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

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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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

6 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2012

Electrical SystemService Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

WHEN I PUT MY CAR INTO DRIVE AND LET OFF THE BRAKE THE CAR ACCELERATE BY ITSELF. I DO NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO SPEED UP UNTIL I HIT THE BRAKE. WHILE BRAKING THE CAR SEEMS LIKE IT IS STILL TRYING TO ACCELERATE. YOU HAVE TO PUSH THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND HOLD IT TO TRY AND MAINTAIN A FULL STOP.IF I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL THE RPMS SHOOT WAY UP. IF I BRAKE AND STOP THE CAR AND QUICKLY THROW IT INTO PARK AND SHUT IT OFF AND RESTART THE CAR IT USUALLY SOLVES THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS DEFINITELY NOT A FIX. THERE IS JUST OVER 180,000 MILES AND I HAVE JUST RECENTLY STARTED TO NOTICE THE PROBLEM IT HAS HAPPENED A HANDFUL OF TIMES AND I AM TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND GET IT FIXED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE BLINKERS ALSO PERIODICALLY STOP WORKING AND CAN BE FIXED BY CLICKING THE HAZARD LIGHTS A FEW TIMES BUT AGAIN NOT A PERMANENT FIX. THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS GONE OUT AND THE TRAC CONTROL DOESN'T TURN ON. THIS CAR IS BECOMING A DEATH TRAP AND EXPENSIVE AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10450831

97,500 miles · Oct 16, 2007

Vehicle Speed Control

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ON MY 2002 OLDS ALERO IS STICKING. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS GOING DOWN A MOUNTAIN I LIVE ON AND HAD TO BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME; I HAVE NEVER HAD TO DO THAT BEFORE. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS ENDED UP GOING 40 ON A FLAT ROAD AND MY FOOT NEVER HIT THE GAS PEDAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10205923

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2004

Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

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.

NHTSA ODI #10058818

21,000 miles · Sep 3, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

WHEN GOING UP THE SLIGHTEST INCLINE AT 70 MPH RPMS REVVED, AND ENGINE STARTED MISSING, FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10038061

11,970 miles · Aug 22, 2003

Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR AT 50-55 MPH VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE, ENGINE WILL NOT RESPOND TO THE PEDAL BEING PUSHED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10019834

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2002

Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR AT 50-55 MPH VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE, ENGINE WILL NOT REVV. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES, CANNOT FIND A CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8015496

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.