IllustrationCONSUMER IS WRITING IN REGARDS TO 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. STATING THAT SON WAS KILLED IN SINGLE CAR CRASH, ROLL OVER. WONDERING IF THE KEY FOB WAS THE CAUSE. *KL THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB
2003 Oldsmobile Alero
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 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
140–25K
2225–50K
1950–75K
3375–100K
27100–150K
13150K+
128 reports with mileage · 56 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 103 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports1 fire reports9 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
103 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY, THE HORN WAS INOPERABLE, AND THE ALARM AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT A MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED O…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY, THE HORN WAS INOPERABLE, AND THE ALARM AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT A MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STALLING AND NOT STARTING SEVERAL TIMES ALSO IGNITION KEY ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TO KEEP THE KEY IN THE AC MODE FOR 10 MINUTES, WITH THE SECURITY LIGHT BLINKING, BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON APRIL 16, 2014. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE WHENEVER THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HORN FAILED. THE HORN WAS REPLACED, BUT TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE WHENEVER THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HORN FAILED. THE HORN WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO WEEKS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE WILL NOT START ALL THE TIME AND SOMETIMES IT STOPS RUNNING. THE CONSUMER STATED THE COMPUTER, STARTER AND IGNITION SWITCH WERE REPLACED AND NONE OF THE REPLACEMENTS, FIXED THE PROBLEM. *JB UPDATED 12/03/14. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED.…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE REAR END. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE WAS PRESENT, BUT DID NOT FILE A REPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONT…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE REAR END. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE WAS PRESENT, BUT DID NOT FILE A REPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER TEN MINUTES, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT TURNED OFF. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE V…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER TEN MINUTES, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE ANTI THEFT LIGHT TURNED OFF. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.
Official recalls
214V400000 · 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.
04V528000 · Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
Nov 1, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, 'ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS.' IN HOT AMBIENT CONDITIONS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM MAY STICK AT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE BRACKET AND NOT RETURN TO THE ENGINE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE OPERATOR LIFTS HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FAILURE TO RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM AND REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.