My 2001 Aztek struggles to start every morning or if it sits too long

Asked by Jason Mar 14, 2013 at 12:25 AM about the Pontiac Aztek

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

When I start it in the morning, i have to give it a few long tries (usually 6 or 7). Usually i have to end up pushing on the gas for it to finally go. Generally it will make a small backfiring noise and then will start the next time i try it. Seems like its not getting enough gas to start.

36 Answers

there is no check engine light...if there isn't there's still going to be some diagnostic information if you hook up to an OBD-II or is it three or obi-wan kenobi...anyways this will stop us from guessing at your problem...might be a temp sensor...but that'd be guessing....and I'm guessing that you don't want to waste money, so get the diagnostic codes read...thanks-

Bob, you, as usual, are a plethora of good information. A regular encyclopedia. My guess it timing

175,825

When you start your Pontiac, turn the key to "On" and leave it for a few seconds. You can hear the fuel pump pressurizing the fuel rail. You can hear it turn off. Start the car normally. - When the temperatures dip into the single digits, I'll do it at least twice.

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Best Answer Mark helpful

Jason, tenspeed is the resident expert on Pontiacs on this forum. Listen to him and give him a 'best answer' click, he earned it.

1 people found this helpful.
175,825

Good morning and TYVM David. That key thing should help on all cars with fuel injection.

BTY way I do the same on my Corolla, like you say, especially when it's like 4 degrees. I can't figure out how the to put that little o symbol for degrees. Anyway, I can't hear it but I do give it a chance to pressurize.

1 people found this helpful.

Hey, H25 your reputation is actually higher than tenspeed with azteks...perhaps a sprinkling of sarcasm with one eye partially closed...feel like I shouldn't have posted here as I was only asking questions "encylopedia"...jimney criket!...appreciated the complement anyways, like a loyal lapdog. 'tis a fine morn-

1 people found this helpful.

Bob if you don't mind, PM me with an explanation, no comprendo. 'alt' and what code? pretty please?

naw, no sarcasm. Really. If I wanted to provoke or insult TS, you or anybody else I would do so directly.

No Dave. can't stand the capcha, besides this is useful information for all computer users...yes degree is ALT plus 248, then release ° http://www.yellowpipe.com/yis/tools/ALT-Characters/

didn't work on this Mac. Must be for Windows. I can't even get Google Chrome that I like on this thing

175,825

Thank you Regal. It should be in the manual but not many people read them. The video was funny but it has to be more of a short film than real life. They would have to be in complete control when they are pulling those stunts. If I was the salesman, I would be grabbing the key, moving the shifter to neutral, grabbing an arm and punching someone in the head. I'm not a good passenger and I would never be passive in that type of situation. °

Llregal...dude, you've outdone yourself...I practically wet myself watchin' those double chins waggin'.....you're gettin' ten from me! defineately.

I am going to talk to my 'expert' my son, before I do anything, I will probably f*** it up messing with things I don't know about, first Mac I ever had

David, you're a curious sort, never can tell if you're being super-nice or dishin' with heavy-duty sarcasm...see llregal is snipin' for someone always...but you're a sweet man, and don't dig with the blues.

Apolgies Jason, but it really is important. You know owning a MAC kinda puts you 'above the rest' as us microsoft users spend a lot less for something that consistantly lets you down...it's okay, just reconfigure after crash (had one recently...(NEVER go for an update...tis a date gone bad) lost everything once again and had to waste my time starting from scratch...course zoomzoomkaput-with those.

Oh, I use sarcasm when called for, but it will be obvious. I got my good laugh for the day when I saw his 'ejection seat spring under the seat" the other day...

1 people found this helpful.

@DavidH25, was it staggeringly hot yesterday by you, it was a record setting above 80 for a time here at the largest body of naturally occuring spring water in California-

it's a 2001, so probably has a medium pressure system with throttle body. quite certain that it hasn't got a jetronic, but this is conjecture, wish to leave it in the capable hands of the mayans...er um Aztek experts!

Just one more,,the back to the topic, it got up to 77* here yesterday,unheard of this time of year I have been in this location for 32 years and it always snows in April.

Fords and Buicks handle voltage regulation completely different, will leave you stranded in the desert with a faulty charging system. 'Breaking Bad' made the Aztek famous once again...wonder why they stopped production?

...alrighty. It was 1985, my buddy and I had just gotten some groovy rides, his a 61 Buick, mine a 59 Calalina...well we decided to beat it out to San Francisco all went well until the Utah/Nevada border...there the voltage regulator started kickin' out crazy voltages, toasted the battery...we kept runnin it until it would run no more, found a junk weasel that sold us a Ford voltage regulator and we tried to hook-er-up, spent the night at a perfect strangers home then took up to NAPA to get a modern equivalent to get us out of there- thats when and how...like take steering wheels for example, why must they be so unique? they all do exactly the same job, interface with the driver....heck they COULD be made from bamboo...most plentiful in certain areas of the world....now I'm takin lessons from Gary, to explain till you can't explain no more-

Wow guys thanks.. I am getting the codes read tomorrow and the turning the key thing did work quite a bit better.. Appreciate the help tenspeed and others.. You guys rock!!

IS ANYONE GOING TO ANSWER THE F...ING QUESTION ?...WHAT MAKES A CAR STALL OR NOT START AFTER IT WARMS UP?....PLEASE NO BACK YARD MOVIE GUYS....

Hello I have a Aztec 02 I slammed on my brakes take hard to avoid hitting a pedestrian who ran in front of me after I got going again all my lights went dead I had nothing on the dash at all not minutes later the car went dead I checked the cables theyre not completely perfect but they're ok I had someone come jump it after I adjusted the cables and the dash lights came back on but dimly I got it jumped a few times but the second I took the cables off my car it died so I tried pushing the gas to keep it running that worked for about 2 minutes then it died again any ideas?

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