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2004 Oldsmobile Alero

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Oldsmobile Alero are lower than the model-year median of 279.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

78 reports with mileage · 31 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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

57 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIRS WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS N…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIRS WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #10644681

35,000 miles · Oct 1, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HAD TO WIGGLE THE KEY, WHICH CAUSED THE SECURITY CHIME TO ACTIVATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NO…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HAD TO WIGGLE THE KEY, WHICH CAUSED THE SECURITY CHIME TO ACTIVATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ODI #10640436

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 2014
Electrical System

I RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE SAFETY RECALL ON 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALEROS, AND THE DEALER, AFTER I HAD SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT, TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THE RECALL, BUT I JUST HAD TO BUY ANOTHER KEY. THAT'S NOT THE WAY I UNDERSTAND RECALLS. I DON'T BUY SOMETHING, BUT IT SHOULD BE THEY FIX SOMETHING. I'VE NEVER HEAR…

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I RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE SAFETY RECALL ON 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALEROS, AND THE DEALER, AFTER I HAD SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT, TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THE RECALL, BUT I JUST HAD TO BUY ANOTHER KEY. THAT'S NOT THE WAY I UNDERSTAND RECALLS. I DON'T BUY SOMETHING, BUT IT SHOULD BE THEY FIX SOMETHING. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A DEALER ARGUING WITH THE CUSTOMER ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS EITHER, BUT I'M GOING TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE. HOWEVER, I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO CONTACT YOU FIRST, BASED ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE RECALL NOTICE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637887

20,000 miles · Sep 10, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V40000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 10/24/2014*LJ UPDATE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V40000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 10/24/2014*LJ UPDATED 4/21/2015 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10632121

35,570 miles · Sep 8, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND/OR …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND/OR VARIOUS ENGINE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V40000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND PERFORMED THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE NOTIFICATION, INCLUDING DRIVING WITH A SINGLE KEY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,570.

NHTSA ODI #10631662

Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2014
Electrical System

2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO IGNITION SWITCH WON'T START SOMETIMES ONHAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED AND STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM SOME TIMES IF YOU KEEP TURNING THE KEY ON AND OFF IT WILL START OR YOU WILL HAVE TO GO UNDER THE HOOD AND CRANK IT BY THE STARTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10621969

80,000 miles · Jul 29, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI #10617161

102,000 miles · Jul 24, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START OR WOULD STALL IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR IN THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS 102,0…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START OR WOULD STALL IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR IN THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS 102,000.

NHTSA ODI #10615981

Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2014
Electrical System

THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO START. THE IGNITION KEY MUST ALWAYS BE JIGGLED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH TO TURN ON THE ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10614766

42,000 miles · Jul 14, 2014
Electrical System

THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO START. THE IGNITION KEY MUST ALWAYS BE JIGGLED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH TO TURN ON THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM STARTED BACK IN 2008 AND CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. EVENTUALLY I WILL BE UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE. I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH MY 1992 OLDS EXCEPT THE ENGINE FINALLY WOULD NOT TUR…

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THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO START. THE IGNITION KEY MUST ALWAYS BE JIGGLED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE IGNITION SWITCH TO TURN ON THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM STARTED BACK IN 2008 AND CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. EVENTUALLY I WILL BE UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE. I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH MY 1992 OLDS EXCEPT THE ENGINE FINALLY WOULD NOT TURN-OFF. I HAD TO DROP IT OFF AT A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP RUNNING, AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR $150. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10610460

Official recalls

1

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.

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.