NHTSA Complaint #10167593 — 2002 PONTIAC AZTEK

SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON. TAKEN TO PONTIAC DEALERSHIP, TOLD IT WAS THE ECM (ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) HAD GONE BAD. THE ECM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO A RECEPTACLE ON THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE CAR (ON DRIVERS SIDE, IN BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR SEATS), WHICH IS EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER ELEMENTS AND ROAD DEBRIS. CORROSION CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION. NO REPAIR AVAILABLE. $934 REPAIR COST TO FIX/REPLACE ENTIRE ECM HARNESS. I WENT TO THE AZTEK OWNERS WEBSITE AND SAW SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME ITEM. SOME COMPLAINTS WERE ABOUT THE ECM AND THE BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULE). ECM SUPPOSEDLY CONTROLS ALL THE ELECTRONICS WITH THE BRAIN/COMPUTER OF THE VEHICLE. SINCE A CAR CANNOT BE INSPECTED WITH A SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON, I WAS FORCED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED$$. TWO DAYS LATER, THE AWD DISABLE LIGHT HAS COME ON. THE REPAIR AGENCY STATED THE DIAGNOSTIC REVEALS THAT THE AWD IS FULLY OPERATIONAL, AND NO WAY TO RESET THE AWD LIGHT! ALSO, THE AWD DISABLE LIGHT IS NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE RECENTLY REPAIRED ECM (ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR FACILITY), IRONICALLY, THE ECM DEALS WITH ALL ELECTRONICS!! MAYBE I NEED A GOOD LAWYER? THE CAR PERFORMS ADEQUATELY, BUT IF I WANT TO TRADE IT OR SELL IT SOME DAY, I AM GOING TO TAKE A "HIT" DUE TO THE AWD LIGHT BEING ON. YOUR WEBSITE SHOWS NO OTHER RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. I HOPE THIS INFORMATION I TYPE DOES SOME GOOD SOMEDAY. *ADDITIONAL NOTE: VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP, BUT WAS REPAIRED BY CERTIFIED REPAIR SHOP FOR $825. *NM