE IS A LEAK IN THE CONDENSER DUE TO A BRACKET FAILURE. I AM LOOKING AT ABOUT $900 TO $1,000 IN REPAIRS. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE TO REPORT THIS ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 3, 2009EquipmentODI 10272789

Service brakes, hydraulic

27 reports1 crash2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC AZTEK. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HIS WIFE APPLIED THE BRAKE, SHE EXPERIENCED IMMEDIATE AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. A POPPING AND WHOOSHING SOUND WAS HEARD AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES FAILED DUE TO RUSTED THROUGH AT THE POINT OF FAILURE, AS WELL AS EXTREMELY RUSTED AT EVERY PLACE IT WAS CLIPPED TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE BE REPLACED. . THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000. THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS THE SECOND TIME, THE BRAKE LINE FAILED, DUE TO CORROSION. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 2007, WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 65,000 MILES. UPDATED 03/11/15. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2014Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10574420

Air bags

26 reports9 crashes2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC AZTEK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE DOOR, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 1, 2015Air bagsODI 10714071
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.