Pontiac Aztek

dariuchi

Exactly, it's 2012, I have contacted this person to that email (probably dead ISP) and never got a response. But even more frustrating than that was the process of trying to figure out how to replace the thermostat. I had to remove the throttle body and It's a horrible experience.

dariuchi

Well I'm in the same situation now in 2012. I have replaced the thermostat and radiator. I also have an intake manifold gasket leak. The car keeps overheating even though I have air-bleeded the system properly through the 2 purge valves.

Could you please give us an update on what the overheat in your case was? Did you change the intake manifold gaskets?

dariuchi

Was your overheat problem fixed by replacing the head gaskets? I'd like to know because I have to solve mine.

dariuchi

I've also replaced thermostat and radiator to no avail. Still overheats. How did your overheat problem get sorted out?

dariuchi

For anyone still interested to know how to remove the thermostat you can do it without removing the exhaust like it says on the repair manual. Instead, you have 2 basic options:

1)If you have tools like a swivel socket wrench or a special deep offset wrench or you can bend a wrench with heat, you can get to the rear bolt of the thermostat housing by going under the exhaust. Bear in mind that the clearance between that rear thermostat housing bolt and the exhaust is probably 1" inch and you can't fit much in there, however that rear end of the housing is ported, so it means you can just unscrew the bolt a little bit without need to totally remove it in order to remove the housing, once you get the bolt loose the housing can be slide out.

2)You can remove the Throttle Body by removing the air intake hose, throttle cables, metal bracket, connectors and all that crap surrounding it. The hardest part is to remove the cooling hoses and the bottom nut/stud attaching the Throttle Body to the engine. This nut/stud is hidden behind the metal pipe that is secured against the throttle body. To remove the metal pipe off the way you need to either bend it away from the nut by brute force or removing the nut that attaches the pipe to the engine. The hidden stud/nut is a 13mm and it's both a stud and a nut, it's like they are wended together. I'll post a picture later.

For either method, there's very little space to work around, you can barely put any tools and have very little clearance to insert tools and do leverage.

chubster

dariuchi

I know it's a few years past but I'd like to know if your overheat problem got fixed by replacing the lower intake manifold gaskets? I have the same over heat problem and when the car overheats the heater core does not blow hot air, it's just lukewarm. I have replaced thermostat and radiator to no avail. Have also bled the cooling system from air bubbles though the purge valve. I need to make a decision with this car soon.
How did yours turn out?

sandlot2

Thanks for the info. I bought it and love it. I think even if I have problems with it I will still put the money into it to keep it going. Thank You

dariuchi

Hi, so according to your posts you fixed the overeat problem in February 2009 and sold it by June 2009? Why did you sell it? Did the overheat problem return after replacing intake manifold and head gaskets? Or did the problem disappear? I have the same problem. Thanks

dariuchi

Hi, did you end up changing the Lower Intake Manifold gasket or head gaskets? Did you end up changing the water pump? I have the same problems/symptoms and I'd like to know if you solved it.

dariuchi

That transmission guy ripped you off. The "part in between that cools the transmission" is actually the radiator. The radiator has a separate tubing system that cools off the transmission oil (or ATF). If you look at the Aztek's rad you'll see that it has 2 lines that come from the transmission. Since the 2 fluid systems are integrated in the radiator, if one tube of either system fails you will get both systems contaminated (mixed) with both fluids. (The coolant system will have ATF mixed with it, and the transmission system will have coolant mixed with ATF).

It's obvious to ANY technician that if you have two different fluids mix then both fluid systems need to be flushed and/or serviced. That's what I call a real jerk. How did the problems sort out?

dariuchi

So even after replacing intake manifold gaskets the overheat problem persisted? Did you end up solving the overheat problem or not? How long did it take you to replace the lower/upper intake manifold gaskets? I think I'll need to do mines.

dariuchi

Hi did you end up replacing the head gaskets? I think I will have to replace mines too. I tried looking at the website you linked but only the first page seems to work and I can't see how they did it. Thanks

dariuchi

I have the same symptoms. I have replaced thermostat and radiator, have also purged air through the bleed valves but car overheats into the red line. Did you end up solving your overheat problem?

swfloridacoast

The tranny guy and his assistant tried to get info for days from GM to no avail. We were unaware the issue was coolant. It appeared to be water when the transmission was rebuilt at the instigation of the extended warranty people - the real villains of my story because they knew more than they ever admitted. They knew the rebuild would be excluded from compensation when the 'water' was found. There was nothing wrong in the radiator system at that point and I had much service/replaced hoses with a different great mechanic who also saw nothing alarming. There is a part in between that then failed the other way (it looked to me like a corrugated a/c filter with valves in it) letting the transmission fluid into the radiator system a year later. I am very grateful to the tranny guy who has worked on the car since to tweak out any lingering damage, and again very inexpensively for me. I now am going close to 150,000 miles and hope to get another 100,000 out of the engine with support from him and the Chevy dealer. Don't forget, I bought this car nine years ago and the manifold issue that was the initial problem was when the car was about a year old. Hindsight of course is 20/20: Neither the tranny guy, three GM dealerships nor I had this Edmunds forum then or all the posts since to know what the problems really were. That's why I posted my story, to help anyone out there with what's a terrific car in so many ways save their investment. PS - it's on Jay Leno's top ten classics list.

ray80

dariuchi , When you bled air out did you bleed it from both valve's with vehicle on level ground and heater on full? What year Tek do you have? Overheat should be either low coolant level, blockage, or perhaps water pump issue.

ncoyle

I bought my 2001 aztek used w 30,000 miles . It now has 134000 miles on it. It's been the perfect car until this past July. Had to replace the a/c compressor twice, drivers window motor replaced, ignition switch replaced, car starts to overheat for no reason and no mechanic can tell me why, problem in transmission now that causes a buzzing sound when car accelerates and needs to shift from 2nd up to third gear, and now gas tank has a crack at the base. Sunk too much money into it and am so disappointed in it. Parts for transmission are only about $100, but all garages want Btwn $1700-2500 to do the work. So do i fix it or say thanks and Wish it on its way. And does anyone want to buy a 2001 Pontiac aztek w tow hitch, camping package, w A Small transmission problem? Everything else has been fixed.

dariuchi

Sorry to hear all that but you've got too many problems and too much money to put into a car that's not worth the price of all those fixes. My brother drives an Aztek and I have to tell you that it's a very unreliable, poorly built vehicle. Just the head gasket and intake manifold gasket problems everyone's having tell you enough of what's to be expected from this vehicle. They have a myriad of issues, it's time to let go. (probably for my brother's too)

cwhitn81

Im so glad that i am not alone. my 01 aztek also has 150,000 miles on it and i am just starting to go through this issue...just started a couple of days ago when the weather hear in Maine has dropped down into the 20's. Is your speedometer jumping a bit too?

cardinalbob1

How do set the time on the Aztek...bought it used and cant figure how to do it

dariuchi

I bled air on three different days, it overheated every time. Yes, I bled from both valves and trust me I did it properly (heater on max heat, level, etc.). I replaced radiator and thermostat. Last time I bled air I heard bubbles boiling rampantly in the reservoir. The car also stated blowing white smoke (odourless). The water pump it's rock solid and pumps coolant properly, it has no leaks either. There's too many signs, I just need a block tester to confirm it's a blown head gasket/intake manifold gasket. What do you think? Has anyone here replaced the head gaskets themselves? I need instructions as to how to do it properly.

ray80

Copious amounts of white smoke (after initial warmup on cold day) is usually a pretty good sign of blown head gasket. My personal thoughts on many these 3.4 engines built before the new intake manifold gaskets were available sometime in 03' is that they may have some point been run with low coolant (and overheat) causing future head-gasket failure (even if not right away). On the 2 Teks we owned I noticed the intake manifold gaskets leaking before an overheating situation and got both corrected.

grimachi

ray80

Don't know a cause, but a scan to find out what codes come up would be a good start (some auto parts places will scan for free). Obviously sounds like something involved with cold starts and possibly a component that is supposed to help get engine warmed up quickly. EGR valve maybe

ray80

Hhmm I believe there were 3 different radios offered, maybe with different ways to change time. Does it have the 6 CD changer?

gmcustsvc

What year Aztek, cardinalbob1? I can check my resources here to hopefully get you some directions.

Sarah, GM Customer Service

rsernes

Hello, I was driving home today Christmas Day and my red Battery Light light up on my dash and my car started to lose power and the lights and everything on my dash started flickering and going crazy and my heater stopped runningand then whn I stopped at the red light my car just died turning the key did nothing and never made a sound!!
called AMA and had it towed to my house as Chritmas all the Mechanic shops are closed.
I bought a new battery last winter and it was top of the line battery..
It has been really cold -30 and I have not been plugging it in but never had issues starting it with new battery...
I plugged the car in for a couple of hours and tried starting it again..
it started but barely and is not really running like it should it was hard to start..
I wonder if maybe I need a new starter...
where should I begin to look as I have no idea about cars and do not have a mechanic I know and trust to advise me...also being a lady I find is not helpful in this situation..haha

ray80

Based on symptoms I think I would suspect an alternater/voltage regulater issue (I believe they come together as one part these days). Possibly belt on alternater is slipping .

jchrud

I would definately think alternater from your story. Funny thing is i still have an alternater if you decide u neef one. I had a similar problem (on my 03 aztek) . But it just turned out being the terminals to the battery that needed replaced

rsernes

I had my car towed to a garage today and as it is a Holiday will have to wait until tomorrow to find out what the problem is but based on your opinion I asked what it would cost if it was the alternater..Yikes 550 for that repair--hopefully it is something cheaper..

buster51

I have seen alot of posts about this and just wanted to share how I resolved it. It began intermittently, and would fix itself if I drove it a short distance. Then on Christmas day I went to my sisters and the key would not come out. We drove around the block like 3 times and still nothing. We drove all the way home 100 miles and still nothing. The next day the battery was dead. Took it to my mechanic and after tearing the collumn and the center console apart he found there were 2 wires that go from the shifter to the ignition that had broken off at the shifter. I guess these wires move with the shifter every time you move it in and out of gear. He got new terminal ends and reconnected everything and now it works great. Hopefully this tip will save someone else having to pay someone for 3.3 hours of labor to figure it out. I felt lucky that it was only $350 to fix it. Hope someone finds this helpful.

aztek55

I have a 2001 aztek, After like 1 hour of driving, the temp needle goes to the third dot from the bottom and stays there,its right before the redzone, it never goes onto the redzone,, Is that ok , or is it still overheating ?

ray80

Can be a tough call on these as the temp gauge tends to get pretty close to redzone even when everything is fine (usually in slow moving traffic), and with A/C off fans don't turn on until it gets pretty close to redzone.

Do you see this as a change from what it used to do, or is it new to you or you have just recently noticed?

tiggerrr69

My pontiac 2005 Aztek (recently paid off!) is going crazy. I am hearing a whirling noise which I have been told is my brake hub (the thing that holds tire on?). I am however also experiencing high idling when starting the car and in the last two days the car seems to lurch forward at times when I apply the gas!!! Today as I was driving home from work the service engine soon light came on. Help!!

Karen_S

gmcustsvc

tiggerrr69,

We understand if you're looking for other options, but I wanted to check to see if you were planning on getting this checked out by a dealership? All just to let you know that if you wanted for us to check into anything further, we're available.

Sarah, GM Customer Service

dariuchi

Well, I thought the same thing but after testing many times I realized that the radiator fans only turn on when needle is at the 3rd dot or higher. So that leads me to think that it is not considered an overheat but it's close to it. If I were you I would keep close attention because that needle can jump from that third dot to over heat in 15 seconds (literally) -trust me on this, I have tested it and that's how quick it can overheat and ruin your engine. Mine overheats b/c of a leaking intake manifold and/or head gasket failure. Exhaust gases leak into the coolant and causes it to overheat.

jtingle

Electrical queston shift indicator light.
Thanks for the help in trying to locate and replace the light. Would it be better to leave the Shift in park or a lower gear say Drive? reason. I am not sure where the bulb is in relation to the shifter. Spoke to 2 dealers and they try and ignore the issue saying per hour labor costs are $110.00. In other words , get lost. There is no specific fuse for the indicator ( other then panel lights) #36. So if they are working , it must be the bulb #194. Can anyone offer more info on this queston? Jt.

ray80

Hhmm 5 years since I posted that, tough to remember 'all' the details . I do seem to remember something about having the parking brake on and putting shift lever in neutral, not sure if that's correct though.

icsmile

dariuchi, not sure if it's still there but I once saw a 10 part video on youtube that walked you through replacing the head gaskets.

dariuchi

Where? I checked on youtube and found no such videos. Are they specific for the Aztek Gaskets or just another car's gaskets? What other info can you give me to help me search it?

guzzz

hi how do you erase the service engine soon light on you aztek? I guess it turns on quite often like in mine... thanks

Karen_S

guest

ray80

SES light could be any number of things from loose/misaligned fuel cap (happens quite often) to light being out to something in engine compartment. Getting scan done and correcting problem will get SES to go away. (C305 connector can cause issues also, including SES light)

Karen_S

jwnc

ccerna1

Good evening,
I have a 01 Aztek a few days ago the service light came on. Read it with the scanner and this code came up. I checked the Transmission fluid and is within the limit. Had the transmission fluid and filter change three years ago. The car is basically use to go to work not a long commute less than 45 miles both round trip.

My question is is it hard to replace the TFP Valve and where is it located? can you offer other trouble shooting tips? thank you in advance. :lemon:

neopostman

The TFP is located inside the transmission .and hard to get at. I had a similar experience with my 01 several years back. My transmission temp sensor was causing a problem and it turned out the the air cleaner/engine computer box was resting on the wiring that runs to the sensors in the transmission. I removed the box, found the wire that was cut and repaired it. While I had the box off I cut away the part that pressed on the wiring and no more problems. I've had the transmission rebuilt twice since then but the car still runs great at 156,000 miles. let me know if I can be of any further help.

lknuth

Bought my 02 Aztek but only got one key. Bought a key online and tried to program it using three different methods but it will not program. How did you program yours.