NHTSA Complaint #10237585 — 2001 PONTIAC AZTEK

WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH OUR REAR HATCH OPENING PROPERLY SINCE WE PURCHASED THIS AZTEC NEW IN 2000. ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO, THE PROBLEM DEVELOPED INTO NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH WITH THE KEY FOB, DASH RELEASE BUTTON AND THE MOST FRUSTRATING AS WELL AS DANGEROUS ASPECT IS IT WOULD NOT OPEN EVEN BY USING THE VEHICLE KEYS. IT HAS NOW INCREASED TO THE POINT THAT THE CARS ALARM SYSTEM WILL GO OFF ON ITS OWN, THE AIR CONDITIONER QUITS WORKING, THE REMOTE ENTRY DOOR SYSTEM BECOMES USELESS AND ENTIRE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCK SYSTEM FAILS. SINCE ONLY THE TWO FRONT DOORS WILL OPEN WITH THE VEHICLE KEY AND WE ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS IN THE REAR, THIS HAS BECOME A DANGEROUS SITUATION. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET, WE FOUND THAT IF WE PULLED THE FUSE THAT CONTROLLED THE VEHICLES COMPUTER MODULE, CALLED THE BCM, THE MODULE WOULD RESET ITSELF AND IT WOULD TEMPORARILY FIX THE PROBLEM. ESTIMATES TO FIX THIS BY THE DEALER ARE UPWARDS OF $ 700.00 AND HE DOESN'T KNOW FOR SURE IF THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEMS. AN AC DELCO BRANDED BCM REPLACEMENT ON THE INTERNET CAN BE PURCHASE FOR LESS THAN $ 170.00. I BELIEVE GM SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PRODUCT OR AT LEAST OFFER TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT A REASONABLE COST TO THE CONSUMER. *TR