Oldsmobile Alero Complaints

1,957 consumer complaints on file.

#10062230March 15, 2004
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
1999 2 DOOR OLDS ALERO HAD BROKEN POWER WINDOWS. BOTH BROKE AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. TOOK TO AUTO SERVICE AND IT COST $616 TO FIX. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10062022March 12, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE A 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. I JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES IN OCTOBER 2003. AT AROUND 40,000 MILES IN FEBRUARY OF 2004, I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD AN COOLANT LEAK. WHILE THE MANUAL SAYS WITH THE "DEXCOOL ANTIFREEZE" I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ANY COOLANT UNTIL 150,000 MILES, I HAD REFILLED AROUND THREE TIMES WITHIN AROUND 4,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO A GM DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER SMALL PARTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE I.M. GASKET, THAT CAME TO A TOTAL BILL OF AROUND $600. MY INTAKE HAD TO BE COMPLETED TAKEN APART AND RESEALED BECAUSE THE DEALER SAID THAT OLDSMOBILE HAD USED A "WEAK SEALANT". I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH OLDSMOBILE, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE A RECALL UNTIL MORE PEOPLE COMPLAINED TO THEM. I HAVE SEEN MANY CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SUBJECT, AND IF MORE PEOPLE COMPLAIN WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET OUR MONEY BACK. THIS WAS A DEFECT ON MY CAR BECAUSE OF FAULTY EQIUPMENT AND PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURING, AND I FEEL THAT NO MATTER IF I WAS THE FIRST TO COMPLAIN OR THE THOUSANDTH PERSON TO COMPLAIN, AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET SHOULD NOT HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AND HAD TO HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON A CAR THAT ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES. OLDSMOBILE REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THEIR ACTIONS IN REPLACING FAULTY EQUIPMENT ON THE CARS THEY HAVE MADE, NO MATTER IF THEY ARE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS OR NOT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10063135March 12, 2004
AIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10061898March 11, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC
THE VEHICLE DIES. WHILE CRUISING AT ANY SPEED, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES & STEERING FAILED DUE TO THE ENGINE DYING. THERE IS NO SET PATTERN, IT MIGHT STALL 6 TIMES IN ONE DAY, THEN TWICE THE NEXT DAY. THEN GO 4 DAYS WITH NO OCURRENCE, THEN IT WILL STALL ONCE A DAY FOR 3 DAYS. THEN GO A WEEK WITH NO OCURRENCE, THEN STALL 4 TIMES A DAY FOR 5 DAYS, ETC., ETC. IN EVERY OCURRENCE, IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START BACK UP. AT HIGH SPEEDS, IT IS EXTREMELY TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WE'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, THE REQUIRED 4 TIMES UNDER THE LEMON LAW PROCESS. THE DEALER CANNOT ASCERTAIN, NOR FIX THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED TO THE DEALER AT LEAST ONCE WHEN WE TOOK IT IN. I DOUBT THEY WILL ADMIT IT, HOWEVER, MY WIFE WAS WITNESS. THE CAR IS A 2003. EVEN THOUGH I BOUGHT IT IN JULY 2003, IT WAS CONSIDERED A USED CAR. GM HAS DENIED OUR CLAIM SINCE THE LEMON LAW DOES NOT APPLY TO USED CARS. THE CAR HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY PARKED SINCE NOVEMBER 2003. WE WERE FORCED TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. THE DEALER WOULD NOT TRADE. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A BADLUCK SITUATION FOR US. WE CANNOT AFFORD 2 CAR PAYMENTS / 2 INSURANCE PREMIUMS, NOR CAN WE AFFORD $300.00 PER HOUR TO SUE GM. I STOPPED MAKING PAYMENTS IN DECEMBER 2003. I HAVE KEPT THE FINANCE COMPANY ABREAST OF THE SITUATION. THEY HAVE NOT REPOSSED AS OF YET. THEY WANT ME TO TRY TO SELL IT. CAN YOU HELP ?*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10061908March 11, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:SWITCH
I FOUND A RECALL ON THE NHTSA SITE WHICH EXACTLY DESCRIBED A PROBLEM I AM HAVING WITH MY TURN SIGNALS FAILING TO FUNCTION. UPON REPORTING THE PROBLEM TO A GM DEALER, I WAS INFORMED THAT ALTHOUGH I AM HAVING A PROBLEM EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED BY THE RECALL, MY VIN FALLS OUTSIDE THE RECALL GROUP. MY VEHICLE HAS A DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION THAT WON'T BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10061944March 11, 2004
STRUCTURE:BODY
I HAVE (2) 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALEROS ON WHICH THE VINYL COVERING ON THE DASH HAS DETACHED FROM ITS BACK AND HAS CREATED WAVY WRINKLES. A WEB SEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM IN ALEROS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10061841March 10, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
I PURCHASED A USED 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO IN DECEMBER 2003 WITH 41,805 MILES. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR ONLY TWO MONTHS I NOTICED A PUDDLE OF COOLANT UNDER THE CAR, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THAT MY WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT DUE TO IT BEING A GASKET. I ALSO WAS INFORMED THAT MY WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. I LEARNED THROUGH RESEARCH THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES SO I CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO TAKE IT TO A GM DEALER TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED (I PURCHASED IT FROM A HONDA DEALER AND GM WOULDN'T TAKE THEIR DIAGNOSIS) TO SEE IF GM WOULD ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. I TOOK THE CAR TO A GM DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WAS THE LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND WAS TOLD THAT GM WOULD NOT BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT I WOULD OWE THE GM DEALER $30 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST (WHICH GM ALSO DECLINED TO COVER) TO FIND THE PROBLEM; I WAS NEVER TOLD UP FRONT THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME FOR THE TEST AND BASICALLY THE TEST WAS NOT REQUIRED SINCE I (AND GM) ALREADY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WAS TOLD BY THEM TO TAKE IT TO A GM DEALER FOR CONSIDERATION FOR ASSISTANCE. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS (IF NOT THOUSANDS) OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST GM FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND ALSO INTERNAL SERVICE BULLETINS FROM GM INDICATING THAT THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THIS IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR (BETWEEN $800 AND $900 DOLLARS) FOR ONLY OWNING THE CAR FOR TWO MONTHS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10061771March 9, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
REPEATED BRAKE PROBLEMS. (NAR) *PH *CB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10060826March 9, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
TURN SIGNALS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. REPLACED THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH. RECEIVED A NOTICE OF A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT, BUT WHEN I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, I WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10060589March 6, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT ABOUT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF FRONTAL AIRBAGS WHEN VEHICLE WAS HIT IN FRONT BY A TOYOTA TRUCK. ALSO AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER BEING HIT BY THE TOYOTA TRUCK AND THEN FINALLY HITTING A PARKED FORD MUSTANG HEAD ON. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10060529March 5, 2004
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THIS IS THE THIRD BRAKE JOB , GOT CAR WITH 30,000 MILES HAD IT TWO YEARS - HAVE REPLACED BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS--CAR NOW HAS 55,000 MILES. HAVE REPLACED DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW CONTROL SWITCH AND NOW ITS IN FOR THE DOOR LATCH FAILURE. EVER DRIVEN 30 MILES TO GET TO A DEALER WITH YOUR DOOR BUNGIE CORDED SHUT IF THAT IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM WHAT IS ?? THAT IS THE DRIVERS DOOR BY THE WAY. I HAVE MOST DEFINITELY LOST FAITH IN GM. MY NEXT VEHICLE MAY VERY WELL BE A HYUNDAI ACCENT, THEY HAVE ONLY ONE PAGE OF PROBLEMS AND THEY PROVIDE A WARRANTY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10057901March 3, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER CAN PULL THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN FOWARD GEAR, THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE IT OUT OF REVERSE , THEN SHIFT IT BACK INTO REVERSE IN ORDER TO BACK OUT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10060155March 2, 2004
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
THE IGNITION LOCK DID NOT FULLY ENGAGE THE LOCK FUNCTION, AND ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WITHOUT ENGAGING THE "PARK" FUNCTION ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10060200March 2, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO WITH A 3.4L ENGINE. AT A COST OF $652.01, ON 28-OCTOBER-2003 I HAD SERVICE PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS LOOSING COOLANT AT REGULAR INTERVALS AND IT WAS NOT LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. THE SEVERE CAUSE FOR CONCERN WAS AFTER I HAD REFILLED MY COOLANT RESERVOIR, DROVE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES, AND ALL OF THE COOLANT WAS GONE. THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE SHOT UP TO THE RED ZONE, AND I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR VEHICLES WITH THIS ENGINE. THEY REPLACED THE INTAKE GASKET AND I WAS ON MY WAY. A FEW WEEKS LATER I NOTICED THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS LOW AGAIN, AND I HAD TO ADD MORE COOLANT. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 25-NOVEMBER-2003. THEY CHECKED THE CAR AND SAID THEY COULD FIND NO LEAKS. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR. CONSISTENTLY, EVERY 2 WEEKS, I WAS REFILLING THE COOLANT RESEVOIR. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING UNTIL RECENTLY (FEBRUARY 2004). IN LATE FEBRUARY 2004 I STARTED LOSING COOLANT AT A MUCH FASTER RATE, ABOUT 3 DAY INTERVALS. ON 2-MARCH-2004 MY CAR DID NOT START THE FIRST 2 TIMES I TRIED, ON THE THIRD IT CAUGHT. I DECIDED TO INSPECT THE OIL, USING THE DIP STICK, AND FOUND THAT THE OIL WAS A THICK GOO. THIS PROMPTED ME TO CALL GM AND THE DEALERSHIP TO IDENTIFY MY OPTIONS FOR HAVING THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. I AM FRUSTRATED, AGGREVATED, ANNOYED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AND I FEAR THAT HAD THIS GONE UNDETECTED, THE OIL WOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO A STATE WHERE IT WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO FUNCTION, PERHAPS LEADING TO AN ACCIDENT. NOT ONLY DO I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT HAVING A SEVERE PROBLEM LIKE THIS "FIXED" ONLY TO FIND THAT IT HAPPENS AGAIN WILL ONLY LEAD TO THE SAMETHING HAPPENING YET ANOTHER TIME. HOW MANY TIMES WILL I HAVE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED? IS THIS A RECURRING SAFETY CONCERN?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10059906February 27, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:SWITCH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
INTERMITTENTLY. TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD WARNING LIGHT WERE NOT WORKING. DEALER AND WAS MANUFACTURED WERE NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10059867February 26, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A SQUEALING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. CONSUMER ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID, THAT STOPPED THE NOISE. ALSO, CONSUMER HEARD A CLANKING SOUND WHEN RIGHT TURNS WERE MADE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO FOUND THAT RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058982February 25, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
A DEFECT ON A 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058996February 25, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT AND TRAC LIGHT STAY ON AT ALL TIMES. I HAVE HAD IT SERVICED WITH THE RESULT BEING "MY GAS CAP WAS NOT TIGHT." I FEEL THERE IS MORE TO THIS THAN THEY SAY DUE TO KNOWING 3 OTHER ALERO OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10058818February 24, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
THE ACCELERATOR (THROTTLE) GOT STUCK WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING APPROX. 45 MILES PER HOUR AND CAUSED THE CAR TO RUN FAST CAUSING HER NOT TO BE ABLE TO STOP AT A INTERSECTION SENDING THE VEHICLE OVER A DITCH AND HURTING HER AND THE PASSENGER.*AK WE HAVE POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES, NO OTHER CAR WAS INVOLVED.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10058860February 24, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
IT IS KNOWN THAT WITH GM'S 3100 AND 3400 ENGINES THE COOLANT EATS AWAY AT THE HEAD GASKET CAUSING CORROSION AND LEAKAGE OF COOLANT. WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF FIXING THIS PROBLEM WHEN GM IS AWARE OF IT BUT DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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