2003 Oldsmobile Alero problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (44) · Engine (11) · Vehicle Speed Control (10)
🧭 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
128 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 (452)
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
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-06 · PIT3271P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. general motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. technician s
Showing the 6 most recent of 452 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2024-01-05 · Air Bags · 75,000 mi · 💥 crash“the contact owned a 2003 oldsmobile alero. the contact stated while driving approximately 5 mph and crossing an intersection, a speeding police vehicle crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle and the front driver's side wheel was bent. the air bags failed to deploy and the contact hit her chest against the steering wheel. additionally, the le…”
2021-12-20 · Unknown Or Other“driving and everything quit but the engine nothing on the dash worked, door locks unlocked lost headlights, radio anything electrical was gone …”
2019-07-20 · Engine · 74,350 mi“1200 miles after j02 recall car runs sluggish going up canyon. stop car and engine is misfiring. turn around and coast downhill in neutral until check engine light turns on then stop and park car for several hours. called dealer and asked what i should do. coast out of the canyon with the engine off. turn engine on after several miles and no more p…”
2017-09-07 · Vehicle Speed Control“car has been having acceleration issues her and there has had a fuel leak for awhile now and now all of a sudden the car will not start..…”
2017-05-08 · Engine · 90,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2003 oldsmobile alero. while the key was in the ignition, the engine failed to engage without warning. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. …”
2017-03-21 · Electrical System · 150,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2003 oldsmobile alero. the contact stated that the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power and all the warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but the technician could not get the vehicle started. the vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the body control…”
2017-03-10 · Vehicle Speed Control · 55,000 mi“while driving on a city road at approximately 40 mph, the car randomly began accelerating on its own. i immediately pushed on the brake pedal only to discover the car continued to accelerate. i stomped on the brake as hard as possible to avoid hitting the car in front of me. i moved the gear shift to neutral to try to keep the car from accelerating…”
2016-10-15 · Wheels · 97,700 mi“continuation of a prior complaint (10908068). on 9/20/16, prior defective starfire rs-c ultimate touring tire replaced with another similar starfire tire (u30h ldj) at pep boys. paid $42.41 (tire handling charge, wheel balance, road hazard warranty, and valve stem). on 10/13/16 noticed new tire was flat/low, tire pressue was down to 18lbs; inflate…”
2016-10-15 · Tires · 97,700 mi“continuation of a prior complaint (10908068). on 9/20/16, prior defective starfire rs-c 2.0 ultimate touring tire replaced with another similar starfire tire (u30h ldj) at pep boys. paid $42.41 (tire handling charge, wheel balance, road hazard warranty, and valve stem). on 10/13/16 noticed new tire was flat/low, tire pressue was down to 18lbs; inf…”
2016-09-19 · Tires · 96,940 mi“while driving on i-295 north near hamilton twp, nj at around 6:45pm at a speed of about 65 mph, the right rear tire blew out completely. there was a 2-inch square hole on the outside of the tire. conditions were normal and the driving surface was dry. vehicle was towed to pep boys, beverly nj where i purchased all four starfire tires (rs-c 2.0 …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.