2002 PONTIAC AZTEK Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PONTIAC AZTEC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE HEAD GASKET OVERHEATED ON THE VEHICLE. HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT BY THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE RISING ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

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...

I HAVE HAD THREE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH MY AZTEK. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS, OF COURSE, WAS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, BUT WAS A HARBINGER OF THINGS TO COME. BOTH THE CONDENSER AND THE COMPRESSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, NEITHER OF WHICH WAS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY; I WAS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME, BUT HAD A FEW HUNDRED MORE MILES ON THE VEHICLE THAN WHAT WAS ALLOWABLE. VERY EXPENSIVE. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I BEGAN TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH TRANSIENT OVERHEATING. THINKING THAT THE THERMOSTAT MIGHT BE STICKING, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO AT FIRST SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD DISCOVERED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING AND THAT THE CAR WAS NOW INOPERABLE. THE REMEDY DUE TO...

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DEVELOPED A LEAK. SERVICE TECH INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS TYPE OF GM ENGINE. HE HAS DONE DOZENS OF SIMILAR REPAIRS. THE LOCAL DEALER ALSO UNDERVALUED MY CAR'S TRADE-IN VALUE WITHOUT KNOWING THERE WAS A LEAK. IT WAS NOT VISIBLE. THEY INDICATED THAT "JUST BASED ON THE ENGINE I'LL ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD GASKET." THE SALES REP SAID THIS WAS STANDARD BECAUSE OF ALL THE FAILURES THEY'VE SEEN. *NM

2002 PONTIAC AZTEC - 55,000 MILES. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK FOUND TODAY BY LOCAL OIL CHANGE SHOP. OIL RESIDUE LEAKING INTO COOLANT SYSTEM (RESIDUE ON INSIDE OF RADIATOR CAP). SAME PROBLEM THAT CANADIAN RESIDENTS ARE CURRENTLY SUBMITTING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR. REPAIR ESTIMATE $900 - $1,100 FOR GM'S ENGINEERING OVERSIGHT! *NM

MY PONTIAC AZTEC USES THE DEXCOOL ORANGE COOLANT AND HAS 60,000 MILES. I NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE VEHICLE HAS BECOME ERRATIC AND BEGAN TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE I READ AN ARTICLE STATING THAT THE COOLANT BECOME BROWN AND TURNS TO SLUDGE IN THE RADIATOR AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS THE CASE WITH MY 2002 AZTEC. THIS IS KNOWN TO CAUSE BLOWN HEAD GASKETS AND ENGINE DAMAGE. *JB

THE AIR COMPRESSOR WENT OUT ON THIS VEHICLE WITH 32,000 MILES AND AT APPROX. THE 38 MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. GM HAS TSB'S THAT TALK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT WHEN YOUR OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD TSB'S DON'T FIX THINGS TOTALLY. GM AGREED TO REPLACE THE PART BUT LEFT THE LABOR BILL FOR THE ME TO PAY. THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED HERE BY MORE OWNERS INSTEAD OF AZTEK.COM SITES. THE OLD PART HAS BEEN REPLACED AND IS NOT AVAILABLE. *NM