2003 Oldsmobile Alero

I EXPERIENCED IGNITION FAILURE RECENTLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, AND AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSIVE SYSTEM HAD FAILED. I LATER LEARNED THAT THE MECHANIC HAD REPLACED THIS VERY ITEM ON 6 OTHER VEHICLES EXACTLY THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL AS MINE WITHIN THE PAST MONTH. (THAT SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT FOR ONE SHOP TO DO.) I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART INCLUDING LABOR WOULD BE $460!! THIS WAS QUITE EXPENSIVE, BUT MUCH LESS THAN THE DEALER WANTED (AS EXPECTED). I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A RATHER COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE, YET IT WAS NOT RECALLED.*JB

DT: THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL BEARING FAILED. THERE WERE ONLY 37,811 MILES ON THE CAR WHEN IT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THE OWNER NOTICED PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. THE PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT AS SOON AS VEHICLE PICKED UP SPEED VEHICLE WAS MAKING A NOISE, A HUMMING SOUND. OWNER HAD THE WHEEL BEARING REPLACED. GENERAL MOTORS DID REIMBURSE THE OWNER FOR THE REPAIRS. OWNER HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GM AND HIS LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE OWNER WAS AWARE OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME VEHICLE.*AK

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO HOME FROM WORK ON JUNE 8, 2005 WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT STARTED ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN. MY FOOT WAS NOT EVEN ON THE ACCELERATOR! THEN WHEN I TRIED TO STOP MY CAR DIDN'T WANT TO STOP. I HAD TO THROW THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO PREVENT MY CAR FROM RUNNING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I PULLED OVER ONTO A SIDE ROAD AND PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND THE ENGINE KEPT RACING. I TRIED TURNING THE CAR OFF, I TRIED SWITCHING FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL TO PARK. NOTHING WORKED. I STARTED DRIVING AGAIN TO SEE IF IT WOULD STOP AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES MY CAR RETURNED TO NORMAL. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND WHEN I CALLED TO SEE IF THEY WERE FINISHED FIXING MY CAR I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG; SO MY BOSS AND I TOOK IT INTO OUR OWN HANDS. WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALEROS WHERE IN HOT AMBIENT CONDITIONS (IT WAS ABOUT 90 DEGREES THAT DAY) 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. I BROUGHT THE REPORT WE FOUND WITH ME TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT HE REFUSED TO HELP. HE SAID HE COULD NOT FIX IT UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON MY SPECIFIC VIN NUMBER. HE ALSO COULD NOT FIX IT UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I LEFT AND CALLED OLDSMOBILE DIRECTLY. THERE WERE JUST AS HELPFUL AS MILLER SUBARU DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD I COULD GET A SECOND OPINION FROM ANOTHER GM DEALERSHIP, BUT IT WON'T GET FIXED UNLESS THE PROBLEM IS DUPLICATED. I KNOW MY SPECIFIC CAR WAS NOT RECALLED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM MUST BE MORE WIDE SPREAD THEN THEY ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SINCE I ACTUALLY HAD THE PROBLEM WHEN MY CAR WASN'T RECALLED. I WOULD LIKE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AND POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND/OR INJURY, BUT OLDSMOBILE AND MILLER SUBARU HAVE BEEN TOTALLY UNCOOPERATIVE THUS FAR.

LAST SUMMER MY FAMILY AND I LOADED INTO MY 2003 OLDS ALERO GL FOR A TRIP. THE PASSENGER SEAT WOULD CLICK BUT NOT LOCK IN PLACE. THE FIRST TIME I TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE SEAT SLID FORWARD WITH MY WIFE IN IT. I'VE BEEN TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP 3 OR 4 TIMES AND THIS STILL HAPPENS. NOW THAT MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED I DON'T LET ANYONE SIT IN THAT SEAT OR I USE MY WIFE'S CAR WHEN CARRYING PASSENGERS TO AVOID THE REPAIR COSTS.*AK A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FELL OFF TRACK AND AND BROKE THE MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE GLASS, THE REPAIR BILL WAS ALMOST $400. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO THE WINDOW HAS STARTED SQUEAKING AND RATTLING. I HAVE STOPPED USING IT UNTIL I CAN GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT DID THE REPAIRS. A WEEK AND A HALF BACK I NOTICED A RATTLING NOISE IN MY FRONT SUSPENSION AND A WEEK AGO I HAD TO SPEND ALMOST $450 TO REPLACE MY BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS AND HAVE MY SUSPENSION INSPECTED. NOTHING WRONG WAS FOUND WITH THE SUSPENSION, BUT THE NOISE IS STILL THERE. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND MEINEKE 3 TIMES TOTAL OVER THE LAST YEAR COMPLAINING OF GRINDING AND REDUCED STOPPING POWER. BOTH TOLD ME THAT VISIBLY THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES AND I HAD 15-20,000 MILES OF WEAR LEFT, THAT WAS LESS THAN 6,000 MILES AGO. NEW ISSUE. 3 DAYS AGO MY WINDSHIELD WASHER STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I TRIED TO OPERATE THE WASHER FLUID SHOT OUT OF THE TOP OF THE RESEVOIR AND SOAKED THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

THROTTLE STICKING ON 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO GL. *BF WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE. AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER HAD CONTACTED THE DEALER PRIOR TOT HE ACCIDENT ABOUT THE THROTTLE STICKING. THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT ABOUT A RECALL FOR THROTTLE STICKING AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR VEHICLE REPAIRS. *NM

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS CAME ON PERIODICALLY, AND THE WINDOWS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND HAD ALSO CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WAS NO HELP AT ALL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECRICAL WIRING WAS REPLACED BUT WHEN INSPECTED THE OLD WIRE WAS FOUND STILL IN THE VEHICLE. *TC