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.
Oldsmobile Alero engine failure problems
23 of the 1,957 owner complaints about the Oldsmobile Alero describe engine failure, most of them for the 2000 model year.
- owner complaints
- 23
- worst model year
- 2000
- typical mileage
- 85,200
By model year
Often reported together
Steering lock-up 7Stalling 3Overheating 3Fuel pump 3Check engine light 2Won't start 1Power windows 1Knocking 1
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile alero. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the steering wheel seized without warning. In addition, the contact stated that the instrument panel became inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was 179,961.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 oldsmobile alero. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the steering wheel seized without warning. Also, smoke started to emit from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed and was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 147.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile alero. While driving at low speeds, the engine stalled and the power steering seized without warning. The vehicle crashed into a pole. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The contact received a notification for the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). The contact stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and declined to repair the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 oldsmobile alero. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate and the steering wheel seized. The contact merged to the shoulder of the road and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle restarted, but the failure recurred twice. The dealer stated that the anti-theft mode switch needed to be replaced. The contact received a recall notification for the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 700.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 oldsmobile alero. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the engine stalled without warning and the power steering and brakes failed. The vehicle restarted after multiple attempts, but the failure recurred multiple times. The dealer stated that the failure could be due to a faulty ignition switch and/or various engine failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v40000 (electrical system) and performed the recommendations from the notification, including driving with a single key. The failure recurred numerous times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,570.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 oldsmobile alero. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal noise coming from under the hood as the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the under carriage and brake lines needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 187,000. The VIN was not available. Updated 10/02/14*lj the consumer stated the front suspension cross member is rusted and steering box is now loose. Updated 03/2/2015
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.
I have a 2000 olds alero. Gl 6 cyl 3.4, 4 door. I had to replace the engine about 3-4 years ago and this past spring the head gasket blew, so I had to invest in that. I am very adamate on taking care of my car and oil changes. Also, the whole dash cover and passenger air bag cover is peeling away. I noticed this is several alero's I have seen in a parking lot. My main concern is the engine though. How many times am I going to have to invest thousands of dollars for the motor issues. Is there anything that can be done about the motor issue?
1. Not sure what events have caused the engine failure. 2. My car shuts off while I'm driving. The steering wheel locks and I have to pull over to the shoulder, put the car in park and try to start the engine again. It has happened numerous times while driving on side roads under 40mph, but recently happened while I was driving on the highway at 60mph. This issue happens at least twice a week, sometimes repeatedly in the same day. This is a very dangerous problem because there is no warning signs that it is going to happen. I was very luck to be in the slow lane so I could pull over to the shoulder without having to weave through traffic without being able to control the car. 3. We have brought the car into two different repair shops and neither of them were able to pinpoint the problem. They gave us several "maybe" solutions, but were stumped as to what the true problem was. Possible solutions included fuel pump/line, ignition switch, etc., but without a sure fix we were unwilling to spend that kind of money for a "maybe" solution.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Oldsmobile Alero engine failure
Which Oldsmobile Alero years have engine failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2000 (7 complaints), 1999 (6 complaints) and 2001 (6 complaints).
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