RoadVitals

2004 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.
13
Latest Apr 3, 2024
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.
12%
of 109 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 2004 Oldsmobile Alero submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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

AirbagsElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 3, 2024
Crash reported1 injury reported

Airbag no deployment Loss of power steering Brakes to floor Car died Recall ignored prior and still today after set up now off their schedule Friendly Chevrolet rich Gardner

NHTSA ID
11580823
Incident
Jan 3, 2022
Airbags
Filed Nov 3, 2018

RECENTLY STARTED FINANCING A VEHICLE THROUGH CAR HOP. THEY HAD ME SIGN A FORM SAYING THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE, BUT DIDN'T SPECIFY WHAT. READING IT OVER NOW THE FORM STATES THEY WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO CORRECT THIS RECALL. RECALL NUMBER IS 14V400.

NHTSA ID
11145084
Incident
Oct 24, 2018
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Aug 14, 2018
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LOCK. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A LEG INJURY AND A CONCUSSION, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

NHTSA ID
11119848
Incident
Aug 2, 2018
Mileage
200,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 14, 2016
Crash reported

MY GRANDDAUGHER TO BE RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAN GOING ONLY ABOUT 25 MPH. THE AIRBAGS CAME OUT BUT DID NOT DEFLATE. THEY HAD A CUT IN THEM. SHE DID NOT GET HURT BUT IF SHE HAD BEEN GOING FASTER OR IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING AND HAD A WRECK IT COULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE. SHE WAS ON A SIDE STREET

NHTSA ID
10906277
Incident
Sep 5, 2016
Mileage
135,000 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Oct 15, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE SECURITY AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID
10782393
Incident
May 15, 2015
Mileage
150,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 3, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND GOING OVER A BUMP, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,283.

NHTSA ID
10652129
Incident
Nov 3, 2014
Mileage
189,283 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Oct 28, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STREET A CAR RAN A STOP SIGN CAUSING A T-BONE COLLISION. MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED BECAUSE OF MY AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING I HIT MY HEAD ON THE FRONT WINDOW PANE. IF THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED I WOULD HAVE NEVER HIT THE FRONT WINDOW CAUSING MY TWO HEAD CONTUSIONS, SPRAINED NECK, AND HERNIATED DISCS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10650870
Incident
Dec 13, 2013
AirbagsBrakesSteering
Filed Oct 3, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. HE HAD NO BRAKES OR POWER STEERING CAUSING HIM TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY AND CRASH INTO A FENCE. THE CRASH DIDN'T DEPLOY THE AIRBAG, BUT CAUSED SEVER DAMAGE TO THE CAR, RESULTING IN IT BEING TOTALED. IT WAS TOWED TO A JUNK YARD WHERE IT WAS SOLD AS SCRAP. FORTUNATELY MY SON WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY INJURED, AND DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. I CONTACTED GM AFTER RECEIVING THEIR RECALL NOTICE IN SEPTEMBER, 2014. I SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE THERE ASKING JUST FOR THE REPLACEMENT COST OF THE CAR SINCE THE RECALL NOTICE DESCRIBED EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR CRASHED. THE REPRESENTATIVE DECLINED THE CLAIM STATING THEY COULD NOT INSPECT THE CAR. THE CLAIM # IS [XXX]. I FEEL THIS IS UNFAIR AS AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS RECALL NOTICE AND FELT NO OBLIGATION AT THE TIME TO REPORT IT TO GM. I ALSO HAVE A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT, AND CAN FORWARD THAT TO YOU IF NEEDED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10641159
Incident
Jul 19, 2014
Mileage
130,000 mi
AirbagsPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 16, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

JUNE 2010(IRVING, TX) - THE GEAR SHAFT BUTTON POPPED OUT WHICH MADE SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR DRIVE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT STICKING SOMETHING HARD INSIDE, LIKE A PEN . VEHICLE WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT TO START, TYPICALLY AFTER THIRD TRY IT WOULD START. . THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRED AS I COULD NOT AFFORD IT AT THE TIME, . I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, IN WHICH MY ALERO WAS TOTALED AFTER FAILING TO STOP BECAUSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED, THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 165,340 AT THE TIME OF FAILURE *TR

NHTSA ID
10633512
Incident
Jun 1, 2010
Mileage
165,340 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 19, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG HOUSING FAILED, EXPOSING THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10573560
Incident
Mar 19, 2014
Airbags
Filed Jun 17, 2009
Crash reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 119,000.

NHTSA ID
10274143
Incident
Jun 15, 2009
Mileage
119,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 30, 2004

WHILE PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY THE DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID
10097580
Incident
Oct 23, 2004
Mileage
15,400 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 15, 2004

WHILE DRIVING SLOWING OVER SOME RAILROAD TRACKS THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10098850
Incident
Jul 9, 2004

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 .