10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 40,707 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Gas gauge is always off, I have to fill the gas tank up atleast 2-3 a day. Maybe there is a leak from recall, or the recall form the gas tank. Also spent $700 for a recalled intake manifold gasket.
- Washington, MI, USA
In the last six months three out of 4 windows on my vehicle are now held up with duct tape so that they don't fall into the channel and I can't get them up. Luckily, only one of them managed to do that and a friend managed to get it back up for me. That occurred at the end of January 2006. I could understand one- maybe- but three!!! no. This is definitely a safety issue. I suspect the only reason that my one working window, the back passenger side, is still working is because I haven't tried to put it down- or the result would be the same. I am sure that is going to be expensive to repair, so I guess I'll go with the duct tape for a while. I have also had a problem with the intake manifold, the gaskets on that were replaced in January, 2006. I was losing antifreeze from the overflow tank, and having to fill it every day. Took it to the dealer, and they found the water pump leaking and the intake gaskets leaking. They were replaced at my expense. And... the intermittent turn signal is also a problem. That has been going on for about a year now. It should be recalled for that, like you did for the 2000- 2001 vehicles. The vehicle has 70,000 miles on it. The interior trim on this vehicle is shoddy, and that is being kind. The car was purchased brand new with 23 miles on it when we got it to our house in June, 1999. In less than a year a door panel had to be replaced because it had come apart. The dashboard has been peeling for about 11/2 years because they used cheap glue to hold the covering on the plastic. I realize that you consider that cosmetic, but it shouldn't be happening: I check every Alero I see in a parking lot and there are a lot with peeling dashboards. GM should be responsible for fixing that- they caused the problem. GM caused multiple problems on this vehicle by doing it on the cheap. It is very costly to the people who own them, and it shouldn't be. I don't mind paying for routine repairs, I expect that, but these problems are not "routine".
- Summerville, SC, USA
I purchased the car & immediately had to have the brakes fixed by the dealership. In 3/05 had complete look at car -at Chevy. Dealership, they flushed radiator, clean fuel lines-things along those lines "to make my car run better". in June of 05 I started noticing a small puddle of water under my vehicle & it started overheating. Was told my repair man that radiator cap needed replacing. That seemed to help a little. By October 05 the car was leaking antifreeze from under the car. Didn't have the money to have it fixed so I didn't drive it because I was a stay at home mom. Dec 05 I went to work and its been downhill. My car now will overheat if it idles for very long, leaks antifreeze (I have to add coolant every morning), and we was told that it was the probably the intake manifold gasket gone bad which will cost about $900. This is just 1 of the many problems we have experienced since the purchase.
- Kingston Springs, TN, USA
Failure of head intake manifold gasket on 1999 Oldsmobile Alero due to dex-cool engine coolant / faulty gasket design.
- East Longmeadow, MA, USA
1999 Oldsmobile Alero (out of warranty) began to have problems with transmission "slipping" occasionally during the summer. I was told no problem could be found. While driving home last evening, the service engine soon light came on as well as the "trac off" light and it was very hard to get the car to go more than 30 mph on a 50 mph highway very nearly causing an accident. By the grace of god, that did not happen, but now I am told that the transmission may "possibly be bad" or it "could be several other things." In either case, it would seem to me that someone should have found the error before. Additionally, the car has less than 65,000 miles on it and though it was sluggish from the time I bought it and would occasionally lurch forward when pulling away from a stop, it was not until the summer that it became a frequent as opposed to a rare occurrence. I truly believe that there is some flaw in the transmission. Of note also is that the driver's side window only rolls down on occasion and sometimes will not go back up, the fan only works on the highest 2 settings and the entire wiper blade assembly (some sort of sensor) had to be replaced 1 month out of warranty. What a piece of junk. And, the air conditioner no longer cools the car and I was told I had a slow leak.
- Ogden, IL, USA
Due to GM defect to date I have had to replace intake manifold gasket, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt and am now looking at replacing gas tank and heater core..
- Sprott, AL, USA
Engine abruptly overheated. After immediately pulling over, the engine began smoking. Car was towed to nearby service center where it was discovered the engine lower intake gasket was faulty.
- Austin, TX, USA
99 Alero with what appears to be common problems. First it was a faulty water pump and now there is a lower intake gasket failure.
- Reading, PA, USA
I have a 1999 V-6 Oldsmobile Alero and it continually overheated. My mechanic told me a number of people have been having the same problems and that it had to do with a faulty gasket.
- Broomall, PA, USA
Coolant leaking around the engine. Mechanic says this is common for the 3400 engine because there is no gasket, just a bead of caulk.
- Kent, OH, USA
The engine leaked coolant from the intake gasket.
- Richmond, KY, USA
Automatic transmission will not shift into 3rd or 4th gear, anymore. Roars loudly rather than shifts. When I take my foot off the accelerator at 30+ mph car acts like cruise control is on - decelerates extremely slow. Rpms stay at 2200+ at 35 mph. Also now a little higher on temperature gauge.
- Bossier City, LA, USA
Consumer is requesting reimbursement for repairs made to a leaking water pump and radiator, consumer also states that there was a large puddle of coolant found on her garage floor.
- Buena Park, CA, USA
Water pump was defective.
- Bangor, PA, USA
Water pump is leaking some kind of liquid, and engine is always getting hot. Contacted dealer, and the dealer can't do much about problem.
- Povghkeepixe, NY, USA
- N. Richland Hills, TX, USA