NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
279 reports37,300 miles · Dec 4, 2003
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other
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 BUCKL…
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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
29,000 miles · Dec 3, 2003
Electrical SystemStructureSuspension
LEATHER ON FRONT DASHBOARD AND BACK PASSENGER DOOR IS DETACHING FROM SURFACE AND BUBBLING. IT IS RATHER SEVERE ON THE FRONT DASH. CIGARETTE LIGHTER (ONE NEAR FRONT PASSENGER FOOT) WAS POORLY INSTALLED. IT POPS OUT ALL OF THE TIME. FRONT END MAKES LOUD SCRATCHING NOISE WHEN MOVING SLOWLY OR BREAKING AND TURNING. DRIVERS SIDE W…
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LEATHER ON FRONT DASHBOARD AND BACK PASSENGER DOOR IS DETACHING FROM SURFACE AND BUBBLING. IT IS RATHER SEVERE ON THE FRONT DASH. CIGARETTE LIGHTER (ONE NEAR FRONT PASSENGER FOOT) WAS POORLY INSTALLED. IT POPS OUT ALL OF THE TIME. FRONT END MAKES LOUD SCRATCHING NOISE WHEN MOVING SLOWLY OR BREAKING AND TURNING. DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW STOPPED WORKING TODAY. IT WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. TRUNK SMELLS LIKE THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH WATER LEAKS. I'VE FOUND INTERIOR TRUNK TO BE DAMP ON OCCASION. OCCASIONAL WATER LEAKS ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE (AT FEET). APPEARS TO BE CONDENSATION OF SOME SORT. BACK CUP HOLDER POPS OUT OF PLACE. BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT, DRINK SPILLS RESULTED IN STAINED CARPETING.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10049159
52,390 miles · Dec 1, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
LEAK OF COOLANT ON GROUND - INTAKE AND HEAD GASKETS LEAKING . *AK
NHTSA ODI #10048974
Mileage unknown · Nov 26, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WATER LEAK FROM INTAKE GASKET. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10047599
16,800 miles · Oct 16, 2003
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury
WHILE DRIVING A RENTAL VEHICLE AT 52 MPH, THE VEHICLE HIT A SNOW DRIFT, ROLLED OVER AND WENT OFF THE ROAD, THEN ROLLED 60 FT. DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. DRIVER CAME OUT OF THE SEAT BELT WITHOUT IT DISCONNECTING AND THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *SCC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10038281
35,000 miles · Oct 15, 2003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILL VEHICLE SHOOK. DEALER INDICATED THAT FRONT ROTORS WERE WARPED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10044037
Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2003
Electrical System
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10042769
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
Mileage unknown · Aug 22, 2003
Fuel System, Gasoline
AFTERFUELING UP AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING GASOLINE SPLASHED OUTSIDE OF THE TANK. DEALER REPLACED TANK SOLENOID, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10034364
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
Official recalls
1Jul 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 ↗
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