IllustrationINTERMITTENT TURN SIGNALS DASH AND TAIL LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN AUTO LIGHTS TRY TO TURN ON. *JB
2002 Oldsmobile Alero
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 279.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Alero years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
180–25K
2725–50K
4850–75K
4075–100K
28100–150K
22150K+
183 reports with mileage · 96 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 133 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 78 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports8 fire reports7 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
133 reportsTHE 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 ARO…
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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
HORN DOES NOT WORK WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM/HOT. DOES SEEM TO WORK SOMETIMES WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD. THIS HAS CAUSED 3 VERY SERIOUS CLOSE CALLS. THE HORN IS A SAFETY PRECAUTION AND WITHOUT IT MY SELF AND MY FAMILY ARE IN SERIOUS DANGER OF AN ACCIDENT. *NM
THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT WAS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY AND WOULD STAY ON FOR 1-4 MINUTES THEN GO OFF. THIS STARTED IN MARCH 2006. THEN ONE DAY THE CAR WOULD NOT START. CALLED AAA - MECHANIC FIXED BY LEAVING KEY TURNED ON FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES - THEN CAR STARTED. THIS "PROBLEM" OF NOT STARTING STARTED OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTL…
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THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT WAS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY AND WOULD STAY ON FOR 1-4 MINUTES THEN GO OFF. THIS STARTED IN MARCH 2006. THEN ONE DAY THE CAR WOULD NOT START. CALLED AAA - MECHANIC FIXED BY LEAVING KEY TURNED ON FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES - THEN CAR STARTED. THIS "PROBLEM" OF NOT STARTING STARTED OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY AND SO HAD A MECHANIC CHECK INTO IT. HE IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME, ONCE I PRESENTED THE PROBLEM THE CAR WAS HAVING, THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THESE CARS WERE NOTORIOUS FOR GOING BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SO, I HAD IT REPLACED. NOW, IT'S JULY 2006 AND THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT IS COMING ON AGAIN. SO - NOW WHAT?! *NM
BLINKERS FAIL ESPECIALLY DURING HUMID WEATHER. IT BEGAN DURING THE SUMMER. BLINKERS SOMETIMES WORK, BUT THEN WILL FAIL. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED YET. THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR THE 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO, BUT NOT FOR THE 2002 EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM
THERE ARE SEVERAL DEFECTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST STARTED IN 2004. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK, WILL NOT SHUT OFF, OR START AGAIN WHILE IN THE OFF POSITION AND STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CREATES A HAZARD WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY - STARTLES YOU, THEN BLOCKS VISION. NEXT, T…
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THERE ARE SEVERAL DEFECTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST STARTED IN 2004. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK, WILL NOT SHUT OFF, OR START AGAIN WHILE IN THE OFF POSITION AND STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CREATES A HAZARD WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY - STARTLES YOU, THEN BLOCKS VISION. NEXT, THE SECURITY FEATURE IS MALFUNCTIONING. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START, SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES AND PROBLEM IS FIXED WITH LEAVING THE CAR IN THE ON POSITION FOR 10 TO 20 MINUTES (RESETS THE SECURITY). THIS DRAINS THE BATTERY AND IS A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE. ALSO, THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE NOW BEGUN TO WORK ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IS DANGEROUS OBVIOUSLY. THE WINDOW CONTROLS SOMETIMES DON'T WORK, THE SIDE-MIRROR CONTROLS ALSO DO NOT WORK SOMETIMES. THE HEAT/AC CONTROLS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY - MOST OF THE POSITIONS DO NOT BLOW. YOU CAN HEAR THE MUFFLED SOUND OF THE AIR WHEN ON HIGH, BUT AIR DOES NOT COME OUT OF THE VENTS. THESE ARE THE COMBINATION SETTINGS, THE INDIVIDUAL SETTINGS WORK, SO IT CANNOT BE CLOGGED VENTS. LASTLY, THE REAR DEFROST RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING AND, WHEN TURNED ON, EMITS A BURNING SMELL. THIS CAR IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND DRIVEN DAILY OUT OF NECESSITY. *NM
CAR WILL NOT START. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT A TURN SIGNAL PROBLEM. THE TURN SIGNAL DID NOT WORK WHEN TURNING IT ON. WHEN APPLYING THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH THE TURN SIGNAL CAME ON. THEN, IT FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THERE WAS A RECALL 03V327000 ON OTHER YEAR MODELS, BUT THIS MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED. DEALER SAID THEY WILL NOT OFFER HEL…
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DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT A TURN SIGNAL PROBLEM. THE TURN SIGNAL DID NOT WORK WHEN TURNING IT ON. WHEN APPLYING THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH THE TURN SIGNAL CAME ON. THEN, IT FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THERE WAS A RECALL 03V327000 ON OTHER YEAR MODELS, BUT THIS MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED. DEALER SAID THEY WILL NOT OFFER HELP, IT SHOULD BE FIXED AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.*AK UPDATED 11/16/2005 - THE PROBLEM IS FREQUENT BUT NOT CONSTANT. THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK. WHEN THE HAZARD BUTTON IS PARTIALLY PRESSED THE SIGNAL STARTS WORKING. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN THE DASHBOARD AREA BUT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE TURN SIGNAL PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE 2001 MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED BUT THE 2000 HAS NOT EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM
FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS I'VE HAD TROUBLE TURNING THE KEY TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE. TWO DAYS AGO I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. I CANNOT GET THE KEY TO TURN THE SLIGHTEST BIT. I BOUGHT A NEW IGNITION SWITCH IN HOPES THAT THIS WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB
TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT 60K MILES. DESTROYED VALVES. ALSO IGNITION SWITCH BROKE AT 45K MILES. *NM
Official recalls
114V400000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jul 3, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE05055 · Turn Signal Failures
Opened Sep 27, 2005 · Closed Jan 13, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch; Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:switch
IN DECEMBER 2004, GM ISSUED A SPECIAL POLICY FOR MY 1999-2000 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V327. THE POLICY COVERED TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURRED FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH. GM SENT LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING DECEMBER 30, 2004.IN JANUARY 2006, GM WILL UPDATE THE SPECIAL POLICY TO INCLUDE MY 2002 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V-327.THE POLICY COVERS TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH.GM WILL SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING LATE APRIL 2006.THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch
IN DECEMBER 2004, GM ISSUED A SPECIAL POLICY FOR MY 1999-2000 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V327. THE POLICY COVERED TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURRED FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH. GM SENT LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING DECEMBER 30, 2004.IN JANUARY 2006, GM WILL UPDATE THE SPECIAL POLICY TO INCLUDE MY 2002 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V-327.THE POLICY COVERS TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH.GM WILL SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING LATE APRIL 2006.THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:switch
IN DECEMBER 2004, GM ISSUED A SPECIAL POLICY FOR MY 1999-2000 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V327. THE POLICY COVERED TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURRED FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH. GM SENT LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING DECEMBER 30, 2004.IN JANUARY 2006, GM WILL UPDATE THE SPECIAL POLICY TO INCLUDE MY 2002 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V-327.THE POLICY COVERS TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH.GM WILL SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING LATE APRIL 2006.THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.