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Pontiac Aztek

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Comments

  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    Symptom of malfuntioning BCM. Just another thought, BCM is located under cup holders in center console, one of them has screw at bottom that 'might' allow moisture through from a spill or sweaty cold drink, perhaps a napkin or something placed in bottom might help eliminate this possibilty
  • buzzbo99buzzbo99 Member Posts: 111
    I second the BCM card opinion. I remember a card problem that I had and flickering lights were the first symptom. The second symptom was one night when the interior lights would not go off. Before I was able to get to the dealership, the dash instruments malfunctioned. A little time at the dealership and the problems were gone.
  • mot76mot76 Member Posts: 3
    I went to the dealer and of course they couldn't duplicate the problem. I mentioned the BCM but it didn't help.
    I also noticed the plastic is pitting on the top of my rear tail light lenses on the outside corners. They told me it was not a manufacturing defect but cause by someone.
    (What a joke!) As I was leaving the dealership, I happened to see another Aztek outside and took a look. It had the same problem! I then called over the sales manager who agreed with me and said he will check for a bulletin on it.
    Go out and check your lenses.
  • twotekstwoteks Member Posts: 5
    Just traded in a 02 Aztek AWD with 23000 miles. I didn't have any problems and it was running as good as when I picked it up.
    Still have a 01 tek 2WD with 10k miles and no problems other than the rear hatch issue. IMO it should give very good long term service.
  • mot76mot76 Member Posts: 3
    They called to say there is a bulletin on the lenses. I already had them replaced for free.
  • rrsmith2rrsmith2 Member Posts: 8
    Heat/AC fan in my 2001 Aztec burned up shortly after I got it. Had the defroster on and brown smoke started pouring out of the defroster vents. The fan quit one other time, can't remember if it was before or after the smoke incident. We had lots of problems with AC system - ultimately found that the problem was a drain hole for the condenser housing wasn't punched out during assembly. This caused water to back up into heat/AC system.

    I too was totally disgusted by GM. They gave us the grand runaround. Get yourself a lawyer who specializes in lemon laws.
  • jamaltwyjamaltwy Member Posts: 1
    does anyone know what would cause light on gear shift to go out? went to dealership they could not find a part for this!!!! is it a light or printed circuit board that needs to be replaced? what is the part called or has anyone had the same problem and got it fixed!!!
  • windfirewindfire Member Posts: 1
    It is now fall season in the northeast. Acorns from the oak trees have stated to land on the hood of my new Azteck and have left slight indentations. It appears that the metal of the hood is much too light for this SUV. The roof is fine. Anybody else having similar problems??
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    In our spot in the northeast there are very few acorns this year, so the aztek is not suffering. I do have a Lumina and Grand Am that wear acorn dings though. If not garaged maybe a cover would help
  • aztek01gtaztek01gt Member Posts: 6
    Hey Jamaltwy! There is a bulb under the shifter housing.I just replaced mine.THe bulb was 94cents at the dealer.There is a clip on the back of the gear shift knob.Pry that off and remove the handle.Remove your cup holder.Under the lower one is a screw and you remove that.Lift off the cover.the bulb is at the end of a wire and is a little tricky to twist out and replace.Seems an 8 year old with small hande would find it easy.Be careful with that dust cover boot or belt that goes around the shifter.I popped out the red plastic bar indicator and it's lost.I'll fashion another. It's easier to put stuff back with the shift handle removed since you can turn the housing upside down and you can get that dustcover belt back in the track.Hope that helps.
  • aztek01gtaztek01gt Member Posts: 6
    Good Evening! My OEM Firestone tires will need replacing soon after 42,000 miles.Any suggestions for new tires? They have some Yokohama tires at tirerack.com that are rated highly in the reviews.Anyone using those tires out there?Would appreciate any advice.Thanks!
  • ellenb1971ellenb1971 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I have a 2002 Aztek that after 1 year had to have the steering replaced (this was in May 2003). Now, 7 months later, it has gone bad again. Anybody else have problems with the steering system? I'm trying to decide if this is a problem with the Aztek, or just our car!

    Ellen
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    Ellen, I can't recall hearing of anyone else having that problem. If its the second time perhaps the dealer could look a little beyond what they replaced the first time. E-mail me if you like and I can suggest a couple other places where you could ask about it. Ray
  • jeremie_75jeremie_75 Member Posts: 2
    To all aztek owners... Did the sales reps. at the dealership keep a straight face as they sold you the aztek?? The hit you guys take on re-sale, I just don't know how you stand it.
  • zupsterzupster Member Posts: 20
    I just purchased a used '03 AWD (8000 miles). I noticed that when I stop and put it in park, the vehicle tends to rock back and forth. The more severe the incline, the more the rock - but it even does it when nearly flat. Motion is much more pronounced than other automatic's I've owned. Is this normal for Aztek, or should I have dealership have a look.

    Incidentally, this was a rental vehicle whose first 6 months of life were spent in Hawaii before finding its way to my dealership here in Illinois.
  • kenymkenym Member Posts: 405
    The Pontiac Aztek (SUVs Board) - READ ONLY goes back to Nov. If this Board can't be updated or changed how long are you going to carry it. The Buick and GMC board's take forever to load why not just drop it and free up some space. Maybe this would expedite the loading process for the other boards.
    ~Ken
  • mbrothermbrother Member Posts: 2
    Just brought home my 2004 AWD Rally Edition and I'm very pleased. Got many of the options and ordered the camping package. I'm looking forward to really enjoying the car. The XM radio is unbelievable!
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    Congrats on the new ride, hope you continue to enjoy it.
  • mbrothermbrother Member Posts: 2
    I have to admit that I got in my Aztek tonight to drive home from work and couldn't stop smiling. It's a serious step up from my near-base model 97 Saturn sedan which I smashed up a couple of weeks ago in some winter weather. I'd been meaning to upgrade to something with AWD and more clearance, but thought I'd wait until summer. I live in Wyoming now, and the XM radio in particular gives me nearly 100 times as many stations to listen to!
  • mikeysmamikeysma Member Posts: 1
    I got my brand new Aztek two years ago this month. I loved it for about 6 months. Then all hell broke lose. Where do I begin... had front wheel bearings replaced twice. Replaced rear rotors before 15k miles. Air compressor never worked. Cooling system leaked. Intake gaskets leaked. Oil pump quit. Heater quit. Axle seal leak. Driver's door has a lot of wind noise. Rear hatch rarely works correctly (usually only when it's above 80 degrees out), was stuck shut completely for a few weeks (conveniently while we were moving into our new home and I really needed to use it), took several trips to the dealer to get it open. They finally fixed it after a call to Pontiac tech support. Also, they disabled the wipers while they were working on the hatch release module so that was another tip back to the dealer the next day. It gets worse... It had a busted outer tie rod and to top it off the head gaskets were leaking and had to be replaced. Head gaskets on a car under two years old!!! Right now the AC isn't working and the automatic leveler sensor is bad. $1200 to fix them both. I said No Way. I'll drive around with my windows down and my load-unleveled before I put another 1200 into this piece of junk. Oh yeah, and if you try to put more than one window up or down at a time, it'll blow a fuse every time. Minor problem I guess. I just have to remember to do them one at a time. Very annoying. Aside from Mechanical problems... I think the "tail gate" design of the rear hatch is awkward. Nice big trunk space, but difficult to access because of the tailgate. I have a sliding tray in there, but it's still awkward.
    The console is also awkward. The cooler is kind of a neat idea on the rare occasion you need a cooler in the car, but not very functional every other day. Irritating that it won't stay open when you're trying to find something. You have to hold it open with one hand and dig around for your CD's, sunglasses or whatever with the other (impossible to do while driving).
    Very poor visibility in every direction except straight ahead.
    Ordered this car and took delivery in June of last year. Ordered the camping package with the car. Looked forward to a summer of camping. Camping package was back-ordered for 7 months. Missed that summer.
    I'm sure I sound like a real complainer, but I'm so fed up with this car I need to vent! I'm seriously considering taking the loss and trading it in on something else even though I'm still making payments.
    How come no one else in this discussion has had these kinds of problems? Maybe it's because I had to pick the "Lemon Yellow" color. Big mistake.
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    Sorry to hear about all your troubles. Some sound familar. Intake gaskets I believe were an issue on many GM vehicles with 3.X engines from 97'-02'
    . Wheel bearings and AC condensor are fairly common issues on both the Pontiac and Buick I think (2001-2002's at least) and sticky hatch is an inconvience for sure. I have only heard of a few (like yours evidently) that seem to be prone to a never ending list of troubles.
  • vfernandesvfernandes Member Posts: 2
    My 2001 Aztek is usually garage-kept but since March 2004 my Aztek is parked outside. I noticed a huge water leak under the dashboard every time it rains heavily. It has been to the dealer for this but they haven't been able to correct the leak. They cleaned out the front sun-roof drains, then sealed the cowls, then replaced the windshield sealant, then the windshield, then they cleaned out the rear sunroof drains. It still leaks. Does anyone have any suggestions or have they had the same problems?
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    It looks like the dealer has tried a lot of the simple and harder things. So I feel a little silly, but a common water leak source that shows on the passenger side of cars (I know this happpens to Grand Prixs, not sure if it is the same with Azteks) is the a/c evap case drain being clogged or disconnected. Has this been checked? Sometimes you can see this yourself on the engine compartment wall to the cabin under the hood, a small drain hose. If it can be seen, you may be able to check to see if it is clogged by using a wire coat hanger or such to probe it.
  • vfernandesvfernandes Member Posts: 2
    Thanks, they did mention that they redirected the AC drains at the same time they cleaned out the sun roof drains. They said the AC drains were directed into the inside compartment, this sounded strange to me since I never had a problem when using the AC. Would rain cause those to fill up?? The leak only occurs during really heavy rain. Thanks again!
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    Since the AC system has to draw in outside air, it is possible to draw in outside water. So the drain will take care of that water and the condensation from the AC.
  • leolionleolion Member Posts: 2
    I just purchased a used(2002) aztek in july. I loved it right from the first ride.
    sad to say though, that I have already experienced issues within my first 1000 miles.
    the very first week the breaks squeeked every time I stopped. Took to the dealer, and after 2 hours of working on it(late for work) they were better. 1 week later it started again-but not as bad. was having parts installed so they checked again. ok now.
    the next bad thing was...when I signed the paerwork at the dealer when having parts installed-I noticed a line item that said check door locks-on a date before I bought vehicle. The funny thing is later that week I noticed a door lcok issue. I had the car off, and was unloading from the truck when I heard the doors lock-for no reason. that was on a sunday. I made an appt for the next friday(late for work again).
    Then on thursday, as I got to work, turned car off, and opened the door-my alarm went off-for no reason.
    friday i had family emergency and couldn't make the appt.
    going home friday evening my headlights and dash lights started blinking off and on.
    just great! within weeks of taking it home-my fear is I got a lemon.
  • triumpher1triumpher1 Member Posts: 5
    I just traded my Aztek in against a new VW Touareg (loaded. I liked the Aztek a lot, and still think it is very innovative but poorly executed!

    The quality is a real issue. Mine was a 2002 AWD with all the goodies. At 15000 miles the first front bearing/hub went, to be followed at 18000 by the other. The hatch never worked in cold weather (which is not really good if you live in the Northlands of the US). I had 4 new radios put in and the present one is still loosing about 2-3 minutes a week (my son's cheap Timex is better in keeping time). Pontiac appeased me by giving me free oil change services until the vehicle had 50000 miles. And now, at 52000 miles I had the head gasket blown, intake gasket leaking and air conditioning condenser with a hole in it. The total repair cost was about $5000, and my very good dealer service (the best about the whole car experience) convinced GM to pay it if I pay $500 deductible. Last week a new problem came up, the sun roof opens and closes only if it thinks it is time for it, disregarding me pushing the button (not too good in rainy weather). Well, that was it for me, I started to shop around and GM dealers were willing to give me $8000 (I paid over $25000 for it two years ago) for a GMC Envoy XUV (another very innovative vehicle from GM). Mercedes Benz wanted to give me $9000 for it, and VW topped that with $9500 (they all have the same playing field because I get supplier rebates with all three companies).

    Again, I liked the Aztek and I think it looks interesting and I don't consider it to be ugly (those new boxy Hondas and Toyotas are ugly). Mine was equipped with all the Manik and Westin goodies and looked realy great. I still would drive it if it had a better reliability and a better track record.

    I will now sign out from this forum and wish you all a good time with your Teks. I hope you have a better experience with them than I had.
  • jkilleyjkilley Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I recently bought a used 2001 Pontiac Aztek (I call it the [non-permissible content removed]-tek because of how ugly it is) and couldn't be more satisfied with it. My wife has always owned and suv of some kind from an '87 S-10 Blazer to the '92 GMC Yukon. I've always owned full-size General Motors IRON from the late 70's to the mid 80's. At first I thought "can I look out into my driveway and still like this car tomorrow?" YES. Granted, the car had 118,000 miles on it when we bought it, but it drives like a new car. No fluid leaks at all, new tires and a very clean interior...I was a little leary of the 3.4L V-6, since up till then the smallest motor I'd ever had was a 305 V8. I was impressed with the acceleration, the shifting (almost didn't notice it was shifting!) and the handling. The acceleration was comparable to the 1973 Buick Century I'd had as a kid. Slightly more sluggish than the 3.8, but fast enough. Everyone at work thought it was ugly, even my family said "Ugh!" On the upside, I'll never lose it in the parking lot. Ugly, but very utilitarian in design. It has almost the same measurements widthwise and lengthwise from the back of the front seats to the hatch and my wife's 1992 GMC Yukon, except with better gas milage. And I can still haul interior doors, mulch, dirt and lumber home it it!
  • leolionleolion Member Posts: 2
    I just purchased a used(2002) aztek in july. I loved it right from the first ride.
    sad to say though, that I have already experienced issues within my first 1000 miles.
    the very first week the breaks squeeked every time I stopped. Took to the dealer, and after 2 hours of working on it(late for work) they were better. 1 week later it started again-but not as bad. was having parts installed so they checked again. ok now.
    the next bad thing was...when I signed the paerwork at the dealer when having parts installed-I noticed a line item that said check door locks-on a date before I bought vehicle. The funny thing is later that week I noticed a door lcok issue. I had the car off, and was unloading from the truck when I heard the doors lock-for no reason. that was on a sunday. I made an appt for the next friday(late for work again).
    Then on thursday, as I got to work, turned car off, and opened the door-my alarm went off-for no reason.
    friday i had family emergency and couldn't make the appt.
    going home friday evening my headlights and dash lights started blinking off and on.
    just great! within weeks of taking it home-my fear is I got a lemon.
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    Is it an aftermarket alarm system on the car? I can't recall a GM system that would activate an "alarm" on door openning unless the door was locked by switch then unlocked manually. It might even be a case where you need the salesperson to do a better job of explaining the door lock system. The Aztek does feature a delayed locking feature.

    Brake noise is not an uncommon byproduct of the brake components used on todays cars. Especially a long life design system like the Aztek. It is not uncommon for a used car that has been on the lot for a while to have build up of surface corrosion on the brake rotors. This can take time to clean off or even require rotor replacement.
  • rogerarogera Member Posts: 2
    We have a 2002 Aztek -- in Aztek Yellow -- loaded that we really love. We were going to trade it in on something newer, but my sife wouldn't let me. She wants to keep it. She loves being able to find it easily in a parking lot. It is easy to put stuff in it and it holds a lot of stuff. Plus it tows our boat fine, no problem at all which I had wondered about since we have a 19 foot ski boat. What a great vehicle!
  • exzurexzur Member Posts: 166
    I too have a yellow Aztek, a 2001 GT AWD model. I drove this car in the NYC area from April 2001 up to October 2002. When I moved to Buffalo, the month after, the mileage on this car was not even 17,000.

    Now the car has over 80,000 miles on the odometer. I drive to NYC almost every weekend, that’s why I have logged in 63,000 miles in 20 months.

    The only problem I had was a leaking a/c condenser and a bad rear wheel sensor. After, these two parts were replaced, the car continues to run great.
  • rmrrmr Member Posts: 1
    Hi. First time posting to this site. I have a 2001 Pontiac Aztec with everything I want and nothing I don't. I LOVE IT!!! I love how the cockpit feels, the heads up display, how roomy it is. I just love it. I have 80K on it and I have no resale value. Blue book is $5450 and I owe $10K on it. I have also heard from two Pontiac dealers that the 2005 model is the last one they are making. That is still unofficial but that is what they heard. I want it to last forever because this was the last vehicle I was just going to keep trading it in on a newer model. I found a Toyota dealer to give me $7K for it and I test drove the RAV4. I like the looks of it but I dont' know. I feel so cramped in it and the backseat doesn't seem as big even though my daughter says that she liked it. I have two kids and I can't keep them far enough apart from each other. I will not go back to a van. I like the 4Runner but I can't afford it. Not sure what to do. I can't believe that no other SUV has a heads up display and everything else I like. Just looking for some feed back. Thanks.
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I don't have any suggestions on other vehicles, but as you always should do, try and find something that best meets your needs and desires. As far as the heads-up display, you might want to be looking at left-over 2004's as I think it is gone as an option on the 2005 Azteks. Good luck on whatever you decide on
  • ericp0326ericp0326 Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased a 2004 Aztek with 10,000 miles on it. Within a month, the car left me stranded at a Fazzolis restaurant. The ignition would crank, but the vehicle would not start. The dealership handled the issue well by referring me to a tow company and turning the vehicle over in a day (I'm normally not a fan of invoking warranties, but the John Elway dealership did not make it an unpleasant experience). The cause turned out to be a faulty $13.00 Ignition Relay which supplies power to the fuse. I love how the vehicle rides and am happy with the MPG. I am hoping I don't experience Gasket problems or Lock/Rear Hatch problems.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "The replacement, Pontiac Torrent, should gain momentum from GM's highly successful Equinox, a relatively small sport utility whose 3.4-liter V6 engine comes from a GM plant in China."

    Bloomberg

    Steve, Host
  • beach15beach15 Member Posts: 1,305
    It won't be a bad thing overall, except for the fact that this is the product of nothing but good old GM badge engineering!! What the heck is Lutz letting happen?!?! This was supposed to be over and done with, but they clearly have no intention of doing so anytime soon--the new GM CSV's are yet another example.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,148
    We've re-opened the dormant Pontiac Torrent discussion for those who have higher hopes for this upcoming model.

    kirstie_h
    Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • donaldduck60donaldduck60 Member Posts: 1
    I bought an 04 Aztek 3 months ago ,have 12,000 miles on it already. I have 17 inch rim ,keep tires inflated regularly,use 87 octane ,best mileage on Hwy.27.4mpg, thats with cruise,and at 66MPH.,if you run the fast lane 70-75, expect 22-23MPG City i get 22-23 if i don't race everyone off the light. Car ride is comfortable :) Cons. That rear trunk latch,and problems with the keyless entered.
  • mrfidelitymrfidelity Member Posts: 1
    I DESIRE TO BUY A AZTEC (2001). I HAVE SEEN GOOD DEALS ON THE 2002'S -2004'S BUT I JUST CANT GET OVER THE BODY PANELS BEING GONE FROM THE LATER MODELS.

    ARE THEY A BETTER HELP FOR SALT, SNOW, DIRT AND RUST PROTECTION?

    SHOULD I GET AN UPDATED YEAR TO HAVE A "BETTER" VEHICLE BUT GIVE UP THE PANELING?

    I REALLY NEED HELP
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    On the 2002-2005 Aztek the body panels are still there, they are just painted to match the upper car color. Also there was a slight appearance change to the front door panel, reduced the ribs from three to one as I recall.
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I find the panels on the 2001 a bit easier to clean as you can scrub them pretty good without worrying about scratching paint
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "If you want a 2005 Aztek, act quickly"

     

    Legend of the Aztek

     

    Steve, Host
  • clintonjohnclintonjohn Member Posts: 99
    I was one of those people mentioned in the article who wasn't looking for an aztek, but ended up buying one. My wife and I wanted to keep the out the door price to under $15000. Thus, we looked a base Pontiac Vibes, Suzuki Aerios, and Scion Xb. While at the Pontiac dealership, we saw the base 2005 Aztek red tag marked down to about $17500. With some negotiation and using my GM credit card rebate, we got a new Aztek for under $15000 out the door. We totalled $7500 in rebates, so basically got a car for 1/3 off msrp. Despite the unique exterior, I actually really enjoy the car. It rides well, is more spacious than anything else in our budget. In looking at the 05 Aztek, it doesn't look dramatically different than a Lexus rx330. All in all, very happy with the purchase. We got so much more for our money on this deal than we could have expected. We had pretty much resigned ourselves to driving an econobox and were pleased to discover that Aztek had been discounted into that orice range. I'm sorry to see it discontinued. Now that I've got one, I'd actually would have considered a second one in a few years.
  • texas_ford_guytexas_ford_guy Member Posts: 36
    the sad thing is, for 1/3 off msrp, you still got ripped off. the aztec has about the same wholesale value as an amc pacer. congratulations to you, and all of the other "fad car" buyers who fell for this rig over the past few years. hope you like it alot, cause youre not going to be able to get out of it for a long, long time.
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    If there is any Aztek owners here that would be interested in a get-together being planed for June, please feel free to send me an e-mail and I will reply with details
  • texasdaisy_27texasdaisy_27 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 Aztek and my odometer has quit working. I called the dealership and they say it could be the "cluster". They told me it can take 7-10 days to receive the part after it's ordererd and during that time the vehicle would be inoperable. Has anyone else had this problem? All of the fuses / relays have been checked and they are fine. Is there anything else that I could check? Thanks in advance for your help.
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I don't think it is a common problem, but have heard of 1 or 2 instances. Does the odometer have 'error' message displayed? I don't think there is anything else you could check yourself, it would require a tech-2 to check and diagnos codes.
  • clintonjohnclintonjohn Member Posts: 99
    funny the comments you made cause a friend of my wife's who used to work for GM said that he hoped we like it because we're going to have a tough time unloading it. truthfully, we really do like it. yeah, the exterior is pretty funky, but nowadays it looks a little like the lexus 330 suv. absolutely love the interior-very roomy for our two large and one small dog. ride is comfortable, features are nice. the way i figured it, for the same price, i could have only ended up with a base chevy malibu, ford focus, saturn, or suzuki aerio wagon. if you discount the exterior appearance, i got a lot more features and bells and whistles and versatility in seating than i would have if i went with the subcompact route. believe me, i'm still reconciling my mild dislike for the outside with the satisfaction i get when i'm behind the wheel next to my wife, our shoulders aren't touching,as they were when we looked at cavaliers, and there's plenty of room in back for our dogs. I couldn't find many vehicles that would have as much features standard along with the amount of storage capacity as the Aztek, considering what we paid for it.
  • mattchalmersmattchalmers Member Posts: 159
    Congrats on your purchase clintonjohn. I am sure you will enjoy your choice, and if you take care of the car, it will run well for a long time so you won't have to worry about the re-sale. Happy motoring.
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