2002 Pontiac Aztek Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2002 Pontiac Aztek most often describe fuel leaks and fuel smells around the tank and filler area, repeated coolant losses that lead to overheating, and noisy wheel bearings that come back after replacement. Many reports arrive between roughly 40,000 and 100,000 miles, though a few electrical and fuel-tank complaints appear well past 120,000 miles, and none of the patterns reads as sudden on a new vehicle.

1. 1
   Suspension

   Wheel bearing noise and repeat failures

   • 24 complaints (20%)
   • median 41,000 mi at 2.9 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • filed 2002–2012

   Owners report humming, whining, grinding or scraping from the front end that gets louder with speed or when turning, and shops diagnosing a failed hub or wheel bearing. Several describe replacing one or more bearings and having the noise return on another wheel within a few years, and some mention a manufacturer letter about bearings that did not amount to a recall. A few include a rear bushing or knuckle complaint with clunking over bumps. Concentrated under about 60,000 miles, with several reports around 30,000 to 50,000 miles.

   What to check: Drive at highway speed and listen for steady hum or whine that changes when you swerve gently; ask which bearings or hubs have been replaced and when.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Two wheel bearings have failed on my 2002 Pontiac Aztek before 50,000 miles. Fortunately I recognized the noise before anything tragic happened. Pontiac replaced the first one under warranty, but declined to offer any assistance with the bearing not under warranty. How often will these go bad and should I trust them?”

   NHTSA complaint #10116125, filed 2005-03, 50,000 miles

   “2002 Pontiac Aztek front wheel bearings bad at 45,000 miles there was no accident, but we do feel this is a product defect. We do have the old part but could not get them replaced”

   NHTSA complaint #10114462, filed 2005-03, 45,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Body control module faults: locks, alarm, hatch, gauges

   • 15 complaints (12%)
   • median 78,000 mi at 6.7 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2003–2017

   Complaints describe doors locking and unlocking on their own, the alarm sounding while driving, windows moving by themselves, and the rear hatch opening unprompted or refusing to release. Owners also mention gauges and lights dropping out briefly and the car continuing to run. Dealers reportedly replaced the body control module or quoted the repair, and some owners were told the behavior was not treated as a safety concern. Mostly between about 70,000 and 130,000 miles, though one report came in under 25,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test every door lock, window, the rear hatch release and the alarm, and watch the gauges during a test drive; ask whether the body control module has been replaced and whether the battery and ground connections were serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2002 Pontiac Aztek and there's a ticking noise in the motor and the oil is good and all the other fluids are good. My A/C stop working and the back hatch doesn't unlock sometimes and to fix the problem I have to disconnect the battery for about 15mins or longer for it to work , can you tell me what could be the problem and how to fix it .”

   NHTSA complaint #10242500, filed 2008-09, 92,402 miles

   “It began with my rear hatch not working on my 2002 Pontiac Aztek. Then the ignition began sticking and culminated with the alarm going off (while driving) and all electrical systems shutting down with increasing frequency. When this occurs, all gauges are shut down, the doors are disabled, headlights (all lights) are disabled. I've looked online and talked to the dealership. It will cost between $400-$500 to repair (GM is aware of the problem). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10236225, filed 2008-07, 78,000 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Fuel smell or leak at tank and filler neck

   • 18 complaints (15%)
   • median 83,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2016

   Owners describe smelling gasoline outside or inside the vehicle and finding drips on the driveway or garage floor, often noticed after refueling or while the car sits parked. Several say a dealer or independent shop traced it to a crack or fracture at the base of the fuel tank or at the connection to the filler hose, and that the tank needed replacement. More than one report notes the vehicle was not covered by a fuel tank recall on file. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 120,000 miles, with a few beyond that.

   Recall 07V349000

   What to check: Smell around the filler neck and tank after filling up, and look for fresh drips under the rear of the car. Ask whether the fuel tank inlet recall 07V349000 was ever performed on this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We own a 2002 Pontiac Aztek. On sunday, december 16, our car would not start and could not be jumped by aaa. We had it towed to the aaa-approved service station we use for all repairs. After replacing the starter, they told us that there was also a leak with the fuel inlet seal. It being the week before christmas, we were unable to repair that day. After going on the internet to research the price of the part, we discovered that there was a recall in effect for this vehicle for this specific reason. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10212519, filed 2007-12, 104,000 miles

   “Gasoline leaks from the tank at the junction of the filler tube and tank. Gasoline drips onto the pavement, smells terrible, and is a major fire hazard.”

   NHTSA complaint #10208455, filed 2007-11, 95,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   ABS activating at low speed and weak braking

   • 11 complaints (9%)
   • median 46,840 mi at 3.4 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2013

   Owners report the brake pedal pulsing or dropping toward the floor and the ABS engaging during ordinary low-speed stops on dry pavement, with the pedal feeling different afterwards. Some say stopping distance felt longer and that repeated repair attempts did not resolve it, while others describe rusted or corroded hydraulic lines and early pad and rotor wear. Reported from very low mileage up to about 100,000 miles, with many under 50,000 miles.

   What to check: Make several low-speed stops and feel for pedal pulsing or a pedal that sinks; have the brake lines inspected for corrosion and ask for brake service history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My rear brakes had to be changed the first time at 13,590 miles and I was told it was not covered under my warranty my brakes then had to be replaced on the rear again at 16,473 and since then my brakes have been pads and rotors and brakes have been like changing oil every three thousand miles . …”

   NHTSA complaint #10064445, filed 2004-04, 16,473 miles

   “In a hard stop in stop-and-go rush hour freeway traffic, a corroded steel hydraulic brake line failed. This was the line from the ABS module to the right front brake. As such it immediately caused a substantial loss of braking ability - I was in the far left lane and I was able to abruptly move to the left shoulder. Had I been in one of the center lanes there would have been a crash, it would have been unavoidable, the rear brakes were still functional and I still had limited braking ability. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10538336, filed 2013-09, 251,612 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Coolant loss and overheating from intake manifold gasket

   • 13 complaints (11%)
   • median 69,393 mi at 6.4 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2004–2013

   Complaints describe the temperature gauge climbing or the car overheating until the driver has to pull over, sometimes without much warning. Owners say the thermostat and water pump were replaced first and the overheating returned, after which a dealer identified an internal leak at the intake manifold gasket and quoted repairs. Some reports add that heat from the dash vents faded when the car came to a stop. Spread from roughly 45,000 to 130,000 miles, often reported in the 50,000 to 80,000 mile range.

   What to check: Check the coolant level and look for residue or a sweet smell near the intake area; ask for service records showing whether the intake manifold gasket has already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The failure was the cooling system. Keep in mind I take good care of my cars. All of a sudden it got hot with no warning signs. After only 47000 miles, my Pontiac started to leak coolant from everywhere. So I took it to a Pontiac dealer were they seen I needed a new thermostat, water pump,and upper and lower intake gaskets and seals. After it was all said and done. I had to pay 1,200 dollars !”

   NHTSA complaint #10098380, filed 2004-11, 47,000 miles

   “Failure of intake manifold gasket as indicated by check engine light and shaking of vehicle when driving. Took to dealer and was determined to need replacement of lower intake manifold gasket. Replacement cost was $1200.”

   NHTSA complaint #10242118, filed 2008-09, 69,393 miles

Buying note. A used 2002 Aztek is worth a careful pre-purchase inspection focused on the fuel tank and filler area, the cooling system, front hub bearings and the ABS, since these are the areas owners write about most. Confirm in service records whether the fuel tank recall and any intake gasket or body control module work were already completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.