Most common 2001 Pontiac Aztek problems
Share of the 216 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Pontiac Aztek complaints by model year
Best Aztek years: 2005, 2004. Years to avoid: 2001, 2002. Compare all years →
2001 Pontiac Aztek recalls (5)
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).
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.
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.
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…
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.
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…
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the latch anchor wires and repair those with an improper diameter. Owner notification began April 10, 2002.
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2001 Pontiac Aztek:
Fuel tank leakage
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…
Fuel tank leakage
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…
What 2001 Pontiac Aztek owners say
Electrical system all 40 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Pontiac Aztek. The vehicle failed to start without warning. The contact charged the battery and started the vehicle, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated that it was not a battery issue. The technician suspected an ignition failure and planned to run a diagnostic test the following day. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 132,000.
Bout 3 weeks ago car just keep acting up had it for one year cant read codes on car keep overheating replaced radiator cvl axle brakes oil change transmission fluid car just decided to not pass 50mph be driveable one day driving it went to a stop sign brake car cut off I see check gauges come on service light on cant read codes to find out anything I think the wiring is mess up replaced started as well just to much only had it for a 1and a half
Fuel & propulsion system all 39 →
GM has issued a safety bulletin in regards to a broken fuel tank that could cause explosions, or fire. I have tried to get them to perform the repair but they are refusing. The problem is for all years of the Pontiac Aztek and Buick rendezvous. I have a leak from this location, the fuel inlet, and am nearly afraid to drive the vehicle, but at a cost of over 2000 dollars, GM is also inflating the cost because they know the repair needs to be done.
Bout 3 weeks ago car just keep acting up had it for one year cant read codes on car keep overheating replaced radiator cvl axle brakes oil change transmission fluid car just decided to not pass 50mph be driveable one day driving it went to a stop sign brake car cut off I see check gauges come on service light on cant read codes to find out anything I think the wiring is mess up replaced started as well just to much only had it for a 1and a half
Brakes all 31 →
Gradual loss of braking due to a leak in the brake line. Brake fluid from the leaking brake line dripped on catalytic converter causing a fire. The brake line was reconstructed by a licensed mechanic. No damage to any other part of the car.
The car was park! The keys in, I pulled keys out n the car rolled backwards I hop in the car n turn the wheel and I flew out and the car ran me over tire on my back the car didn't stop I pushing the brakes nothing!
2001 Pontiac Aztek engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Pontiac Aztek a good car?
Based on 216 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Aztek rates avoid: 2.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Aztek at the same age. It is one of the Aztek years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Pontiac Aztek?
The electrical system — 40 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about 12v/24v/48v battery. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (39) and brakes (31).
How many recalls does the 2001 Pontiac Aztek have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2001 Pontiac Aztek, the most recent from August 8, 2007 (storage). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Pontiac Aztek?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001 and 2002. See the full Pontiac Aztek years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Pontiac Aztek problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 35% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.