Your vehicle report

2001 Pontiac Aztek

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
216
Received Nov 2000 to May 2019
Official recalls listed
5
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Air conditioner blows hot air or fails23 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline19 complaints · 8.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Airbags fail to deploy in crashes12 complaints · 5.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #07V349000On 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).
  • Recall #03V250000Certain 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.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 14 crashes, 6 fires, 18 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 20 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

4 more problems

Brakes

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

Body, doors & glass

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 2001 Pontiac Aztek
44
Show as a table
YearComplaints
20001
20017
200233
200333
200444
200528
200610
200718
200812
20095
20104
20112
20122
20133
20147
20153
20161
20171
20181
20191
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total216

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Air conditioner blows hot air or fails2311%–
Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline198.8%–NHTSA recall #07V349000
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes125.6%–NHTSA recall #01V026000
Transmission fails or loses power while driving94.2%–
Airbag warning light stays on83.7%–
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines83.7%–
Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up83.7%–
Ignition key sticks or will not turn73.2%–
Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly73.2%–
Tires blow out or tread separates62.8%–
Head gasket leaks coolant into engine62.8%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract52.3%–
Unintended acceleration despite braking52.3%–
Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant52.3%–
Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail41.8%–
Rear door latch fails to open or close41.8%–
Horn fails with airbag warning light41.8%–
Vehicle catches fire from wiring41.8%–
Front brake rotors warp and wear early41.8%–
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips31.4%–

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #07V349000August 8, 200720,594 vehicles affected

    fuel system, gasoline: storage

    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).

    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.

    Remedy

    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.

  • NHTSA recall #03V250000July 15, 20031,707,825 vehicles affected

    equipment: other: owners/service/other manual

    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.

    This does not meet the requirements of the standard.

    Remedy

    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.

  • NHTSA recall #02V329000December 9, 2002272 vehicles affected

    air bags: frontal

    On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.

    This could increase the severity of injury to a person who was not properly restrained and who was close to the passenger air bag at the time of deployment. It could also reduce the AB8ILITY of the air bag to protect a restrained front seat passenger.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began december 16, 2002. 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 Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, Oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or saturn at 1-800-553-6000, prompt #3.

  • NHTSA recall #01V383000December 13, 200175,816 vehicles affected

    seats: front assembly: recliner

    Vehicle description: certain mini vans built with second row 50/50 split bench seats or captain's chairs, fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the seat latch anchor wire diameter is greater than 6.1 mm.

    If the connector for a latch-type child restraint is not attached correctly to the anchorage points, the restraint will not properly protect a child in the event of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect the latch anchor wires and repair those with an improper diameter. Owner notification began april 10, 2002. 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 Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.

  • NHTSA recall #01V026000February 1, 200138 vehicles affected

    air bags: frontal

    Vehicle description: passenger, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The passenger air bag inflator modules were built without the correct amount of generant, which produces the gas that fills the air bag. Some were built with a double load of generant and some were built without generant.

    In the event of a crash that would trigger a passenger air bag deployment, a double load of generant Can cause the inflator module to explode. If the air bag module explodes, metal and plastic debris could cause severe injury to vehicle occupant. A module with no generant would not inflate the air bag, and the occupants could receive more severe injuries.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module. Telephone calls were made to owners on january 29, 2001. Follow up owner mailing began on april 17, 2001. 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 Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or saturn at 1-800-553-6000.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2001 Pontiac Aztek.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN