Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Pontiac Aztek owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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
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!
After car was services, within one-half hour of driving vehicle the engine caught on fire. The fire could not be put out by 8 police vehicles responding and had to be extinguished by a volunteer fire company engine.
8081 miles: SRS light on intermittently. (reflash PCM and BCM) battery goes dead intermittently. (replaced battery and cleaned terminals) the brakes squeal and erratic fuel gauge. (no problem found at that time). 8125 miles: ses light on again. (cleaned corroded connectors for ABS and fuel pump) 8155 miles: ses on again. (replaced all femaile terminals and cleared codes. Dropped fuel tank to replace fuel modules, replaced all terminals at module. 11541 miles: air bag light on intermittently (could not reproduce) turn signal fuse blowing regularly (replaced neutral wiring safety switch, adj for reverse lights) 12018: turn signals blowing still. …
After arriving home from work, I followed my normal routine: parking in my driveway, cutting off the engine and removing the key before exiting the vehicle; however, I could not remove the key from the ignition switch. No matter what I attempted it would not budge. My adult son also tried to remove the key from the ignition switch with no success. The key was stuck in the 2nd position-- meaning that the vehicle was still "on" just not running. I left it as it was with my key stuck in the ignition. The next morning, of course, my battery was dead because the ignition switch was still in the "on" position. The next day I found a temporary "workaround" on youtube. However, the ignition is still not fixed and I am still using the temporary workaround. I have contacted a local GM dealer and GM offices only to be told that the recall does not cover my vehicle. …
It all started with my lights not turning off at night. I would have to disconnect my battery to get the lights to go off. Then the chimes would not go off. Disconnect battery again. Was told to replace key fob battery. A couple of weeks later, door locks, gauges, all dash lights, horn, headlights, went crazy driving down the highway with my 7 year old son with me. I have taken this vehicle to 7 or 8 places including the Pontiac dealership and noone knows what to do. Noone!!! My horn would blow intermittently sitting at a redlight one day, with two cars in front of me. The car immediately in front of me thought I was blowing at them because the light had changed and started to go, even though the car in front of them was still stopped. This is a seriously dangerous problem with the electrical system of this vehicle. …
We have had multiple thing go wrong with our 2001 Aztek we purchased under 40,000 miles, now has about 60, 000- the front brake rotors were warped- mechanic said that they had to have been like that from manufacturer, as he has never seen anything that bad in a car of that age- air conditioner is not working- went on the web, and it looks like many owners are also experiencing this due to cracked/leaking compressors- also, fuel gauge stopped working shortly after we purchased- needle is very sporadic, and you never know how much gas you have- this also seems to be a common problem- had interior electrical problems as well- this was the only thing fixed by Pontiac- I recently contacted Pontiac, who was unwilling to address any of these issues.
This Pontiac Aztek has electrical problems that cause the entire vehicle to shut down while driving. When it occurs, everything stops working including the steering, therefore making it impossible to steer off the road safely. We have been in 3 near accidents since the vehicle electronic system always seemed to shut down while we were driving on busy highways. The result of the electrical system failure has been 3 burned out fuel pumps (each costing $700.00 to replace), an electrical harness needing replacement and continued electronic failures. All the repairs have been done at my expense. Pontiac refuses to provide any assistance or even assist with finding a remedy to the problem.
Car was being driven at highway speed, upon approaching stop sign the brakes failed resulting in near collision with semi tractor trailer. The brakes began to work but without power assist. Dealer was contacted and instructed us to drive the vehicle to the dealership. Brakes failed again on the way to the dealership. Upon investigation compartment housing the wiring harness was found to be filled with water and the wiring harness controlling the ABS, brake sensor, fuel gauge, and fuel sender was corroded.
Electrical complaints in other Aztek years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2001 Pontiac Aztek?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the electrical system of the 2001 Pontiac Aztek, 19% of the model year's 216 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Pontiac Aztek electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2001 Pontiac Aztek, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Pontiac Aztek electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 3 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.