Oldsmobile Alero Complaints

1,957 consumer complaints on file.

#10174289November 26, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
THE SECURITY LIGHT ON MY DASH WILL COME ONE ABOUT 3 TO 5 TIMES PER MONTH. THIS RESULTS IN MY CAR NOT STARTING. THE FIRST TIME I WAS ALONE AND HAD TO PHONE FOR SOMEONE TO HELP ME. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THE CAR STARTED. AFTER THIS, I REALIZED THE CAR WOULD START AFTER ABOUT TEN MINUTES. I WORK WITH ANOTHER ALERO OWNER AND SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAD TO PAY A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SHE ALSO SAID THAT EVERY ALERO OWNER SHE KNOWS HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT VISITED A DEALERSHIP DUE TO THE COST, AND I FEEL A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10173403November 13, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
MY TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS HAVE INTERMITTENTLY BEEN COMPLETELY CEASING TO WORK. THIS COMES AND GOES, BUT SOMETIMES WILL BE TEMPORARILY REMEDIED IF I PUSH THE HAZARD BUTTON AND THEN RELEASE IT. IN RESEARCHING NHTSA, I FOUND NHTSA RECALL 03V327000 WHICH PERFECTLY MIRRORS THE SYMPTOMS I AM HAVING. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I CONTACTED GM REGARDING THE RECALL, THEY SAID MY VIN DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE RANGE. I FEEL THIS FAILURE IS RELATED. MY VIN IS [XXX]. THE FILE NUMBER WITH [XXX]. AT THIS POINT, THEY SAY THEY CAN'T HELP ME SINCE MY VIN DOESN'T FALL WITHIN THEIR RANGE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10173148November 10, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THE SECURITY LIGHT STARTED COMING ON IN MY CAR IN 2004. MY CAR IS A 2002. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A GM DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, SO I DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE LIGHT UNTIL ONE DAY MY CAR REFUSED TO START. AS I HAD JUST REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE LIGHTS/RADIO WORKED, MY HUSBAND ASKED AROUND AND A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE OWNED OLDSMOBILE VEHICLES STATED THAT IF YOU LEAVE THE CAR IN THE "ON" POSITION FOR 10-12 MINUTES THAT IT WILL RESET THE SECURITY LIGHT AND THE CAR WILL START. IT WORKED AND I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A SECOND GM DEALERSHIP AND THEY QUOTED A DIAGNOSTIC RUN TO DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING MY CAR NOT TO START, BUT THEY TOO DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING IT. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS IN OCTOBER 2006, BUT INSTEAD OF RESETTING FOR A FEW MONTHS, LIKE BEFORE, THE CAR REFUSED TO START THE VERY NEXT TIME I TRIED TO START IT. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL MODELS (1999-2002, AT LEAST) THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED GM TO NOTIFY THEM OF THIS OCCURRENCE AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS NOT ONLY OCCURRING TO MY CAR. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK... YET? I NO LONGER HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT MY CAR IS RELIABLE. FOR THE TIME BEING, I USE THE METHOD, BUT NOW THAT I AM PREGNANT AND WINTER IS FAST APPROACHING (I LIVE IN MINNESOTA), I NO LONGER FIND THIS SOLUTION ACCEPTABLE. I DO NOT WANT TO JEOPARDIZE MY CHILD'S LIFE BY HAVING TO REMAIN IN NEGATIVE DEGREE WEATHER FOR TEN MINUTES IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO "RESET ITSELF," SO I AM CURRENTLY RESEARCHING ALTERNATIVE CARS TO PURCHASE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10172358November 1, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TURN SIGNALS INTERMITTENTLY QUIT WORKING, BUT HAZARDS WORK FINE. ALSO, INTERMITTENTLY WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL FULLY (EITHER WAY) THE ABS LIGHT AND LOW TRACTION OFF LIGHT COME ON WHICH CLEAR AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTING, BUT DOES IT AGAIN OR MAYBE NOT FOR A WHILE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10172148October 30, 2006
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
NO EVENTS LED TO THE FAILURE. THE FUEL PUMP FAILED FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER. THE CAR WOULD CRANK, BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10172046October 28, 2006
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
THE STEERING WAS HARD AND HAD IT INSPECTED. THE RESULTS BEING A WORN OUT STEERING RACK THAT WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. THE ASE CERTIFIED MASTER MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN GM VEHICLES. CARS ARE ENGINEERED PRODUCTS - THE USER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REPLACE SUCH PARTS ON A REGULAR BASIS BECAUSE, THE CUSTOMER BUYS CARS BASED ON THE RELIABILITY OF MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULICALLY ENGINEERED COMPONENTS. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT IT IS A CONSTANT MENTAL STRESS FOR THE OWNER TO ACTUALLY 'EXPECT' KNOWN PROBLEMS THAT GM IS NOT READY TO ACKNOWLEDGE - THOUGH COMPARABLE JAPANESE AND GERMAN CARS RUN WITHOUT SUCH PROBLEMS IN THE SIMILAR COMPONENTS FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171660October 23, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE AN 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO WHICH IS A PIECE OF CRAP SINCE I FIRST BROUGHT IT HOME. I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE BRAKES ABOUT 7 TIMES!!! I HAVE ALSO HAD TO FIX ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE STATED IN THE RECALLS. I FIXED THE RECALL PROBLEMS BEFORE THERE EVEN WAS ANY RECALLS BECAUSE GM WOULD NOT HELP ME. THEN LATER I WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALLS. NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS SHOT!! THE ETS SYSTEM IS NOT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT PROPERLY. WE FOUND A BOLT LAYING IN THE TRANSMISSION PAN WHEN WE FIRST SERVICED IT. IN THE BEGINNING WE THOUGHT WE ONLY NEEDED A TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGE BUT COME TO FIND OUT THAT BOLT THAT WAS IN OUR TRANSMISSION PAN FILTERED THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION ALLOWING SOMETHING TO BECOME LOOSE IN THE TRANSMISSION MAKING IT SHIFT VERY HARD. WE HAD 2 MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND BOTH AGREED THAT WE NEEDED TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS BUT EVEN IN THE BEGINNING OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE THINGS STARTED TO GO WRONG. NOW OLDSMOBILE IS OUT OF BUSINESS AND GM/OLDSMOBILE WONT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME WHICH IS TYPICAL OF GM. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH GM ABOUT 5 TIMES NOW AND THEY JUST KEEP TELLING ME THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER. BASICALLY I'M OUT OF LUCK. NOW IT WILL COST 2000.00 TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION AND I DO NOT HAVE THAT. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A GM VEHICLE EVER AGAIN. I THINK THAT A FOREIGN CAR LIKE HONDA OR NISSAN WOULD BE MORE RELIABLE AND WONT BE A PIECE OF JUNK THAT ISN'T EVEN WORTH 100.00. PLEASE HELP ME I NEED A VEHICLE FOR WORK. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171363October 19, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS I HAVE BEEN NOTICING MY CAR TEMPERATURE HOT WHEN IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE COLD AND VICE VERSA. I CHECKED THE ANTI-FREEZE AND PLACED MORE IN THE CAR. IN THE PAST MONTH I NOTICE THAT THE CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT AND I CHECKED THE ANTIFREEZE ONCE AGAIN. I THEN LEARNED THAT MY MANIFOLD INTAKE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT IS VERY COMMON FOR IT TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS PLASTIC. I PAID OVER $700.00 TO GET IT REPLACED AND IT IS A COMMON FACT THAT IT IS REPLACED OFTEN DUE TO THE MANUFACTURERS CHOICE TO USE PLASTIC FOR THE PART. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171374October 19, 2006
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
LAST YEAR I HAD A RUBBING TYPE SOUND COMING FROM MY FRONT END, UPON TAKING IT TO TUFFY I LEARNED THAT I NEEDED A LEFT WHEEL BEARING. I REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARING AND 7 MONTHS LATER I HAD TO REPLACE THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING. CURRENTLY I AM BEING TOLD THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS STILL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY ABS LIGHTS ARE ON AND THERE IS A POPPING SOUND WHEN MY CAR TURNS. I HAVE A NEW TIE ROD SO THAT RULES THE NOISE COMING FROM IT. THE BEARINGS ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND I ONLY HAD THE CAR THREE YEARS AND I HAD TO REPLACE BEARINGS, THE MANIFOLD INTAKE, A TIE ROD, AND HOSES. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10170384October 10, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY STALLING SINCE APRIL 2006. I HAVE HAD MY CAR DIAGNOSED BY 3 MECHANICS ALL OF WHICH CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG VIA THEIR DIAGNOSTIC MACHINES. BEFORE TAKING IT TO GM. GM HOOKED THE CAR UP TO THEIR DIAGNOSTICS MACHINE AND DROVE IT FOR 20 MILES OVERNIGHT AND SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE CAR IS GOING TO STALL. UNFORTUNATELY I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY FOR THESE REASONS, IT COULD STALL AND I COULD BE KILLED BY SOMEONE GOING FAST AND RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF ME. I ONLY DRIVE THE CAR LOCALLY IN THE CITY IN WHICH I LIVE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10170391October 10, 2006
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN MY VEHICLE REACHED 49,000 MILES I HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND BRAKES REPLACED. MY CAR IS NOW AT 59,000 MILES AND THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169736October 2, 2006
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
VINYL DASHBOARD COVERING BEGAN TO PEEL UP AT FRONT EDGE, PRESUMABLY BECOMING UNGLUED IN THE SUN. AFTER A YEAR, THERE IS A LOT OF RIPPLING IN THE TRIM AND THE LENGTH OF THE PEEL IS ABOUT 12 INCHES. I OBSERVED THE SAME CONDITION ON ANOTHER ALERO IN A PARKING LOT. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169470September 27, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
TURN SIGNALS INTERMITTENTLY WORK. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169176September 25, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:UNIT
I HAVE A 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO AND THE TURNING SIGNAL LIGHT AND THE HAZARDOUS LIGHT DOES NOT WORK IT MAKES A BUZZING SOUND WHEN I TRY TO MAKE A TURN. WHILE I WAS HOME FROM WORK ONE DAY AND I PUT ON MY TURNING SIGNAL LIGHTS ON IT KEPT MAKING THE BUZZING SOUND. I HAVE NOT TRIED TO GET THIS FIX BECAUSE THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD COST ME OVER $300 TO GET IT FIX AND I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOULD PAY THAT MUCH FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT MY FAULT.. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO IF THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF RECALL FOR THAT TYPE OF PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168648September 19, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT
THE TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARDS LIGHTS WORK PERIODICALLY. IT APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING FAULTY IN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO. IF YOU HIT THE DASH HARD ENOUGH THEY WILL BEGIN WORKING BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS B/C YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL WORK OR WHEN THEY WILL NOT WORK. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168216September 14, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:SWITCH
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE OF THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH CAUSED THE TURN SIGNALS/HAZARD LIGHTS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND RANDOMLY. A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V327000 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE ON 2001 PRIOR TO HIS OWNERSHIP. THE RECALL WAS CONCERNING THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING: HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS: SWITCH, HOWEVER THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT OFFER A SECOND REPAIR UNDER THE RECALL. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - THE VEHICLE HAD A THREE YEAR HISTORY OF THE TURN SIGNALS FAILING INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE DOING RESEARCH THE CONSUMER FOUND INFORMATION ON THE HAZARD SWITCH RECALL. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169052September 8, 2006
STEERING
2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO STEERING WHEEL HAD A LOT OF PLAY. UPON INSPECTION MECHANIC DETERMINED A BROKEN MOUNT ON THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. *KB THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE BROKEN MOUNT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO A SHARP JOLT SUCH AS HITTING A CURB OR A POTHOLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167569September 7, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE MAKE : OLDSMOBILE MODEL : ALERO YEAR : 1999 MANUFACTURER : GENERAL MOTORS CORP. MILEAGE: 62,000 MILES PROBLEM: ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK - DEXCOOL I, LIKE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND OTHER GM OWNERS, AM EXPERIENCING A LEAKING ENGINE DUE TO THE DEXCOOL COOLANT USED IN THE RADIATOR. THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NOT BEING SEALED CORRECTLY TO HOUSE THE CORROSIVE COOLANT. (I'VE BEEN TOLD BY BOTH MY MECHANIC AND THE DEALER THAT THIS EFFECTS ALL 3.0L SERIES ENGINES IN GM VEHICLES FROM THE YEARS 1998 - 2003.) I ONLY REALIZED MY PROBLEM AFTER MY FRIEND (WITH THE EXACT SAME MODEL CAR AND YEAR) HAD HIS HEAD GASKET BLOWN OFF DUE TO THE ENGINE COOLANT MIXING WITH THE OIL. TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: $750. RISK OF ACCIDENT IF CAR'S ENGINE BLOWS IN TRAFFIC. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167433September 6, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
IT WAS A ON SEPT 2 2006, MY 17 YR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY A HOUR AND HALF A WAY FROM HOME AND NOTICED FAILURE IN HER BRAKES. THEY WHERE NOT WORKING GOOD WHEN SHE GOT CLOSER TO HER DESTINATION SHE LOST ALL BRAKES CONTROL. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATALITY IF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY BUT ALL BRAKE FUNCTION WAS LOST AT HER APPROACHING DESTINATION. THE CAUSE WAS A BRAKE LINE PLASTIC CLIP WAS BUSTED WHICH CAUSED THE LINE TO RUB AGAINST THE CRANKSHAFT AND RUBBED A HOLE IN THE LINE CAUSING THE FLUID TO RUN OUT, IT COST 175.00 TO FIX, THAT INCLUDING THE TOWING. I FEEL IF THIS HOSE WAS HELD BY A METAL CLIP THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS AFTER COME, NOT TO MENTION THIS WAS MY 17 YEAR OLD CHILD. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167282September 3, 2006
STRUCTURE
THE DASHBOARD OF MY 2003 OLDS ALERO IS BUCKLING AND PEELING IN SEVERAL PLACES. I AM TRYING TO OBTAIN PROOF OF OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS THAT ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD. GM HAS BEEN OF NO ASSISTANCE TO ME. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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