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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

279Owner complaints

Model-year median: 279

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2002 Oldsmobile Alero

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 279 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Electrical System: 133 reports
Exterior Lighting: 78 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 28 reports
Visibility: 15 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 14 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

14V400000 — Electrical System:ignition

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Alero years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System

133Exterior Lighting

78 Engine And Engine Cooling

28 Visibility

15 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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

0–25K

25–50K

50–75K

75–100K

100–150K

150K+

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

Unknown Or Other complaints

13 reports

Clear category filter

15,500 miles · Jan 15, 2004

Unknown Or Other

Read full complaint

PROBLEM MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP: SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON WEDNESDAY 8/20/03 JUST ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I WAS RETURNING HOME AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATE 30 MILES WHEN THIS LIGHT CAME ON. CALL THE DEALER FROM WHICH I BROUGHT THIS PROGRAM CAR.CALL:BACON AUTOPLEX IN PALESTINE TEXAS . PURCHASED 7/14/03 WITH 14, 016 MILES. CALLED THEM ABOUT 3PM ON 8/20/03. I FILLED UP WITH GAS ( WHICH GAUGE INDICATED 1/2/ FULL) PRIOR TO THE 30 MILES THEN LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULDN'T HURT TO DRIVE THE CAR SINCE NO ONE WAS THERE(BACON) TO TEST FOR THE CAUSE ON 8/20/03. TOLD(BACON ) THAT I WAS GOING TO DRIVE OVER 140 ON 8/21/03. SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT HURT. THE LIGHT WENT OFF 8/21/03 1/2 MILES FROM MY HOME. 8/22/03 ABOUT 11 AM THE LIGHT CAME ON ONCE AGAIN 15699 MILES. CALL BACON 8/22/03 REGARDING THE PROBLEM ONCE AGAIN. THEY SAID THAT I COULD BRING IT OVER FOR TESTING WHICH I DID. FOUND A CODE 440? WHAT EVER THAT WAS. BACON SAID IT COULD BE SEVERAL THINGS. DID NOT MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO FURTHER TEST. I DID TALK TO THE MANAGER OF BACON, STILL NO ATTEMPT TO TEST IT FURTHER. MANAGE DID ASK IF I WANTED ANOTHER CAR. WHY WOULD I WANT ANOTHER OLDS ALERO ? IWAS MORE THEN UP SET: I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THIS CAR. FAIL TO DO THE TESTING FOR EXACT CAUSE. APPOINTMENT MADE BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT WILL BE DONE AT THIS TIME SINCE FOR NOW THEY HAVE NOT FOUND THE CAUSE. THE LIGHT COMES ON WITH FUEL IS 1/2/ FULL BOTH TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #10070700

37,300 miles · Dec 4, 2003

Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

Read full complaint

I MADE A LONG VACATION TRIP IN OCT. OF 2002 AT WHICH TIME MY 2002 OLDSMOBILE ALERO TURNED OVER 36,000 MILES. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED HOME, IT HAD TURNED 37,000. I DIDN'T DRIVE THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS UPON MY RETURN. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR TO DRIVE IT NEXT, I SAW THAT THE DASH AND THREE OF THE DOOR PADS HAD COME UNGLUED AND BUCKLED REALLY BADLY. I TOOK IT BACK TO DAN CUMMINS IN PARIS, KY AS SOON AS I DISCOVERED THAT THE INTERIOR WAS FALLING APART. THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR SINCE IT HAD GONE OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY DURING MY VACATION BEFORE I RETURNED HOME. HE SUGGESTED I CALL GM AND COMPLAIN TO THEM ABOUT IT. I DID CALL THEM AND THEY TOOK MY COMPLAINT. THEY GAVE ME AN COMPLAINT NUMBER, BUT HAVE SINCE REFUSED TO ANSWER THEIR PHONE WHEN I CALL, OR TO CALL ME BACK AFTER I LEAVE THEM A VOICE MAIL ON THEIR MACHINE. I HAVE CREATED A WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.ALERO.INFO IN ORDER FOR INTERESTED PERSONS TO BE ABLE TO VIEW THE PICTURES OF THE POOR FACTORY WORKMANSHIP AND MATERIALS USED TO BUILD MY 2002 ALERO. THE PICTURES SAY IT ALL AS TO WHAT MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT WITH THE DASH AND DOOR PADS COMING UNGLUED AND BUCKLING. AT 37,500 MILES WHILE IT IS STILL ONLY TWO YEARS OLD, IT HAS DEVELOPED AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT COULD POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AS SOMETHING IS CAUSING THE FUSE TO THE TAIL AND INTERIOR LIGHTS TO BLOW WHILE DRIVING IT AT NIGHT. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10049214

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2003

Unknown Or Other

I AM SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT ALEROS, AND I HAVE SET UP A WEBSITE TO HOPEFULLY GET ALL OF THEM TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING, AS I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2002 OLDS ALERO. THE WEBSITE IS ACCESSWAVE.CA/~ALERO02.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10010274

Recall campaigns

14V400000 · 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 ↗

Defect investigations

PE05055 · 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

Exterior Lighting:turn Signal:switch

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.