2001 Oldsmobile Alero Steering Problems

I NOTICED DURING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY 2014 THAT MY TURN SIGNALS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO . I WAS TURNING RIGHT AND MY MOM WAS RIDING WITH ME WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT MY TURN SIGNALS WAS NOT WORKING LEFT OR RIGHT. SO WE MADE IT TO OUR DOCTORS APPOINTMENT AND WHEN WE WERE LEAVING THEY WORKING . IT'S WEIRD BECAUSE BY CHANGING THE BULBS THE TURN SIGNALS ARE STILL GOING IN AND OUT WHEN THEY WANT TOO. AND WE NOTICED LIGHT FLUID LEAKAGE BUT IT WAS NOT LEAKING IN NOVEMBER WHEN I BROUGHT MY VERY OWN FIRST CAR FOR CASH AND I HAD THE OIL CHANGED SO I TOOK IT BACK TO JIFFY LUBES AND THE TECH COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM, THIS WEEK JANUARY 21, 2014 MY STEERING WHEEL IS MAKING THIS STRANGE WHISTLING NOISE WHEN I MAKE A TURN, AND MY SECURITY LIGHT HAS CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. SO I DECIDED TO CHECK THE SAFETY GM RECALL LISTING FOR HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678734

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL FOLLOWED BY FLAMES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHORTAGE WITH THE BLINKERS, WHICH ACTIVATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

NHTSA ID

10637652

Incident

Sep 3, 2014

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR A PRIVATE MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

NHTSA ID

10474204

Incident

Sep 6, 2012

Mileage

136,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING BRACKETS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME WERE FRACTURED. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ABLE TO BE TURNED, BUT THE WHEELS WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE RUST WAS WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 11/22/11*LJ THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 11/30/11

NHTSA ID

10430525

Incident

Oct 15, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT IT WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING RACK HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE SUPPORT HAD CORRODED CAUSING THE STEERING RACK TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 110,000. UPDATED 12/28/11*LJ UPDATED 02/29/12

NHTSA ID

10430055

Incident

Oct 2, 2011

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT, IT WOULD MAKE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. ALSO, THE WHEELS DID NOT MOVE WHEN HE MOVED THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE RACK AND PINION TOGETHER HAD RUSTED AND CAUSED IT TO FRACTURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

NHTSA ID

10419864

Incident

Aug 16, 2011

Mileage

135,000 mi

WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, STEERING ABILITY HAD SEVERELY REDUCED TO NIL. . THERE WAS NO WARNING IN FEEL, JUST A CLUNK SOUND. AFTER IMMEDIATE STOP, STEERING WAS CHECKED AGAIN BY TURNING STEERING WHEEL. NO RESPONSE IN EITHER DIRECTION. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FROM AREA WHICH WAS SEMI BLOCKING TRAFFIC DUE TO THE INABILITY TO STEER VEHICLE. AUTO TECH HAD SAID THE SUB FRAME HOLDING KEY STEERING COMPONENTS WAS RUSTED BEYOND REPAIR AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAD JUST READ LOCAL NEWS INVOLVING, A NOW DECEASED WOMAN, HITTING A SCHOOL BUS NEARLY HEAD ON WHILE CHANGING LANES AND FOR SOME REASON CONTINUED INTO OPPOSITE TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10358864

Incident

Sep 23, 2010

Mileage

100,052 mi

HORN OF THE CAR DID NOT WORK AFTER SERVICE FOR REPLACEMENT OF FLASHER UNIT. NO TRAUMA OR INJURY TO CAR. INSPECTION OF CAR, IT WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED STEERING WHEEL AT THE BASE AND IT DAMAGED THE HORN RING. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL FIXED AS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE DEALER STATED THEY HAD ONLY EVER SEEN 1 OTHER SUCH CASE IN 37 YEARS OF SERVICE. CAR MUST HAVE HAD A DEFECTIVE STEERING WHEEL WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10228247

Incident

May 16, 2008

Mileage

48,000 mi

2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEM. *BF THE CONSUMER HAD DISCOVERED A COOLANT LEAK. THE CONSUMER STATED GM ISSUED AN IMPROVED GASKET TO AVOID FUTURE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED IT GM WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WHY DID THE EXPENSE HAVE TO FALL ON THE CONSUMER. THE POWER STEERING WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10115151

Incident

Feb 1, 2005

I HAVE A 2001 ALERO. IT HAS BEEN HAVING TROUBLE STEERING INTERMITTENTLY. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE STEERING FLUID GELLING. IT FIXED MY STEERING BUT STILL WHINED A LITTLE. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE NIGHT STATED BELOW. I WAS TURNING TO THE ON-RAMP TO THE INTERSTATE AND MY STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED. I WAS GOING ABOUT 30MPH AND PROBABLY 20-25MPH AS I WAS SENT INTO THE CURB. THE WHEEL THAT HIT THE CURB FOLDED UNDER THE CAR AS THE SPINDLE BROKE. I WAS DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT AND THERE WERE NO ADVERSE CONDITIONS. I WOULDN'T HAVE HIT THE CURB IF THE STEERING HADN'T GONE OUT AND EVEN SO, I DON'T THINK THAT AT THAT SPEED THAT MUCH DAMAGE SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT THE AIR BAG DIDN'T GO OFF. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE (WHERE I WAS HEADING) I WOULD HAVE ENDED UP GOING INTO A DITCH AND FLIPPING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10086786

Incident

Jun 3, 2004

Mileage

41,000 mi

THE IGNITION LOCK DID NOT FULLY ENGAGE THE LOCK FUNCTION, AND ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WITHOUT ENGAGING THE "PARK" FUNCTION ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10060155

Incident

Mar 1, 2004

Mileage

74,000 mi

CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS START WHEN I TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. TAKES A FEW SECONDS TO TURN OVER. DRIVER SIDE MIRROR SHAKES. THE NUMBERS ON THE RADIO BUTTONS HAVE RUBBED OFF. REAR DEFROST DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK. ROTORS ARE ALWAYS WEARING OUT. USED TO HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE EVERY TIME I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL - HAD THE STEERING RACK REPLACED. INTERIOR DOME LIGHT FALLS OFF. *JB

NHTSA ID

10023707

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED, IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER LEFT TO RIGHT INTERMITTENTLY.*JB

NHTSA ID

10009982

Incident

Mar 4, 2003

CONSUMER STATES OF BEEN ON A COLLISION AND DOSEN'T KNOW WHAT WAS THE CAUSED OF THE ACCIDENT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. TS

NHTSA ID

8021723

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT ON THREE SEPERATE OCCASIONS THEY HAVE BEEN LEFT WITHOUT A VEHICLE DUE TO THE ENGINE THROWING COOLANT OUT OF THE COOLANT RESEVOIR, THIS RESULTS IN AN ENGINE THAT WAS HEAVING AND VIBRATING/KNOCKING. THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING MOST OF ITS ANTI-FREEZE DURING THE OPERATION. ON ONE OCCASION THEY FOUND A LEAKY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HE'D TAKE THE VEHICLE TO GET REPAIRS, THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FOUND OR THERE WAS AN IMPRESSION THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OKAY. ALSO, THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM IS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT AIR BUBBLES CANNOT BE BLED OUT AND WOULD LIKE HIS MONEY BACK. *SCC

NHTSA ID

567551

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, VEHICLE WILL STEER UNCONTROLLABLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS HAPPENS WHEN ACCELERATING HARD AT LOW SPEED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

8011423

Incident

May 1, 2002

FUEL LEAKAGE OCCURS AROUND FUEL TANK. ALSO, TILT STEERING LEVER IS BROKEN, AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN ACTIVATED. *AK SERVICE THE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON FOUR TIMES, AND TESTING REVEALED THAT FUEL SEAL WAS DEFECTIVE. TILT WHEEL LATCH BROKE WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE. *YH

NHTSA ID

873364