RoadVitals

1999 Oldsmobile Alero Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Dec 9, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 462 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
7
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
5

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Dec 9, 2017
Crash reportedFire reported1 injury reported

WHEN I GOT ACCIDENT NOVEMBER 3 2004 AND AIRBAG NOT COME BLOW YET. I GOT INJURY HEAD AND BROKE LEG ON RIGHT.

NHTSA ID
11053690
Incident
Nov 3, 2004
Mileage
45 mi
AirbagsElectricalFuel system
Filed Oct 25, 2016

TAKATA RECALL I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR BUT IT HAS RECALLS I WOULD LIKE TO GET FIXED

NHTSA ID
10918720
Incident
Oct 3, 2016
AirbagsElectricalFuel system
Filed Jul 9, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS A RECURRING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS CAUSING THE FANS, FUEL GAUGE, AND AIR BAGS TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10733043
Incident
Jul 6, 2015
Mileage
170,000 mi
AirbagsSteering
Filed Nov 18, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH OVER A BUMP, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND A CONCUSSION, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID
10658797
Incident
Nov 11, 2014
Mileage
90,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 15, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HERNIATED DISK TO THE NECK AND INJURIES TO THE LOWER BACK AND HIP, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10633171
Incident
Aug 1, 2009
Airbags
Filed Apr 5, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported

MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN HIS 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO AT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MPH WHEN HE RAN INTO THE BACK OF A PARKED OLDER VEHICLE WHICH HAD A STEEL BUMPER. MY SON'S 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO SUFFERED MAJOR DAMAGE AND MY SON HIT HIS HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10187141
Incident
Apr 1, 2007
Mileage
97,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 13, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATES THAT SHE HIT A POT HOLE AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG WAS POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT DID NOT COMPLETELY DEPLOY, THE AIR BAG ON THE RIGHT SIDE EJECTED AND IT BENT OPEN. IT LOOKED AS IF TISSUE WAS COMING OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT COMPLETELY DEPLOY. THIS OCCURRED 34 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT VEHICLE AND URGED HER TO CONTACT THE INSURANCE COMPANY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. ALSO, A BAD ODOR COME FROM THE AIR BAG. THIS CRACKED THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DASH BOARD. IT OCCURRED ALMOST A YEAR AGO. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ON PRIOR TO THE DEPLOYMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
10136351
Incident
Sep 1, 2004
Airbags
Filed Sep 24, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10094328
Incident
Jul 18, 2004
Airbags
Filed Jul 29, 2004

DEAR SIRS, CONTACTING YOU TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH A CERTAIN MODEL OF CAR. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE VINYL DASH OF THIS CAR WILL PEEL BACK AND OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ONLY GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE. I THEN ASKED THE DEALERSHIP WHY WAS THIS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN DUE THE FACT THAT THE AIRBAG WAS OBVIOUSLY DAMAGED. THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE COULD MAKE THE AIRBAG DEPLOY FOR NO REASON A INJURE THE PASSENGER OR EVEN WORSE, NOT DEPLOY UPON A FRONTAL COLLISION. AGAIN I WAS NOT GIVEN AN ANSWER ON WHY THIS WAS NOT A CONCERN. I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND WAS CONCERNED THAT WHAT IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN NOT NEEDED AND THERE WAS A CHILD IN THE SEAT. EVEN IF THE CHILD WAS OLD ENOUGH TO BE IN THE FRONT AND WAS IN THERE SEAT BELT, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE DRIVER COULD NOT ANYTHING TO STOP ANY INJURY TO THE CHILD.*AK

NHTSA ID
10082950
Incident
Apr 15, 2003
Mileage
59,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 15, 2004

AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING 35-45 MPH DOWN ROAD. GM PULLED DATA FROM COMPUTER AND HAS NOW SAID THAT THE CAR MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS, POTHOLE, BUSH, STICK OR SOMETHING. THEY HOWEVER WON'T HELP IN THE MATTER BECAUSE SOMETHING CAUSED THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY, WELL I COULD HAVE TOLD THEM THAT BECAUSE NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT A REASON. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE YET I AM STILL TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED. *LA

NHTSA ID
10081098
Incident
Jun 18, 2004
Mileage
82,000 mi
AirbagsOther / unspecified
Filed Jun 10, 2003
Crash reported1 injury reported

AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY IN FRONT END COLLISION. CAR TOTALED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10021342
Incident
Jun 8, 2003
Mileage
53,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 16, 2000

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A CAR LOT AT 5MPH BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
863732
Incident
Jun 14, 2000
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Nov 29, 1999
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, VEHICLE SKIDDED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A FRONTAL IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THIS CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
853445
Incident
Nov 29, 1999
Airbags
Filed Oct 4, 1999

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 7 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'SER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

NHTSA ID
849825
Incident
Sep 21, 1999

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .