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2005 Pontiac Aztek FWD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2005 Aztek FWD.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2005 Pontiac Aztek, a front‑wheel‑drive SUV, sits on GM’s GM-1 platform and is propelled by a 4‑speed automatic transmission, delivering an EPA‑rated 16/22/18 mpg city/highway/combined. Its engine requires 4.5 quarts of 5W‑30 API oil, and the vehicle’s electrical system has been the most frequent source of owner complaints, accounting for 34 total grievances in this model year. With only one recall recorded, the Aztek’s reliability profile remains modest, offering a snapshot of a vehicle that, while functional, has struggled with electrical quirks that may affect long‑term ownership.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy16/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP225-60R16OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter	19166106
Fuel filter	10333072 discontinued
Spark plug	12681664
Battery	88866306
Front wiper blades	10413111 alt 10317151
Serpentine belt	12588408
Thermostat	24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter	10322538 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	182.3 in
Overall width	73.6 in
Overall height	66.5 in
Wheelbase	108.3 in
Curb weight	3779 lb
Track (front / rear)	62.6 / 63.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 22 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	5
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	12 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	24.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	21.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	192 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	192 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.045 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.68 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	7.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	52-59
Injector Primary Resistance	11-14 na ohms
Engine Compression	100
Engine Compression	100 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure	60 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	26 ft-lbs / 33 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	137 ft-lbs / 92 ft-lbs
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.181 in / 0.43 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.181 in / 0.43 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.118 in / 0.405 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	1.063 in / 0.35 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	44 ft. lbs.	44 ft. lbs
2	95 degrees	95 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 mi	Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2005 Pontiac Aztek FWD lead in one area — the electrical system, 7 of 34 reports (21%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the electrical system, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the electrical system pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

488

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

2 involved a crash · 0 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 34 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System7

Fuel System, Gasoline4

Power Train4

Unknown Or Other2

Fuel/Propulsion System2

Seats2

Vehicle Speed Control,Engine1

Vehicle Speed Control,Wheels,Service Brakes1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07E021000Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Pressure Relief DevicesReported 12/03/2007

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE… Remedy: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 488 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
23-NA-001	2025-03-28	Electrical System	This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on OnStar Module 2G…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Aztek FWD. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 78 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 19166106 Fuel filter 10333072 Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2005 Aztek FWD take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2005 Aztek FWD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Aztek FWD get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.