2003 Oldsmobile Alero Engine Problems

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 PROBLEMS. DRIVE HOME CAREFULLY. NEXT DAY THROWS SEVERAL CODES AND RUNNING SLUGGISH. SEVERAL DAYS LATER CODES ARE GONE RIGHT BEFORE IT GOES TO DEALER. THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE IF CAR HAS NO ACTIVE CODES OR SYMPTOMS. ABOUT A WEEK LATER TURN CAR ON AND CAR IS MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND HAS SEVERAL PENDING CODES. CAREFULLY DRIVE HOME. CODES DIDN'T SAVE. FINALLY ABLE TO TAKE TO DEALER AROUND JUNE 25TH WHILE CAR IS MAKING THE KNOCKING NOISE BUT NO CODES AND THEY THINK IT'S A LIFTER BUT NOT SURE. I LEFT THE CAR AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE. LITERALLY THE SAME DAY I PICK THE CAR UP IT IS KNOCKING AND CONSISTENTLY DOES SO FOR THE NEXT WEEK AS SOON AS THE ENGINE WARMS UP. JULY 5 ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEING HIT BY A HAMMER AND THROWS P0011 CAM TIMING ADVANCED. OIL PRESSURE IS 5PSI AT IDLE AND 40PSI AT 5000RPM. HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALER BECAUSE IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T MAKE THE DRIVE AND THEY SAY IT IS PISTON SLAP WITHOUT EVEN OPENING THE ENGINE THEY DETERMINE IT IS NOT CAUSED BY THE RECALL. AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE IS SITTING IN MY GARAGE WITH THE TIMING COVER, OIL PAN AND ONE VALVE COVER OFF AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEM TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING TO DOZENS OF PEOPLE AFTER THE RECALL. I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET THE DEALER TO ACTUALLY TEAR IT DOWN TO DIAGNOSE IT.. CODES THROWN SO FAR ARE P0011 P219A P0301 P000A P0420 KNOCKING SEEMS TO BE WHEN OIL WARMS UP AND OIL PRESSURE DROPS TO ABOUT 30PSI AND BELOW.

NHTSA ID

11233626

Incident

Apr 27, 2019

Mileage

74,350 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.

NHTSA ID

10984370

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE CAR JUMPED UP ITO 6 AND 7 RPMS IN THE RED GOT STUCK EVEN WHEN PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED STAYED THERE I THE RED FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS FINALLY DROPPED AND STARTED KNOCKING.

NHTSA ID

10872877

Incident

Nov 22, 2015

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED AND WHITE SMOKE OR MIST EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CRACKED AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A RADIATOR SPECIALIST, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE BLOCK AND THE ENGINE MANIFOLD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 215,015. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ....UPDATED 07/05/16 *BF

NHTSA ID

10855261

Incident

Mar 13, 2016

Mileage

215,015 mi

TRIED TO START CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START, ONLY CRANK. STARTED NEXT MORNING AND HAD IT TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP AND IT WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY. REPAIR SHOP SAID TO TAKE IT HOME BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE OR FIX. I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN GM VEHICLES AND MANY PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING. THERE IS A WAY TO START IT SOMETIMES BY WAITING TEN MINUTES WITH KEY IN ACC AND THEN TURNING OFF AND THEN REMOVING THE KEY AND THEN RE STARTING. THIS IS WORKING BUT NOT ALWAYS. APPARENTLY GM IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS TAKEN NO ACTION TO CORRECT IT. I AM AFRAID THAT I MAY BE STRANDED SOMEWHERE OR THE SECURITY SYSTEM COULD POSSIBLY TURN THE CAR OFF. ALSO THERE IS DISCUSSION THAT THIS MAY ALSO BE A BAD IGNITION SWITCH BUT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SWITCH, ONLY THE KEY!

NHTSA ID

10822967

Incident

Jan 19, 2016

Mileage

91,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND NEEDED TO HAVE THE PASS LOCK ASSEMBLY AND THE LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,227. UPDATED 02/19/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10816798

Incident

Dec 14, 2015

Mileage

23,227 mi

MY IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT INVOKE THE ENGINE. IT HAS HAPPENED COUPLE OF TIMES WITH MY ALERO. LAST YEAR AS PER THE RECALL NOTICE GM DEALER CHANGED THE KEYS AND NOT THE ENTIRE IGNITION MODULE. HAVE SPENT OVER USD 350 IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS AND AGAIN TODAY THE OLDS ALERO IS STOP WORKING. THE IGNITION DOES NOT SEEM TO TURN ON.

NHTSA ID

10809363

Incident

Dec 9, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING FOUR TIMES ON THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

NHTSA ID

10806203

Incident

Sep 23, 2015

Mileage

117,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000. MA 09/25 UPDATED 11/28/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10735086

Incident

Jun 17, 2015

Mileage

162,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER WAITING A WHILE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

NHTSA ID

10678869

Incident

Jan 12, 2015

Mileage

127,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA ID

10673004

Incident

Dec 16, 2014

Mileage

66,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD, WHICH HOUSES THE AIR BAG, SEPARATED AND EXPOSED THE AIR BAG COMPONENTS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10654711

Incident

Jul 1, 2004

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,332.

NHTSA ID

10640253

Incident

Nov 17, 2010

Mileage

3,332 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10638019

Incident

Sep 3, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS RECENTLY REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. UPDATED 08/19/14*LJ UPDATED 08/23/2017*CT

NHTSA ID

10607305

Incident

May 7, 2007

Mileage

92,000 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

TODAY I STARTED MY CAR WITH MY AUTOMATIC STARTER THEN 7 MINUTES LATER I HEAR A HORN NON STOP BEEPING I LOOKOUT MY DOOR AND MY CAR IS SMOKING AND IN FLAMES FROM HOOD. INVESTIGATOR TELLS ME IT TOTALED. AFTER THEY PUT THE FIRE OUT I LOOK IN CAR AND ONLY ONE AIR BAG CAME OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10566241

Incident

Feb 27, 2014

Mileage

100,900 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FUEL INJECTOR PUMP AND CYLINDER WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000.

NHTSA ID

10453859

Incident

Feb 9, 2012

Mileage

96,000 mi

2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE STALLED TWICE ON THE ROAD WHILE TRYING TO MAKE LEFT TURN. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM ON BOTH OCCASIONS. UPDATED 04/15/11

NHTSA ID

10391939

Incident

Jan 31, 2011

I USED MY HORN TO LET SOMEONE KNOW THAT THEY WERE IN MY LANE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY HORN WAS STUCK. THE WINDOW CLIPS ON MY CAR BROKE OFF, AS I HAVE READ OF THESE SAME COMPLAINTS OF OTHER 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO OWNERS. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS DEFECTS OF THESE TWO PARTS, AND GM WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS. DUE TO THAT FACT, I AM UNABLE TO PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE MY CAR HAS TO HAVE A WORKING HORN AND MY WINDOW MUST BE ABLE TO MOVE UP AND DOWN. ALSO A THIRD COMPLAINT, THERE IS NOW COOLANT THAT IS STARTING TO LEAK INTO MY OIL, WHICH FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND COULD CAUSE A FIRE!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10285185

Incident

Jun 27, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

OLDSMOBILE ALERO DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10276056

Incident

Jul 3, 2009

Mileage

43,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A TIRE ROTATION AND WAS INFORMED THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE OIL. THE INTAKE GASKET AND SEALS IN THE VEHICLE WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER, WHO ISSUED A CASE NUMBER. THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,184 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 58,000.

NHTSA ID

10253344

Incident

Sep 26, 2008

Mileage

58,000 mi

MY LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING JUST AS IS POPULAR ON THESE TYPES OF ENGINES. ALSO MY TURN SIGNAL IS WORKING OFF AND ON. I HAVE SENT LETTERS TO GM WITH NO RESPONSE OR SUCCESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223520

Incident

Apr 1, 2008

Mileage

95,000 mi

OUR 2003 OLDS ALERO GL 4-DR WITH 3.4L V-6 AND 75,000 MILES HAD A BLOWN INTAKE GASKET. WE WERE HAVING TO ADD COOLANT TO THE CAR ONCE EVERY 2 MONTHS, BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT AND FIGURED WE HAD SOME KIND OF A LEAK IN THE RESERVOIR. IT BEGAN TO MAKE A RATTLING NOISE, WHICH WAS WHEN WE TOOK IT TO OUR CAR DEALER. WE WERE TOLD THAT COOLANT HAS BEEN LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE ,AND WILL NOW HAVE TO SPEND $1300 TO REPLACE THE GASKET. THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10190600

Incident

May 10, 2007

Mileage

75,000 mi