AI Damage2004 Pontiac Aztek: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Pontiac Aztek filed 67 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 67
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 22% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 12% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 12% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 12% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 7% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 15 complaints (22% of all).
- Service brakes: 12 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 8 complaints (12% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 8 complaints (12% of all).
- Fuel system: 8 complaints (12% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.4 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 67 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. There were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. A police report was filed. The seat belt failed to unlock as the contact was cut from the vehicle.
The air bags did not deploy. The driver received injuries to the head and was later transported to the hospital. The police were contacted and a report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home and pending an investigation. The failure and current mileages were approximately 104,000.
The contact was driving 45 mph and was involved in a crash where the airbags failed to deploy. The contact was reported injured. A police report was not available. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vin was unavailable. The failure and current mileages were 117,000. Kmj
While proceeding down a steep hill in northeren pa the abs failed and the pontiac aztek began to fishtail as though on ice. It had two frontal impacts and the airbags did not deploy.
Also, have oil leaks in 2 places, they tell me I need upper & lower intake gaskets. As well as valve cover gaskets & oil pump drive o-ring replaced and oil pan gasket replaced.
Consumer stated powersteering high pressure ruptured due to rust. The day the brake lines were getting repaired consumer was told fuel line from the pump to the injectors was also rusted and would leak anytime.
I have not driven my vehicle for 2 months because my mechanic told me my valve cover gaskets were leaking on to my exhaust manifold and that it why it was smoking when we stopped.
The only way to remove key is to override park shift indicator, which would allow key to be removed while vehicle in motion, thereby disabling power steering and braking. There is no fix that does not involve overriding park shift indicator per dealer.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,533 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Aztek has 113 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 67, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Pontiac Aztek?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 67. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (15%), knocking, grinding or other noise (12%), fuel system, fuel smell (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Pontiac Aztek?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2004 Pontiac Aztek from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2004 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.