Your vehicle report
2004 Pontiac Aztek
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 67
- Received Jan 2004 to Apr 2020
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline9 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Wheel bearings fail prematurely9 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving8 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
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 #05V157000On certain sport utility vehicles, contamination on ignition relay contacts can cause high resistance. This can affect signals to the powertrain control module and, could cause intermittent vehicle stalls at any time.
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 identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 5 crashes, 0 fires, 6 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.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 5 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
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
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 67 |
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.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 9 | 13% | – | NHTSA recall #03V454000, #07V349000 |
| Wheel bearings fail prematurely | 9 | 13% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 8 | 12% | – | NHTSA recall #05V157000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 7.5% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 4.5% | – |
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 #05V157000April 20, 200534,186 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition
On certain sport utility vehicles, contamination on ignition relay contacts Can cause high resistance. This Can affect signals to the powertrain control module and, could cause intermittent vehicle stalls at any time.
The vehicle cannot be restarted immediately. If this were to occur, it could result in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the ignition relay free of charge. The recall began on may 4, 2005. Owners may contact Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 and Buick at 1-866-608-8080.
NHTSA recall #03V454000November 10, 200379 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage
On certain passenger vehicles, a weld between the fuel tank inlet check valve and the fuel tank Can fail.
If these parts separate, the driver may notice an odor of fuel, the service engine soon or check engine light may illuminate, and/or fuel may leak onto the ground. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the serial number of the fuel tank to see if it is on the list of affected tanks. If the serial number matches, the fuel tank will be replaced. Owner notification began november 4, 2003. Owners should contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080 or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
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 2004 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