1999 Oldsmobile Alero

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ROUGHLY AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS FURTHER INSPECTED BY THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ALSO, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE CONSOLE COVER WAS NOT CLOSING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V140000 (STRUCTURE) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT ABLE TO SPECIFY WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES SEVERAL TIMES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER WINDOWS FELL OFF THE TRACKS, SO I HAD A FRIEND PRY THEM UP AND HE GOT THE WINDOWS TO STAY UP, BUT YOU COULD NOT USE EITHER WINDOW. I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO GET THE WINDOWS FIXED FOR A WHILE UNTIL I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO AFFORD TO GET THE DRIVER'S WINDOW FIXED IN MAY 2008 WHICH COST $385.00. THEY REPLACED THE REGULATOR. ON 12/4/2008, IT HAPPENED YET AGAIN TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AND THE WARRANTY WAS ONLY GOOD FOR 60 DAYS LABOR/30DAYS PARTS, SO I AM YET AGAIN NOT ABLE TO USE EITHER WINDOW. I WAS TOLD BY QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT IF I GOT IT FIXED YET AGAIN, IT WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN YET AGAIN. I DID NOT SEE THIS DEFECT LISTED ON THE RECALL LIST HOWEVER. *TR

IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS THREE OUT OF 4 WINDOWS ON MY VEHICLE ARE NOW HELD UP WITH DUCT TAPE SO THAT THEY DON'T FALL INTO THE CHANNEL AND I CAN'T GET THEM UP. LUCKILY, ONLY ONE OF THEM MANAGED TO DO THAT AND A FRIEND MANAGED TO GET IT BACK UP FOR ME. THAT OCCURRED AT THE END OF JANUARY 2006. I COULD UNDERSTAND ONE- MAYBE- BUT THREE!!! NO. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I SUSPECT THE ONLY REASON THAT MY ONE WORKING WINDOW, THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE, IS STILL WORKING IS BECAUSE I HAVEN'T TRIED TO PUT IT DOWN- OR THE RESULT WOULD BE THE SAME. I AM SURE THAT IS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR, SO I GUESS I'LL GO WITH THE DUCT TAPE FOR A WHILE. I HAVE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, THE GASKETS ON THAT WERE REPLACED IN JANUARY, 2006. I WAS LOSING ANTIFREEZE FROM THE OVERFLOW TANK, AND HAVING TO FILL IT EVERY DAY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY FOUND THE WATER PUMP LEAKING AND THE INTAKE GASKETS LEAKING. THEY WERE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. AND... THE INTERMITTENT TURN SIGNAL IS ALSO A PROBLEM. THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THAT, LIKE YOU DID FOR THE 2000- 2001 VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. THE INTERIOR TRIM ON THIS VEHICLE IS SHODDY, AND THAT IS BEING KIND. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW WITH 23 MILES ON IT WHEN WE GOT IT TO OUR HOUSE IN JUNE, 1999. IN LESS THAN A YEAR A DOOR PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD COME APART. THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN PEELING FOR ABOUT 11/2 YEARS BECAUSE THEY USED CHEAP GLUE TO HOLD THE COVERING ON THE PLASTIC. I REALIZE THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT COSMETIC, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING: I CHECK EVERY ALERO I SEE IN A PARKING LOT AND THERE ARE A LOT WITH PEELING DASHBOARDS. GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THAT- THEY CAUSED THE PROBLEM. GM CAUSED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS ON THIS VEHICLE BY DOING IT ON THE CHEAP. IT IS VERY COSTLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THEM, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE. I DON'T MIND PAYING FOR ROUTINE REPAIRS, I EXPECT THAT, BUT THESE PROBLEMS ARE NOT "ROUTINE".*NM

HAVE HAD THE HEATER RESISTER REPLACED TWICE AND THE BLOWER MOTOR ONCE. WHEN GOING TO A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC TO HAVE A THIRD RESISTER INSTALLED (LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER THE SECOND AND 13 MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT), HE SAID THAT WATER WAS LEAKING DOWN THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR, MELTED A 30 AMP FUSE AND SHORTED OUT THE RESISTOR. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE UNDER THE DASHBOARD OF THE CAR. THE BLOWER MOTOR ENCASEMENT WAS DRENCHED WITH WATER. *NM

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN FLORIDA...FROM DAY 1 THERE HAS BEEN EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT SOUNDS LIKE A WINDOW IS LEFT OPEN. TOOK TO VARIOUS SERVICE DEALERSHIP TO COMPLAIN OF THIS PROBLEM...VARIOUS THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE BY THE SERVICE DEPT., BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSIST. VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF MANUFACTURE WARRANTY...HAVE CONTACTED MANUFACTURE WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO HELP OFFERED.

I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AT A FLORIDA DEALERSHIP ON 11/1998. LESS THAN TWO YEARS LATER THE MATERIAL ON THE DOOR PANELS WAS COMING OFF...DETACHING...THE VINYL LIFTED OFF THE UPPER DOOR PANEL. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE TO REPLACE ON 09/2002 UNDER MANUFACTURE WARRANTY. MATERIAL ON DOOR PANEL IS NOW COMING OFF THE DOOR PANEL AGAIN. MANUFACTURE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE IN FIXING THIS PROBLEM.

WITHIN MY 36,000 OF DRIVING FROM 50,222 TO 86,119 MY INTAKE GASKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. MY RACK HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED A THIRD TIME. I AM ALSO AWARE THAT THE RACK WAS REPLACED WHILE THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE CAR. RECENTLY I REALIZED WHY WATER WAS GETTING INTO MY PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE WINDOW SEAL IS SHIFTED CAUSING THE WINDOW TO LEAK IF THE CAR IS PARKED AT CERTAIN INCLINES. THIS REPAIR IS NOT COVERED BY MY PRE-OWNED VEHICLE WARRANTY. ALL MAJOR REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COVERED BY MY WARRANTY AND ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS HAVE BEE QUOTE "EATEN" BY REPAIR FACILITIES.

THE DASHBOARD MATERIAL HAS COME UNGLUED AND SHRUNK. THE DEALER SAID IT COST $900 TO FIX. I CONTACTED GM TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOTHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE SINCE SEEN 5 OTHER ALERO'S WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM WRITING ANOTHER COMPLAINT LETTER TO GM AFTER SEEING OTHER SIMILAR REPORTS ON THIS WEBSITE. *JB