2001 Oldsmobile Alero problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (40) · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal (14) · Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights:switch (14)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Oldsmobile Alero model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
213 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (1)
Electrical System:ignition 2014-07-03 · campaign 14V400000 · 5,877,718 vehicles
Defect: 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, 1998-200
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service bulletins (397)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-02-20 · PIP5358D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. technician will need to
Electrical System 2024-10-25 · PIP4723J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the tire pressure monitor, active fuel injector tester, multi media tester, pico scope, gr8 starting/charging tester and vehicle data recorder tools, giving website address and ste
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-12 · PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the heater-vent-air conditioning blows warm air. before calling general motors technical assistance center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-12 · PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the heater-vent-air conditioning blows warm air. before calling general motors technical assistance center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven
Electrical System 2024-08-26 · General Communication · Service Campaign
vehicle wide programming (vwp) is a new process to update software on gm vehicles. it provides the ability via a single selection within techline connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). the updating of modules is com
Showing the 6 most recent of 397 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2023-04-18 · Engine“the car will shut off while driving/idling. there are no check engine lights. took it to get the latest recall fixed that had to do with this and they just gave us new keys. it did not remedy the situation! now we are paying to fix it because it is still shutting off while driving.…”
2022-07-26 · Electrical System“the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile alero. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. the local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. the consumer stated the vehicle was junked 3 or 4 yrs ago because of the computer going out on the ve…”
2021-07-11 · Fuel/Propulsion System“while driving the vehicle the car shut off while ignition was on. no warning whatsoever …”
2021-06-19 · Electrical System“electrical ground wire to alternator burnt out; caused battery to lose charged replaced twice within 2 years.…”
2020-08-01 · Electrical System · 130,000 mi“for some time the turn signals would only work intermittently. it seemed like i had more trouble with them if it was very hot and humid outside. then, the turn signals triggered the hazard lights to come on. the turn signals are now inoperable. sometimes the hazard lights come on by themselves and i am unable to turn them off.the turn signals quit …”
2019-02-14 · Fuel/Propulsion System · 5 mi“air coming into the intake manifold and my low trac light comes on every time i have to do a turnaround or back around in a slow position from a start posistion. so im not getting my gas mileages worth nor can i do a uturn in a fast acceleration. it will get slower thats dangerous if upcoming traffic starts to proceed making it liable for an accide…”
2018-08-08 · Engine · 178,000 mi“starter turns but will not start…”
2018-03-30 · Electrical System:ignition“2001 oldsmobile alero. consumer writes in regards to defective ignition coil recall notice states same problem as consumer brake and steering failure accident. *ld the consumer stated while driving over bumpy patch in the road the ignition was inadvertently switched out of the "run" position resulting in an accident.*js…”
2017-11-28 · Unknown Or Other · 79,780 mi“just got this car from the dealer and there is a gas leak also the key comes out of the ignition with the car on acceleration i have to put it back in and wiggle it to get it off and there's a o-ring sensor leak can't pass the echeck. i've had this car since august and the estimate to get the car fixed to pass the check is over the amount for the c…”
2017-07-30 · Electrical System · 194,073 mi“i was at the gro. store came out and the car would not start 1/2 tank of gas had some one to try a jump start to no avail. the next day it started went to work same thing it tries to start but will not and that is where i am now. went on the internet and see that i'm not the only one. i'm just looking for help. as many other americans i don't hav…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.