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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

184 reports
38,000 miles · Oct 28, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

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 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.

NHTSA ODI #10650587

112,000 miles · Oct 22, 2014
Air Bags

THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS LIFTING AT THE SIDES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10649354

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2014
Electrical System

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.

NHTSA ODI #10648340

Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2014
Electrical System

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

NHTSA ODI #10641002

98,000 miles · Oct 3, 2014
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

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.

NHTSA ODI #10641132

140,000 miles · Oct 2, 2014
Air Bags

PARTS FOR REPAIR TO THE KEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE AS OF OCT 1, 2014. PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. NO DATE OF PARTS AVAILABILITY COULD BE PROVIDED BY GM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10640707

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2014
Exterior LightingVisibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR WINDOWS FAILED TO OPEN OR CLOSE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT BOTH TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. ALSO, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUSE NEEDED TO …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR WINDOWS FAILED TO OPEN OR CLOSE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT BOTH TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. ALSO, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10640548

138,000 miles · Oct 1, 2014
Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

NHTSA ODI #10640527

3,332 miles · Sep 30, 2014
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,332.

NHTSA ODI #10640253

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2014
Electrical System

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

NHTSA ODI #10638959

Official recalls

2

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.