KnownCarProblems2003 Pontiac Aztek Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 128 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Pontiac Aztek, most often about the fuel system (28% of complaints, typically around 81,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about Aztek model year since 2000 and has 3 recalls.
Most common 2003 Pontiac Aztek problems
Fuel system
36 complaints · 28%Half of these problems showed up before 81,000 miles. Parts named most often: storage, delivery.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Pontiac Aztek. The contact was walking beside his vehicle when he smelled gas. He looked under the vehicle and noticed gas leaking from the inlet on the side of the tank. He placed a container under the leak. The contact has not taken the vehicle to the mechanic. The current and failure mileages…
Our gas tank inlet check valve is leaking on our 2003 Aztek. There was a recall on this exact part in 2007. We were not the owners at that time and they owners did not take care of it. It is now leaking and gm is refusing to let US use this recall. They are saying it may be covered under a special coverages policy but…
Electrical
25 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 78,500 miles. Parts named most often: wiring, ignition, instrument cluster/panel.
2003 Pontiac Aztek has been building from ABS and brake lights and chimes to fuel gage losses all intermittent. Vehicle locks up and won't start or has started starting on its own in the garage. It is reminding me of being a kid in the 60s and playing pinball with all the lights and "specials" lighting up! Reading…
My vehicle should have fallen under the lemon law due to several problems, resulting in 21 visits to the dealer in less than 3 months. Besides all of these problems, I later had to take it back because when I made a short left to right turn the vehicle would die leaving me to try to steer it to safety. It was supposed…
Engine
23 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 58,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, cooling system, exhaust system.
Smelt burning anti freeze after driving the car. Head gaskets replaced front and back. 1 - water pump replaced not it 2- intake manifold gaskets replaced - not totally fixed 3 - head gaskets back of engine now being replaced.
Vehicle would not start one day, the start the next. Then it wouldn't start at all. Had heater problem before, but when they checked it , it was fine. Then when it wouldn't start at all, had it towed. The garage I had it towed to had been the one to check the heater a couple of weeks prior to it breaking down, they…
Brakes
18 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 82,500 miles. Parts named most often: foundation components, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, pedals and linkages.
My anti lock brakes come on without warning all the time. Even if its a simple stop sign or im turning a corner. I can feel the vibration under my feet and my anti-lock light comes on, the dash. Its very scary. I bough my car not even 6 months ago from a local dealer. The brake issue started about 2 months in to me…
The contact owns a 2003 Pontiac Aztek. While attempting to stop at a stop sign, the brake pedal traveled to the floor and the vehicle failed to stop the contact drove onto the grass on the side of the road in order to stop the vehicle. The dealer diagnosed that the air conditioner condensation pipe caused the brake…
Transmission
14 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 66,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, axle hubs, driveline.
2003 Aztek with 65000 miles have to replace transmission. Contacted gm said I did not have fluid changed at 50,000 miles that the trouble was my fault. I contacted gm they said nothing they could do. I contacted 3 other transmission shops---all 3 said changing the fluid would not have stopped the problem. Gm then…
Tl contact owns a 2003 Pontiac aztec. On october 26, 2006, the contact heard a rattling noise and noticed water on the floor of the front passenger side of the vehicle. She took the vehicle to the dealer three times for these failures. Soon after her warranty expired, she was informed that a blower motor was needed…
Suspension
12 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 50,000 miles. Parts named most often: front, rear.
Loose lumber noise/clunk in rear suspension - 2003 Pontiac aztec - service bulletin exists for repair but out of warranty. This is a very expensive repair.
While driving at any speed consumer heard loud noise coming through the front end, vehicle was taken to the dealer,and mechanic replaced the front wheel bearings.
Steering
8 complaints · 6%2003 Pontiac aztec, 75,000 miles with no symptoms blew tie rod causing car to swerve due to lack of brakes and steering and flipped into ravine.
Key keeps getting stuck in ignition, steering column gets stuck.fuel tank is leaking and check engine light keeps coming on and staying along with service engine light. Fuel pump keeps going out replaced 3 times.
Visibility and wipers
7 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 29,500 miles. Parts named most often: windshield wiper/washer, glass, side/rear, rear window wiper/washer.
Both wipers flew off the vehicle while driving 45 -50 MPH in inclement weather. The consumer had to pull off the road due to severe visibility problems. The dealer was notified.
A few weeks ago the windshield wipers stopped working on my 2003 Pontiac Aztek, after shutting the vehicle off and restarting the vehicle the wipers began to work. Wednesday, november 24th, while driving in the rain my windshield wipers stopped working once again. While trying to shut the wipers on and off to correct…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2003 Pontiac Aztek recalls
Fuel system: storage
Risk: A fracture may allow fuel vapors to pass through and allow droplets of fuel to accumulate on the side of the fuel tank. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank. The recall will be mailed in two phases with the first phase beginning on december 4, 2007. The second phase will be mailed on december 13, 2007. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. The vehicle population includes buick rendezvous and pontiac aztek vehicle built in may 2003; chevrolet venture and pontiac montana vehicles built from june through august 2002; and all vehicles registered in nevada, arizona, virgin islands, puerto rico, and hawaii.
Full defect summary
On certain vehicles, variations in the manufacturing process or exposure to high ambient temperatures may lead to fracture of the fuel tank inlet check valve (icv).
Equipment: owners/service/other manual
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or booster cushion. Owner notification began august 18, 2003. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.
Full defect summary
Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.
Steering
Risk: This condition could allow the intermediate shaft to spin inside the steering column coupling, resulting in loss of steering control of the vehicle. If this were to happen while the vehicle is moving, a crash could resulting without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace if necessary, the steering column intermediate shaft. Owners were notified by telephone on february 7, 2003, with a follow-up letter on february 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact buick at 1-800-521-7300 or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
Full defect summary
In some of these sport utility vehicles, the diameter of the steering column intermediate shaft is too small.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Fuel tank leakage
Summary
Gm is recalling (NHTSA recall no. 07v-349) certain model year (my) 2002-2004 buick rendezvous, chevrolet venture (regular wheelbase) and 2001-2004 pontiac aztek and montana (regular wheelbase) vehicles to replace fuel tanks and correct a defect that may allow fuel leakage.the vehicle recall population is rendezvous and aztek vehicles built in may 2003, venture and montana vehicle built in june through august 2002 and certain same model vehicles registered in nevada, arizona, virgin islands, puerto rico and hawaii that were built through nov/dec 2003 (depending on model).the total number of vehicles recalled is 20,594 (includes 15,196 subject aztek and rendezvous vehicles). In addition to the
Fuel tank leakage
Summary
Certain subject vehicles may exhibit leakage of odor and/or fuelfrom the lower portion of the fuel tank inlet filler pipe (inlet check valve).the inlet check valve (icv) and the fuel tank are joined together using a hot plate welding process for plastic parts.gm reports that its analysis of field returned parts show evidence of process variations for different manufacturing periods.these variations produced some icv to fuel tank joints with poor melt flow lines.odi's analysis of gm's warranty claim data finds more frequent fuel tank replacements in the hotter climate states.this investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea07-006) to further assess this matter.
Questions about the 2003 Pontiac Aztek
- What are the most common problems with the 2003 Pontiac Aztek?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: fuel system (36 complaints, typically around 81,000 miles); electrical (25 complaints, typically around 78,500 miles); engine (23 complaints, typically around 58,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2003 Pontiac Aztek have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from August 8, 2007 (fuel system). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2003 a bad year for the Pontiac Aztek?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about Aztek model year since 2000, with 128 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.