2003 Oldsmobile Alero Brakes Problems

UPON PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE IN MARCH OF 2014 I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH IT. ONE ISSUE BEING IT WOULD NOT START. I LET THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM LOOK AT IT AND HE TOOK IT TO A GARAGE THAT HE USUALLY DEALS WITH AND THEY TOLD ME THEY REPLACED THE STARTER. HOWEVER, I'M ALMOST POSITIVE IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL. ANOTHER ISSUE IS THE HORN RANDOMLY STARTED GOING OFF IN THE DRIVEWAY ONE DAY AND NOW THE HORN DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE MOST CONCERNING ISSUE IS THAT OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THE CAR. THE PARKING LIGHTS STAY ON, FORCING ME TO HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY EVERY TIME I LEAVE THE CAR FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. THE TURNING SIGNALS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, SOMETIMES ONLY AFTER 7PM THROUGH 8AM I WON'T EVEN BE ABLE TO GET THE SIGNALS TO TURN ON. OTHER TIMES THEY WON'T WORK IF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10689505

Incident

Apr 11, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

NHTSA ID

10640527

Incident

Jun 15, 2014

Mileage

138,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

NHTSA ID

10639807

Incident

Aug 4, 2014

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN AFTER THE CONTACT REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AND THE DRIVER HAD TO BRAKE HARD IN ORDER TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM DRIVING THROUGH A GARAGE WALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ACCELERATOR ONLY STICKS ON HOT AND HUMID DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON 8/714. UPDATED 3/30/15 *JS

NHTSA ID

10616057

Incident

Jul 1, 2013

Mileage

57,000 mi

CAR HAS REPEATEDLY SHUT OFF AT SPEED, SOMETIMES RESTARTING, TWICE NEEDING TO BE TOWED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10598824

Incident

Nov 29, 2012

Mileage

28,130 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH CONTROL ARMS WERE FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE DEFECT RECURRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHILE DRIVING BUT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE DEFECT. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS REPLACED BECAUSE OF CONSTANT ILLUMINATION OF THE WARNING LIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

NHTSA ID

10579641

Incident

Jul 3, 2007

Mileage

93,000 mi

I LIVE IN A HOT "AMBIENT" ENVIRONMENT, THE SOUTH. I AM THE THIRD OWNER OF MY 2003 ALERO OLDSMOBILE. MY CAR'S ACCELERATOR STICKS AND WILL NOT RETURN TO IDLE. IT CONTINUES TO DO THIS AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS GETTING WORSE. IT IS ALSO AFFECTING THE REST OF THE CAR AND ITS PARTS. MY BRAKES ARE PROBABLY GOING OUT BECAUSE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING STUCK AND ME HAVING TO HOLD THE BRAKES DOWN WHILE ITS REVVING PAST 3000 RPMS IN PARK. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY CLAIM THAT MY VIN ISN'T EFFECTED. I HAVE READ ABOUT AND TALKED TO MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2003 ALERO OLDSMOBILE AND THEY ALSO WERE TURNED AWAY AND SAID THAT THEIR VINS WERE NOT EFFECTED. I THINK THAT GM MIGHT NOT BE TAKING THIS RECALL SERIOUSLY BUT I AM POSITIVE THAT THIS RECALL IS VALID FOR MY CAR AND IT IS SCARY WHEN I HAVE MY TWO BOYS THAT ARE UNDER FIVE IN MY BACKSEAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR STICKS AND CONTINUES TO DO AND EVEN WHEN I TURN OFF MY VEHICLE AND TURN IT BACK ON IT CONTINUES TO DO SO. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT YA'LL WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP ME . THANK YOU SO MUCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10480759

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

PURCHASED 2003 ALERO ON OCT 8, 2009 ON OCT. 9TH CAR WOULD NOT START OR JUMP, ABS AND SECURITY LIGHT WAS ON, RADIO TURNED OFF. HAD IT TOWED BACK TO DEALER WHO LOOKED AT IT THE NEXT DAY AND THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEY DID NOT DO ANY WORK TO IT. ON OCT 15 WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ONTO THE INTERSTATE THE ABS LIGHT AND SECURITY LIGHT CAME ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND SHE COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES. THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT WAS LIMITED DUE TO THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE ONLY CODE THEY COULD GET TO REGISTER WAS THAT THE ABS CODE WAS ON. WAS TOLD THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC DID NOT SHOW ANYTHING ELSE BUT DIAGNOSTICS WAS LIMITED ANYWAYS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE ANYMORE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10289460

Incident

Oct 15, 2009

Mileage

105,897 mi

2003 OLDS ALERO. AT 35K MILES, BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. UPON TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR WORK, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FRONT ROTORS AND BRAKES ALSO NEEDED REPLACING. THE BEARINGS WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WE WERE BILLED $400+ FOR BRAKES AND ROTORS. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB AND OLDS (AFTER MULTIPLE CALLS) REIMBURSED US FOR HALF OF THE BRAKE WORK. I WAS LATER TOLD BE A MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT WHEEL BEARING, ROTOR AND PAD FAILURES WERE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE ALERO AND GRAND AM. APPARENTLY GM DID NOT FEEL IT WAS WORTH STANDING BEHIND. NOW WE HAVE ADDED 15K MILES SINCE THE REPAIR, AND THE NEW FACTORY REPLACEMENT ROTORS ARE ALREADY WARPED AND CAUSING UNEVEN BRAKING AND STEERING SHIMMY. STAY AWAY FROM THIS VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10177016

Incident

Jan 4, 2006

Mileage

51,000 mi

LAST SUMMER MY FAMILY AND I LOADED INTO MY 2003 OLDS ALERO GL FOR A TRIP. THE PASSENGER SEAT WOULD CLICK BUT NOT LOCK IN PLACE. THE FIRST TIME I TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE SEAT SLID FORWARD WITH MY WIFE IN IT. I'VE BEEN TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP 3 OR 4 TIMES AND THIS STILL HAPPENS. NOW THAT MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED I DON'T LET ANYONE SIT IN THAT SEAT OR I USE MY WIFE'S CAR WHEN CARRYING PASSENGERS TO AVOID THE REPAIR COSTS.*AK A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FELL OFF TRACK AND AND BROKE THE MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE GLASS, THE REPAIR BILL WAS ALMOST $400. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO THE WINDOW HAS STARTED SQUEAKING AND RATTLING. I HAVE STOPPED USING IT UNTIL I CAN GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT DID THE REPAIRS. A WEEK AND A HALF BACK I NOTICED A RATTLING NOISE IN MY FRONT SUSPENSION AND A WEEK AGO I HAD TO SPEND ALMOST $450 TO REPLACE MY BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS AND HAVE MY SUSPENSION INSPECTED. NOTHING WRONG WAS FOUND WITH THE SUSPENSION, BUT THE NOISE IS STILL THERE. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND MEINEKE 3 TIMES TOTAL OVER THE LAST YEAR COMPLAINING OF GRINDING AND REDUCED STOPPING POWER. BOTH TOLD ME THAT VISIBLY THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES AND I HAD 15-20,000 MILES OF WEAR LEFT, THAT WAS LESS THAN 6,000 MILES AGO. NEW ISSUE. 3 DAYS AGO MY WINDSHIELD WASHER STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I TRIED TO OPERATE THE WASHER FLUID SHOT OUT OF THE TOP OF THE RESEVOIR AND SOAKED THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA ID

10114163

Incident

Jun 10, 2004

Mileage

34,500 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. MECHANIC REPLACED THE ROTORS,BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. P

NHTSA ID

10073926

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WITHOUT WARNING BRAKE PEDAL DESCENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO RUN INTO A TRAFFIC LIGHT POLE. EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE BECAME NECESSARY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE FOR STOPPING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10064725

THE VEHICLE DIES. WHILE CRUISING AT ANY SPEED, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES & STEERING FAILED DUE TO THE ENGINE DYING. THERE IS NO SET PATTERN, IT MIGHT STALL 6 TIMES IN ONE DAY, THEN TWICE THE NEXT DAY. THEN GO 4 DAYS WITH NO OCURRENCE, THEN IT WILL STALL ONCE A DAY FOR 3 DAYS. THEN GO A WEEK WITH NO OCURRENCE, THEN STALL 4 TIMES A DAY FOR 5 DAYS, ETC., ETC. IN EVERY OCURRENCE, IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START BACK UP. AT HIGH SPEEDS, IT IS EXTREMELY TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WE'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, THE REQUIRED 4 TIMES UNDER THE LEMON LAW PROCESS. THE DEALER CANNOT ASCERTAIN, NOR FIX THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED TO THE DEALER AT LEAST ONCE WHEN WE TOOK IT IN. I DOUBT THEY WILL ADMIT IT, HOWEVER, MY WIFE WAS WITNESS. THE CAR IS A 2003. EVEN THOUGH I BOUGHT IT IN JULY 2003, IT WAS CONSIDERED A USED CAR. GM HAS DENIED OUR CLAIM SINCE THE LEMON LAW DOES NOT APPLY TO USED CARS. THE CAR HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY PARKED SINCE NOVEMBER 2003. WE WERE FORCED TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. THE DEALER WOULD NOT TRADE. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A BADLUCK SITUATION FOR US. WE CANNOT AFFORD 2 CAR PAYMENTS / 2 INSURANCE PREMIUMS, NOR CAN WE AFFORD $300.00 PER HOUR TO SUE GM. I STOPPED MAKING PAYMENTS IN DECEMBER 2003. I HAVE KEPT THE FINANCE COMPANY ABREAST OF THE SITUATION. THEY HAVE NOT REPOSSED AS OF YET. THEY WANT ME TO TRY TO SELL IT. CAN YOU HELP ?*AK

NHTSA ID

10061898

Incident

Jul 26, 2003

Mileage

20,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN THE RAIN CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THEY LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND HIT A LARGE ROCK HEAD ON. THE VEHICLE BOUNCED OFF THE ROCK AND HIT THE EMBANKMENT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER THREE TIMES. THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. CONSUMER STATED THAT BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10050273

Incident

Nov 19, 2003