2003 Pontiac Aztek: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2003 Pontiac Aztek
On the 2003 Pontiac Aztek, the failure owners report most often is fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure, and the reports cluster around 50,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 74,000 miles. Overall it scores 62 out of 100, high risk for a 2003.
High risk for a 2003 — 286th riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. 188 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 39 named failure modes on the 2003 Pontiac Aztek, and the three most-reported carry 26% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure leads with 21 reports, about 0.3 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 36k to 85,000 miles.
Wheel bearing or hub failure follows with 15 reports, median 20,000 miles.
No-start or intermittent start failure follows with 13 reports, usually reported between 68k to 125,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into fuel (43), engine (26) and electrical (20).
At what mileage it happens
122 of the reports on the 2003 Pontiac Aztek came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 74,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 35% by 50,000 miles, 70% by 100,000 miles and 89% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 10,000 and 20,000 miles, which alone holds 11% of the dated reports.
26% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure around 48k, other engine problem around 54k, other electrical problem around 67k and no-start or intermittent start failure around 76k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 39. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 5 mention a crash, 8 a fire and 3 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.86, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure at $250–$1,800, wheel bearing or hub failure at $350–$1,200, no-start or intermittent start failure at $200–$1,800 and other electrical problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
32% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 21 | 11 | 36k | 48k | 86k | 0.3 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 15 | 7 | — | 19k | — | 0.2 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 13 | 13 | 68k | 76k | 124k | 0.2 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 13 | 8 | 24k | 67k | 103k | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 12 | 8 | 33k | 54k | 92k | 0.2 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 9 | 7 | — | 34k | — | 0.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 9 | 9 | 75k | 77k | 108k | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 6 | 6 | — | 137k | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 6 | 3 | — | 83k | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 6 | 5 | — | 90k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 5 | 4 | — | 91k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 5 | 2 | — | 30k | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 5 | 3 | — | 106k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 4 | 4 | — | 136k | — | 0.1 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 4 | 3 | — | 48k | — | 0.1 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 4 | 3 | — | 53k | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 82k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 3 | 2 | — | 14k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Other steering problem | steering | 3 | 1 | — | 125k | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 3 | 1 | — | 101k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 3 | 3 | — | 19k | — | 0.0 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Electrical fire or melted wiring | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 26k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$9,000 | Critical |
| Overheating | cooling | 2 | 2 | — | 72k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Fuel gauge or level sensor failure | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 2 | 2 | — | 164k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 2 | 2 | — | 43k | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 2 | 1 | — | 14k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 70k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Water pump failure | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 58k | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,200 | High |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 88k | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 94k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Child seat anchor or tether failure | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$700 | High |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 75k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 3 | 2 | — | 77k | — | 0.0 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2003 Pontiac Aztek draws about 2.9 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 76th percentile of complaint rates among 2003 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 65,685 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2003 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure
1. Driving on city street and hit a golf ball size rock 2. Gas tank was punctured, and brake line was crushed. Drove for 4 more miles before we smelled the gas and got out and saw it spraying out from the side of the car. The fact that it didn't explode is a miracle, I was with my 9 year old son. 3. The pontiac aztek, which this car is, is promoted and advertised as a vehicle for going off roud through dirt roads and streams, this happened driving along a city street. The manufaturer won't fix this problem, to me it seems like a fundamental, and potentially design flaw. Had my car exploded and killed me and my son, would pontiac have paid attention to the problem then? Does it take a death to get their attention about a serious problem?*ak
1. Driving on city street and hit a golf ball size rock 2. Gas tank was punctured, and brake line was crushed. Drove for 4 more miles before we smelled the gas and got out and saw it spraying out from the side of the car. The fact that it didn't explode is a miracle, I was with my 9 year old son. 3. The pontiac aztek, which this car is, is promoted and advertised as a vehicle for going off roud through dirt roads and streams, this happened driving along a city street. The manufaturer won't fix this problem, to me it seems like a fundamental, and potentially design flaw. Had my car exploded and killed me and my son, would pontiac have paid attention to the problem then? Does it take a death to get their attention about a serious problem?*ak
Wheel bearing or hub failure
We purchased our 2003 pontiac aztek last july (03). This january, the vehicle started making a horrible grinding noise when driving on the highway. We took it to our local gm dealer for repair, and the left front wheel bearing had separated internally and needed to be replaced on 2/4/04. A few weeks later, noise returned. The right front wheel bearing had to be replaced today (3/29/04). This vehicle has less than 12,000 miles on it. One of the employees at the dealership said another aztek with low mileage had to have one bearing replaced twice. Could gm have gotten a defective batch of bearings, or is there possibly some design flaw that causes the bearings to wear out abnormally quickly? For the most part, I love this vehicle, but there are two other issues with it which could make it less safe to drive. The 'spoiler' between the slanted and verticle parts of the back window does impair rearward vision (I usually use the outside mirrors to check behind me because of that fact). Also, the windshield wipers move more slowly, even in the fast position, than most vehicles we've owned, which impairs visibility even in moderate…
We purchased our 2003 pontiac aztek last july (03). This january, the vehicle started making a horrible grinding noise when driving on the highway. We took it to our local gm dealer for repair, and the left front wheel bearing had separated internally and needed to be replaced on 2/4/04. A few weeks later, noise returned. The right front wheel bearing had to be replaced today (3/29/04). This vehicle has less than 12,000 miles on it. One of the employees at the dealership said another aztek with low mileage had to have one bearing replaced twice. Could gm have gotten a defective batch of bearings, or is there possibly some design flaw that causes the bearings to wear out abnormally quickly? For the most part, I love this vehicle, but there are two other issues with it which could make it less safe to drive. The 'spoiler' between the slanted and verticle parts of the back window does impair rearward vision (I usually use the outside mirrors to check behind me because of that fact). Also, the windshield wipers move more slowly, even in the fast position, than most vehicles we've owned, which impairs visibility even in moderate…
No-start or intermittent start failure
Vehicle would not start one day, the start the next. Then it wouldn't start at all. Had heater problem before, but when they checked it , it was fine. Then when it wouldn't start at all, had it towed. The garage I had it towed to had been the one to check the heater a couple of weeks prior to it breaking down, they had given it an oil change also. After the tow, they informed me that anti-freeze had been getting into the intake oil(head gaskets),and they would have to take it all apart(labor!!!)---and that the fuel pump was bad. I've only had the vehicle for a little over a year!!!thank god I had a warranty extended,(even though I am paying a lot for that also!!)that I only(!) had to pay the 100.00 deductible, but then had to pay for filters,oil(again!!) and miscellaneous other expenses the warranty didn't pay!!altogether, with what the warranty paid, and what I paid (341.00)---it came to 2,200.00!!!---now this car is only 4 years old,barely!!! And I think that this is ridiculous!!! *jb
Vehicle would not start one day, the start the next. Then it wouldn't start at all. Had heater problem before, but when they checked it , it was fine. Then when it wouldn't start at all, had it towed. The garage I had it towed to had been the one to check the heater a couple of weeks prior to it breaking down, they had given it an oil change also. After the tow, they informed me that anti-freeze had been getting into the intake oil(head gaskets),and they would have to take it all apart(labor!!!)---and that the fuel pump was bad. I've only had the vehicle for a little over a year!!!thank god I had a warranty extended,(even though I am paying a lot for that also!!)that I only(!) had to pay the 100.00 deductible, but then had to pay for filters,oil(again!!) and miscellaneous other expenses the warranty didn't pay!!altogether, with what the warranty paid, and what I paid (341.00)---it came to 2,200.00!!!---now this car is only 4 years old,barely!!! And I think that this is ridiculous!!! *jb
Recalls on the 2003 model year
NHTSA has issued 4 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Pontiac Aztek, affecting an estimated 69,028 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover fuel system, gasoline:storage, fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly:pressure relief dev, equipment:other:owners/service/other manual and steering. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
20,594 vehicles 2007-08-08- Defect
- 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).
- Consequence
- 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.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES
742 vehicles 2007-03-12- Defect
- Certain delphi fuel pressure regulators, p/nos. Fp10020-11b1, fp10026-11b1, and fp10027-11b1, sold after january 9, 2007, as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles listed above. The universal pressure regulators (upr) were produced without an o'ring and retainer.
- Consequence
- Fuel may leak, possibly resulting in a fire.
- Remedy
- Delphi will notify owners and replace the upr free of charge. The recall began on april 23, 2007. Owners can contact delphi at 877-411-8770.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
1,707,825 vehicles 2003-07-15- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
- 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 booster cushion. Owner notification began august 18, 2003. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.
STEERING
4,512 vehicles 2003-02-20- Defect
- In some of these sport utility vehicles, the diameter of the steering column intermediate shaft is too small.
- Consequence
- This condition could allow the intermediate shaft to spin inside the steering column coupling, resulting in loss of steering control of the vehicle. If this were to happen while the vehicle is moving, a crash could resulting without prior warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect, and replace if necessary, the steering column intermediate shaft. Owners were notified by telephone on february 7, 2003, with a follow-up letter on february 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact buick at 1-800-521-7300 or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2003 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2003 — 286th riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 5 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2002 comes out best at 60 and 2005 worst at 74, with 2003 itself at 62.
No other year of this model scores meaningfully better than 2003, so if this generation is what you want, the year is not the lever.
Within the 2001–2005 generation specifically, 2002 is the strongest year at 60 and 2005 the weakest at 74.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2001-2005 generation, 2002 Pontiac Aztek scores best at 60 and 2005 Pontiac Aztek worst at 74.
What the numbers say to check
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other electrical problem from about 24k, other engine problem from about 33k, fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure from about 36k and no-start or intermittent start failure from about 68k.
On a 2003 Pontiac Aztek with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other electrical problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
Where these figures stop being useful
188 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 188 reports, 122 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 65% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Pontiac Aztek?
The most-reported failures are fuel tank, filler or evap failure (21 reports, median 50,000 miles), wheel bearing or hub failure (15 reports, median 20,000 miles) and no-start or intermittent start failure (13 reports, median 75,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2003 Pontiac Aztek problems start?
Fuel tank, filler or evap failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 50,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 35,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 74,000 miles.
Is the 2003 Pontiac Aztek reliable?
It scores 62 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 286th riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2003 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Pontiac Aztek is best?
Within the 2001–2005 generation, 2002 scores best at 60 out of 100 and 2005 worst at 74. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed