2003 Pontiac Aztek Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC AZTEC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE IN OPERATION. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS COMPLETELY OPEN. SUDDENLY, THE UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL INTO A NEARBY LAKE. THE CONTACT WAS STANDING BY THE OPENED DOOR AND SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES FROM BEING STRUCK BY THE DOOR AS THE VEHICLE GAINED SPEED. THE VEHICLE ROLLED INTO THE LAKE AND WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF CRASHING AND BEING SUBMERGED IN WATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SAVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 7/12/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE JUMPED FROM REVERSE TO NEUTRAL. SHE WAS SITTING IN THE VEHICLE WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WITH THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE. WHEN SHE REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE BRAKE TO CONTINUE BACKING UP, SHE DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE WAS IN NEUTRAL. IT WAS MOMENTS LATER, WHEN SHE STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, WHEN THE VEHICLE JUMPED FROM PARK KNOCKING HER DOWN TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WENT INTO THE LAKE. UPDATED 07/18/12

NHTSA ID

10461174

Incident

Jun 8, 2012

Mileage

73,000 mi

INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE SHIFTED TO ANY GEAR WITHOUT TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTING. THE INVERSE OF THIS HAS BEEN TRYING TO SHIFT IN TO PART AND THE IT WILL NOT GO !. TURNING THE ENGINE OFF HAD NO EFFECT ON THIS CONDITION AND IT HAD TO BE LEFT IN GEAR. OF COURSE THE LIGHTS DON'T GO OFF AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE "CHOCKED" AND THE BATTERY DISCONNECTED. THE DATE CAN BE DISREGARDED AS THIS HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10235045

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

999,999 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC AZTEC. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED FROM 2,500 TO 3,500 WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE GEARS FAILED AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. AS OCTOBER 16, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

NHTSA ID

10205882

Incident

Jun 1, 2006

Mileage

88,000 mi

2003 AZTEK WITH 65000 MILES HAVE TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. CONTACTED GM SAID I DID NOT HAVE FLUID CHANGED AT 50,000 MILES THAT THE TROUBLE WAS MY FAULT. I CONTACTED GM THEY SAID NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I CONTACTED 3 OTHER TRANSMISSION SHOPS---ALL 3 SAID CHANGING THE FLUID WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED THE PROBLEM. GM THEN TELLS ME THEY CAN NOT TAKE THE WORD OF ANOTHER MECHANIC BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GM CERTIFIED. I WILL NEVER BUY GM AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THIS WOULD BE A VERY DEPENDABLE CAR. NOT EVEN 3 YEARS OLD. I SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161131

Incident

Jun 22, 2006

Mileage

65,000 mi

1. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK WITHOUT SHUTTING IT OFF IF I LEAVE IT RUNNING AND PUT IT IN PARK LIKE AT A DRIVE-THROUGH ETC. HAVE NOT HAD IT CHECKED OR REPAIRED BECAUSE OUT OF WARRANTY AND CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX. 2. THE REAR WINDOW HATCH WILL NOT OPEN PROPERLY. I HAD THE DEALER REPAIR ONCE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. 3. FRONT WHEEL BEARING REPLACED ONCE AND IS ROARING LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. 4. THE BACK MIDDLE SEAT BELT FELL APART AND IS TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. 5. THE VEHICLE GOES THROUGH BRAKES RATHER QUICKLY. HAS BEEN LESS THAN A YEAR AND THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *NM

NHTSA ID

10157663

Incident

Nov 20, 2005

WHILE THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING - VEHICLE IS IN PARK - VEHICLE WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK AND GO INTO GEAR. YOU HAVE TO TURN IT OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE TO GET IT TO COME OUT OF PARK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10152969

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

Mileage

5,000 mi

VEHICLE IS AUTOMATIC BUT STILL ROLLS BACKWARD IN DRIVE. DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THIS IS NORMAL. I'VE DRIVEN FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS AND NO OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN THAT WAS AUTOMATIC DID THIS.

NHTSA ID

10063870

Incident

Jan 4, 2004

Mileage

13,061 mi

2003 PONTIAC AZTEC FREELY ROLLS FORWARD(AS IF IN NEUTRAL) WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN REVERSE, WHILE ON A GRADE, AND ALSO FREELY ROLLS BACKWARD(AS IF IN NEUTRAL) WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE, WHILE ON A GRADE. DEALERSHIP AND GM CONSIDER THIS NORMAL OPERATION. MY HUSBAND AND I DO NOT WE CONSIDER THIS TO BE EXTREMELY UNSAFE FOR ANYONE WALKING OR DRIVING IN FRONT OR BEHIND US ON A GRADE WHERE YOU MAY HAVE TO STOP AND GO.*AK

NHTSA ID

10060888

Incident

Aug 29, 2003

Mileage

8,900 mi

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION GEAR WAS STUCK IN DRIVE,DRIVER LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10038146

Incident

Sep 3, 2003