2003 Oldsmobile Alero

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE SECURITY SYSTEM CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL REPEATEDLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR SPORADICALLY AND OFTENTIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART IMMEDIATELY AND OTHER TIMES IT WOULD NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE FUSE BOX YET THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN THE WEEK. THE FUEL PUMP WAS THEN REPLACED AND THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,527.

THE OLDS ALERO HAS A DEFECTIVE PASSLOCK THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM. IT SHOWS UP WHEN YOU INSERT YOUR KEY IN THE IGNITION, TURN IT, HEAR THE ENGINE CRANKING, ONLY TO FAIL TO START. THE DASHBOARD'S RED WARNING LIGHT, SECURITY, FLASHES ON AND OFF. IT BELIEVES IT IS BEING STOLEN, THUS SHUTTING OFF THE GAS TO THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM ACTUALLY STATED 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT MY CAR, WHICH I PURCHASE USED FROM A DEALER, I BELIEVE IM THE 2ND OWER. THIS ISSURE HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE EVERY 3 WEEKS OR SO. MY DAD ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY CONTACTS BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOSE, SO HE TIGHTENED THEM UP, THEN IT TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THE ANOTHER STRANGE ISSUE CAME UP, ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, AS MY CAR SAT IN PARK FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, JUST OUT OF THE BLUE THE HORN STARTED TO "BLOW" LIKE THE ALARM WAS SET OFF, BUT THE LIGHTS WERE NOT FLASHING SO IT WASNT THAT, ABOUT 20 MINUTES IT DID THIS TIL IT BLEW THE FUSE FOR THE HORN. AND NOW IM WITHOUT A HORN IN MY CAR, WHICH IS NOT VERY SAFE. SO I CHANGED THE FUSED, THE HORN WORKED FOR 1 DAY, THEN BLEW AGAIN, I CHANGED THE ACTUAL HORN AND ANOTHER FUSE, AND JUST 3 DAYS AGO, I HEARD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, MY HORN GOING OFF AGAIN FOR NO REASON, AND THE FUSE BLEW AGAIN, DRIVING WITH NO HORN. SO IM DRIVING MY CAR THAT HAS THIS ANTI-THEFT FEATURE AND I DONT KNOW IF ITS WORKING FROM 1 DAY TO THE NEXT, THE SECURITY LIGHTS STAYS ON MY DASHBOARD SO I KNOW SOMETHING IS APPARENTLY WRONG WITH IT, USUALLY THAT WHEN I KNOW, MY CAR WILL NOT START WHEN I SEE THAT LIGHT COME ON AND I HAVE TO DO THE TRICK WITH SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE IGNIGTION ON FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE STARTING IT. I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND HUNDRED OF PEOPLE THT ARE, CONTACTED GM AND OLDS CORP, THEY SAY THERE IS NOT RECALL ON THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHNG WRONG WITH IT. SOMETHING HAS TO BE FOR ALL THE CUSTOMERS TO BE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND APPARENTLY IS HAS BEEN GOIN ON FOR YEARS AND THEY WONT HELP.

PURCHASED VEHICLE AUGUST 2003 AT 29,000 MILES. FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING BAD JUST INSIDE WARRANTY TIME - UNDER 36,000 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER, FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WENT BAD - NOT IN WARRANTY. NOW AT 129,000 MILES, FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING IS BAD AGAIN. NOT USING OEM EQUIPMENT THIS TIME AS IT ISN'T COST EFFECTIVE TO PAY FOR OEM EQUIPMENT - WHEN IT OBVIOUSLY LACKS QUALITY. I'M ASSUMING MY FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING WILL GO BAD SOON - BETTER START SAVING FOR THAT REPAIR! NEXT ISSUE - HORN BLOWS WITHOUT PROVOCATION AND WILL NOT STOP - 3:00 IN THE MORNING. NEXT ISSUE: FUEL ISSUE, WHERE YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION FOR 10 MINUTES THEN CAR WILL START. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT USUALLY WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE THE EXTRA 10 MINUTES. *TR

VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THREE OCCASIONS. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER TURNING OVER. THREE REPAIR SHOPS COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BUT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. MANY IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE (I.E., CARCOMPLAINTS.COM) AND EVERYTHING FROM REPLACING THE FUEL PUMPS, RELAY SWITCHES, BATTERIES, ANTI-THEFT SYSTEMS TO WASHING OUT THE FUEL TANK HAS BEEN TRIED TO KNOW AVAIL. THE SHOP CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AND IT WILL BE HARD TO SELL THE CAR HONESTLY WITH THE PROBLEMS IT HAS. THERE IS A MASS OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL FROM THE FACTORY, AND ALTHOUGH I DOUBT IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE, I AM ONE MORE PERSON IN THAT MASS. *TR