Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Pontiac Aztek problems
Owners filed 67 complaints about the 2004 Pontiac Aztek with NHTSA between Jan 2004 and Apr 2020. The most-cited component is electrical system (15).
Complaints
67
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system15
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Fuel/propulsion system8
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Suspension8
- Fuel system, gasoline7
- Engine5
- Air bags5
- Power train4
- Service brakes3
- Vehicle speed control3
- Steering3
- Visibility3
- Exterior lighting2
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
13
5
8
9
2
2
1
2
5
1
4
7
2
1
1
1
3
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 9 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
15 reports1 related recall
“MY CAR TURN OFF ON MY CHILDREN AND I ON THE HIGHWAY THANK GOD WE WAS ABLE TO COAST ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT MY IGNITION CONTROL MODULE WENT OUT OUTTA NO WHERE NOT ONLY THAT CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND FUEL LINE EXHAUSTED SYSTEM SOMETHING WRONG ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON. WITH THAT BEING SAID I'M GREAT MY CHILDREN WAS NOT HURT DOING THIS ORDEAL. I LEARNED THAT THESE CARS HAVE FEW COMPLAINTS. BUT DO HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND VACUUM HOW'S EXHAUSTED. JUST GOT THE CAR I MARCH AND FOUND OUT BOUT THIS RECALL I'M SO DISAPPOINTED SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR RIGHT NOW.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
9 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC AZTEK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE WARNING LIGHT AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SHE FELT THE METAL WITHIN THE BRAKE PEDAL RUBBING TOGETHER WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC THEN DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,444. UPDATED 04/11/12*LJ UPDATED 04/17/12”
Fuel/propulsion system
8 reports
“I HAVE BEEN SMELLING GAS FROM MY CAR FOR YEARS BUT JUST NEVER HAD THE MONEY TO GET IT LOOKED AT. I EVEN CALLED ABOUT RECALLS CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM THAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT THROUGH RESEARCH IN 2015 BUT WAS TOLD THEY HAD BEEN CLOSED SO I WOULD BE CHARGED FOR THE REPAIRS EVEN IF IT WAS PREVIOUSLY COVERED UNDER RECALL. I NO LONGER FILL MY TANK WITH GAS BECAUSE THERE IS A LEAK. I JUST GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THEY STATE THAT I NEED A NEW FUEL TANK, AND FUEL LEVER SENSOR AND SENDER. ALSO, HAVE OIL LEAKS IN 2 PLACES, THEY TELL ME I NEED UPPER & LOWER INTAKE GASKETS. AS WELL AS VALVE COVER GASKETS & OIL PUMP DRIVE O-RING REPLACED AND OIL PAN GASKET REPLACED. ALSO, NEEDS WATER PUMP AND DRIVE BELT REPLACED.I ALSO FOR THE PAST 3 OR SO YEARS HAVE TO KEEP A PEN OR PENCIL IN MY CAR TO INSERT UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL TO RELEASE MY KEY .”
Engine and engine cooling
8 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC AZTEC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD CONSTANTLY OVERHEAT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND JUST THE GAUGE WAS DEFECTIVE. LATER, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED TO THE POINT THAT THERE WERE BELL-LIKE SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE ESTIMATED COST OF $3,000. IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE ESTIMATED COST OF $7,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.”
Suspension
8 reports
“BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAD BE REPLACED AT 62000. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE AGAIN 7 1/2 MONTHS LATER. THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE WAS A SELECT FEW SERIAL NUMBERS ON THE WHEEL BEARINGS THAT THEY WERE BEING REPLACED UNDER A SAFETY ALERT BUT MINE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM.. SO EVEN THOUGH I WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING TO PAY FOR MINE TWICE. *JB”
Fuel system, gasoline
7 reports2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PONTIAC AZTEK. WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THAT FUEL WAS SPILLING ONTO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WELD OF THE FUEL LINE WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V349000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V454000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. UPDATED 09/14/15*LJ”
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.