NHTSA Complaint #10230241 — 2002 PONTIAC AZTEK

AT 51,000 MILES ENGINE OVERHEATING WHEN STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS. ADDED ANTIFREEZE, BUT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. AT SAME TIME AC FAILED. THEN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED FAILING. ALARM GOING OFF FOR NO REASON, DOORS LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THEMSELVES, REAR HATCH OPENING, AND ALL GAUGES LIGHTING UP THEN GOING BLANK FOR 5 - 10 SECONDS. TOOK TO DEALER WHO STATED THAT I HAD A FAILURE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, A LEAKING FUEL FILTER, A SHOT AC SYSTEM, AND NEEDED TO REPLACE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO DO THE SAME WORK ON MANY AZTEKS. TOOK TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC FOR VERIFICATION AND REPAIR ($600 LESS THAN DEALER WANTED). PAID $1156 FOR INTAKE MANIFOLD, FUEL FILTER, AND AC CHECK. MECHANIC DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE AC SYSTEM, BUT THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. CAN NOT FIX THE MODULE AT THIS TIME - HAVE BEEN GIVEN ESTIMATE OF $800. SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS MODULE IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT NHTSA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND HAVE GM REIMBURSE THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP BY MANY AZTEK OWNERS BOTH ON THIS SITE AND OTHERS. IT IS REALLY ALARMING TO BE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN SUDDENLY ALL THE GAUGES GO BLANK, EVEN IF JUST FOR A FEW SECONDS, NOT TO MENTION DOORS LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THEMSELVES AND THE ALARM GOING OFF FOR NO REASON. BY READING OTHER COMPLAINTS I SHOULD LOOK FORWARD TO REPLACING WHEEL BEARINGS ALSO. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR