On march 3, 2005 my 2000 oldsmobile alero gl v6/3.4l would not start. On march 4, 2005, all 3 distributor coils were replaced as well as all 6 spark plugs. The car worked fine until march 7, 2005 when while driving the car for about 10 minutes, the car shut down. It coasted to the side of the road and I could not get it to start again. In both instances the car seems to try to start but is unsuccessful. In my online research, this appears to be a very common problem with no known resolution for other owners of the alero. Additionally, after the window fell into the driver side door, on october 19, 2004, I had the mechanism for the driver side window replaced. In december 2004, the same window failed to work at all. I have not had it fixed again. The water pump was replaced after a sudden coolant leak completely depleting the system in november 2003, and the same situation occured again requiring the water pump to be replaced again in february 2005, a little over a year later. One of the cigarette lighters stopped working in june 2004. The service engine light, tire pressure light, and coolant light come on intermittently with no apparent problem. The interior dome light is touch and go, meaning if I touch the case, it may or may not go on or off. The front brake system has been replaced more times than I can count on my one hand in the nearly 3 years that I have owned it. The signal lights would stop functioning and buzz hideously until I pressed the hazard button. Water has collected in the front passenger floorboard and in the trunk from seal failure. The engine seems to burn oil quickly.
2000 Oldsmobile Alero brakes complaints
Page 2 of 6: complaints 11 to 40 of 136, newest first, as owners wrote them.
2000 oldsmobile alero motor, ignition, fuel pump and catalytic converter had to be replaced.***no answer required***. *mr although the engine was replaced the check engine light remained illuminated. The turn signal don't work. The A/C only work on high. The vehicle shakes while idling. The brake pads have been replaced 2-3 times per year. The brakes were replaced the rotors had to be replaced.
Approximately one year ago the fuel pump was replaced in my 2000 oldsmobile alero. This year I am replacing the fuel pump again. The cost of each replacement with labor is approximately $600.00 if you run an internet search for problems with the alero, you will find that two common problems exist for the alero. One is brake problems (a serious safety issue) and the other being fuel pump problems. How long will it be (or has already happened) before someone is killed by a situation where the fuel pump fails while driving causing loss of engine power then applying the brakes to slow the car only to find the brakes are not working correctly, resulting in a potentially dangerous situation? Gm should step up and accept responsibility for these defects.
The brake light kept coming on. After having the brakes serviced the brake fluid remained low. Then ,the rotors and the brake line were replaced three times. Vehicle started to make noise, and currently the wheel bearings were defective.
All four of my window regulators have failed within a period of 2 months, I have replaced 3 of the four, the left rear door still has not been replaced do to the cost of parts for this car, in adition, I have had to replace the front calipers, brake pads and rotors on this vehicle 2 times within a period of 1 year, just before the last time I replaced them, my rear calipers went out, they will engage, but will stay locked, only releasing after I drive for about 20 feet or so, I have also experienced problems with the security system activating itself and not allowing me to start the car for at least 10 minutes ( the time it takes the system to recycle itself). In adddition, my door pannels coverings are all coming separated accross the top of of them, again do to the cost, I have failed to replace them. Unfortunatly this happened before I knew that so many people where having problems with the oldsmobile aleros, so I did not retain the old parts.
Unusual wearing & pulsation of front brakes on car; replaced 3 times in 41,000 miles. 1) replaced rotors & pads at 7000 mi. At olds dealer-no charge. 2) 28,000 mi. Same problem; work done by estes chevy indianapolis. Gm service ctr. Paid 1/2. 3) at 41,000 miles, same problem. Took to car-x for opinion; est. Of $283.00 to fix the pads & rotors; calipers ok. Took car to estes. They said a bad caliper caused brakes & rotors to wear & all needed to be replaced. They suggested owner "raced the car" - untrue. Estes gave estimate of $1000 & said to call gm svc. Ctr. Gm customer svc rep, maura said gm would pay 1/2 the cost. I told her that was not ok; they have brake problems with aleros & have defective vehicles causing a product liability & safety concern. Maura refused to give us the old parts on the car if we had estes do repair work, saying gm wanted them. She said estes' estimate was $863, different than my quote. I asked maura to send e-mail or fax with gm offer & she told me she did not have access to a fax or email. She asked if I would give maintanence documentation. I told maura this had nothing to do with brakes, and I wanted to talk to her supervisor. She refused, saying she does not have a supervisor. I told her to call estes' service mgr; we did not want estes to fix it. I had researched brake problems on aleros on web; there are sites devoted to this. We picked up the car from estes, took it to car-x to fix, & had them check the calipers. Cost was $284.00 for rotors and pads; there was nothing wrong w/caliper; they will check the pads every 6 mos . They gave us our old parts to keep. They stated gm rotors were thin metal; brake pads were grinding into them. The value of the car is less than loan, because of poor quality of the car, so we are out thousands of dollars. Estes lied about the problem, overcharged, and gm refused to give us the parts off our own car. Gm & estes colluded in evaluating the car.
This car has had three sets of brakes put on it and now at 45780 miles is going to have to have another set. I know the previous owner well and know the history of this particular vehicle especially. The brakes are either of substandard design or used inferior quality materials in the manufacturing process. The rotors are junk. This is certainly not safe in a sudden emergency stopping situation.
The front coil spring broke;the brakes and rotors seem to need to be replaced before 50000 miles.
Regarding 2000 oldsmobile alero - intermittent failure/ malfunction of anti-lock brakes and traction control while braking to a stop.upon starting the vehicle, the anti-lock brake system would appear to work fine. The traction control system, indicated by the "low trac" light may or may not be lit, indicating a problem. Shortly after driving the vehicle and while braking to a stop, the traction control system seems to sense a slippery road and activates the anti-lock brakes, causing the brakes to disengage and then slowly re-engage, as if stopping on slippery pavement. However, this has been happening on dry, normal pavement at normal speed and stops. Having the brakes disengage while braking to a stop increases the needed stopping distance and requires the driver to either turn to avoid a collision or use the emergency break to stop. Note that the the red brake failure light is not on during this condition. After stopping, the amber "anti-lock", "trac off", and "service vehicle soon" lights are lit and the vehicle appears to deactivate the anti-lock and traction control system for the rest of the trip. The brakes then work fine, with these systems deactivated.
Check engine soon light comes on; had prob fixed before mechanic said a wire was laying on manifold, repositioned and tightened but prob is occuring again; service vehicle light stays on along with trac off light; car engine presur is decreased and makes noises and when turning wheels left or right there is a sound like rubber running together; pads have to be changed every 6 months and rortors have been changed twice.
Brakes have been replaced twice within the last 12,000 miles. Currently, at 30,000 miles rotors must be replaced. *ak
Brake pads, rotors, and front brakes were replaced. Consumer recently learned the front brakes needed to be replaced again. (nar) *ph
Repeated brake problems. (nar) *ph
This is the third brake job , got car with 30,000 miles had it two years - have replaced both wheel bearings--car now has 55,000 miles. Have replaced drivers side window control switch and now its in for the door latch failure. Ever driven 30 miles to get to a dealer with your door bungie corded shut if that is not a safety problem what is ?? That is the drivers door by the way. I have most definitely lost faith in gm. My next vehicle may very well be a hyundai accent, they have only one page of problems and they provide a warranty.
I bought the car used in 2001 with 30k miles on it. I bought the extended warranty to carry me over to 75k miles. I first had to replace the ignition. Then I had to get a new fuel filter and fuel pump. I have had to replace the brake pads approx 4-5 times in 2 years. The rotors twice. They both need changed again. The air conditioner had to be serviced because the switch was broke and it was blowing air at all vents including the floor and windshield. Then, the motor went out. At approx 65k miles. A used motor was paid for by the warranty company and installed after sitting at the dealership for over a month. This was in january. At that same time the exhaust had went out. I was told my warranty would not cover it because it was not the catalytic converter it was a piece that hooked onto it. Finally after they replaced the motor the put a new catalytic converter in. Then comes the cd player. It ejects at random and skips. It also gives error codes frequently. Then I started having problems with the lights. The ABS light and the trac off light stay on along with the check engine light. I was told the check engine light was on because the fuel injectors were clogged. Well, yesterday I took the car in for a fuel injector cleaning and flush. I also had a tune up, oil change, tires rotated, air filter installed, new fuel filter, and new spark plugs. Still I am having a fuel problem of some sort. The car idles and misfires very badly. It shakes badly enough to make you nauseous. It also misfires when you speed up and sometime sputters like it does not want to go. This was after everything was done. Then I am told it sounds like my catalytic converter is going out again after only 8 months. They should be responsible for these problems. I would not say that but I have done extensive research online and found that every single complaint mentioned the brake system but 50% of them mention the fuel system and several mentioned the engine problems.
I am on my third pair of brake pads and rotors. The last time this was corrected was in nov. 2002. The initial set that came on the car was supposedly "bad" and replaced nov. 2000. I got the car in aug. 2000. Problem was reported to dealer oct. 2002 as well. Never could identify problem. Grinding light and noises under hood that were finally identified as the brakes taken in again in jan. 01. The "other" consists of a new alternator in nov. 2002 as well as new tires in july 2002. I had to purchase two while gm gave me 2. Locks were messed up again april 02. Faulty window regulator in sept. 01. I have documentation of all of the invoices/printouts from the dealer as well as my maintenance papers.
Coolant leaking from engine area, told intake manifold gaskets needed replacing. 3.4l engine
Engine: intake manifold gasket leak. Leaking antifreeze into engine. $846 estimate to repair. Gm dealer will not cover repair. Brakes: 2nd set of brake rotors and pads replaced, this is first one out of warranty.
General motors considers a warped brake rotor as normal wear and tear and would not be considered a warranty defect. Warped rotors cause undue vibration and sudden loss of control of the vehicle, especially at freeway speeds. The rotor was repaired under warranty at 24,000 miles, by turning the rotor in april 2002. However, the problem has since recurred and general motors will not repair them under warranty since the mileage exceeds their 36,000 mile warranty period. Mr. Evan doel (1‑866‑952‑4368) at the customer service department of general motors corporation also expressed the fact that a warped brake rotor on the alero is a "common problem" and that he has received several calls for this same problem. General motors corporation demonstrates corporate irresponsibility in knowing that repeated occurrences of a warped brake rotor on the oldsmobile alero is categorized and simply considered a "common problem." a problem in which the vehicle, its driver and its occupants are put into jeopardy that could result in injury and/or death. I have already written a letter directly to g. Richard wagoner, jr., chairman and ceo of general motors corporation on december 1,2003 and carbon copied to .mr. Paul white, general manager of crest auto group in plano, texas 75075, where the vehicle was purchased.
Front rotors have been replaced twice and re-turned twice. All were highest quality napa rotors available with ceramic pads. Burned through ceramic pads as well! Clearly a design flaw as braking system is undersized for weight of car.
My problem is like many other complaints listed here. The brakes! I am continually have them serviced. Every since I have gotten my car this has been a problem it is just getting worse as time goes on. I just got my 3rd set of brakes in under a year put on two days ago. The dealer says brake wear is normal, there is nothing wrong. Nothing wrong, explain to me who has to replace brakes this often? I live in wisconsin, so its not like I have hard braking or lots of hills etc. My brakes pulsate, make funny noises and they wear down crooked. I have called oldsmobile only to be given a run around. There are so many complaints identical to mine, when is oldsmoble/ gm going to be held responsible for producing a faulty product?????
I bought the car 1 year used, and the brakes had just been replaced by the dealer. Not even a few months later the brakes started to pulsate and the steering wheel would shake upon braking. I replaced the rotors and brake pads with the best on the market, thinking it would last a long time. A few months later the same problem happened again. They should do a recall on the brakes. Also the drivers side window motor broke and was replaced. The hazard switch was replaced, the turn signals fixed due to an electrical problem, the gear shifter knob was replaced because it fell off for no reason. The antilock brakes/service vehicle soon lights come on at random times when there is no problem at all. The transmission is leaking as well. I see that many many people with this car have the same problems and oldsmobile should do a recall on all these things since they are not just random occurrences.
When brakes are applied the entire vehicle shakes or pulsates. Replaced pads. Minimal change. Found report advising common problem and rotors and hubs must also be replaced.
The front brakes were worn out at 41,944 miles for the first time. The rotors were turned & the pads replaced. The brake repair lasted only 12,296 miles ( this was 296 miles out of warranty) when I was told the rotors were warped again & the pads needed to be replaced. Of course this is "normal wear" that the extended warranty does not cover. I had to pay out of pocket twice for the entire repair. After finding the tsb reports, I feel the rotors should have been replaced. Since reading the numerous complaints covering the past several years on the brakes of this vehicle, I fear the brakes may fail with out any type of warning. What will it take & how long will it be before the federal safety agency forces gm to issue a recall on the brakes?!
Consumer states that front rotors are warped due to a manufacturer's defect.
Consumer stated that when vehicle was taken to dealer for a check up tire pressure was not checked. Brakes were replaced on this vehicle twice within 20000 miles, and the wheels had cracks. Dealer and the manufacturer were informed of this with no remedy.
Breaks on our 2000 oldsmobile alero have been checked/fixed 3 times in 39000 miles. In aug 2002 new front rotors and pads were replaced at 31810 miles. In july 2003 at 39448 miles front inside pads were over 50 % worn and the rotors needed turning. Back brakes also needed repare. This last instance only had 7638 miles on the 'new' rotors and pads.this is a known issue and one that the customer must swallow huge repair bills every 8,000-10,000 miles, well out of the normal range.*ak the federal safety agency must do something to force gm to correct the issue before a lose of life happens and to assist customers with huge cost in break repairs.
The brake rotors had to be replaced twice because the brakes wear very fast replaced brakes 4 times since I bought the car in august of 2001 even if there the lifetime warranty brakes. The drivers door window motor has to be replaced. Driver window keeps coming off track causing the window to fall. The interior light fell out and had to be put back. The low tire air pressure light, and others keep coming on and staying on even if the work has been done. The back window has a wire type defrost in the window itself that has burned in once place only leaving a burned look on the back window. The cruise control went out a week after I had the vehicle which I bought the vehicle at 30, 000 miles. The passenger side view mirror shatter going the a roadway about 35 miles an hour, almost causing eye damage to a very young child if I hadn't roll the window up in time due to child being seated in the back seat in a child seat. The mirror shattered in very tiny pieces for no apparent reason.
Rotors bad, brakes bad, wheels leak air, windows leak air in, windshied shakes, engine runs high temps and knocks, paint is starting to rust. Cd player is always shuting off. Dealer has not done a thing to help and my car is under warranty for a few more months. I need help soon.
I bought my oldsmobile alero new in july of 2000. Within a few months after purchase I started taking it back to the dealer due to a grinding noise that would happen when I was driving at slower speeds or turning. The dealer couldn't find anything wrong, but suggested I may need new brakes. I was not satisfied with this response since the car was less than one year old and I don't drive any more than the average driver. I then started taking it to a closer dealer (this one was a gm dealer and not specifically oldsmobile). After several visits they told me my brake pads were worn down and needed replaced. By this point it was 2002 and my car had about 20,000 miles on it. I still wasn't sure I agreed with it, but I let them replace my brakes. Still heard the noise. I can't even count how many times my car has been to the two dealerships for the same grinding noise. The last time I had it in was in may of 2003. They finally told me about a bulletin regarding tire size and told me this was causing the noise. This bulletin came out a year prior to this service visit and they had looked at my car numerous times. Now I'm having trouble with the rotors and from what I've read a lot of other people are too. When I apply the brakes, it feels like the car is jerking to a stop. I think oldsmobile or gm needs to own up to the defect and replace the rotors for those of us who are unlucky enough to own one of their aleros.
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