U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Oldsmobile ALERO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

364 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

64,825 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 213 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 89 of 364 complaints (24.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	60	16.5%
Electrical and battery issues	37	10.2%
Steering behavior	30	8.2%
Engine operation	28	7.7%
Fuel system concerns	25	6.9%
Transmission and shifting	8	2.2%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Exterior Lighting

Engine And Engine Cooling

Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch

Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal

Engine

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	89
Exterior Lighting	20
Engine And Engine Cooling	17
Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch	17
Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal	16
Engine	15
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor	15
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	14

Electrical System: 89; Exterior Lighting: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling: 17; Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch: 17; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal: 16; Engine: 15; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 14

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 46; 50,000 to 74,999: 56; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 45; 150,000 and above: 20

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (56). 151 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2000: 1; 2001: 15; 2002: 37; 2003: 51; 2004: 49; 2005: 38; 2006: 25; 2007: 16; 2008: 14; 2009: 13; 2010: 11; 2011: 7; 2012: 8; 2013: 8; 2014: 33; 2015: 14; 2016: 9; 2017: 6; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 3; 2022: 1; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 60 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 37 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 30 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10005741 · 2003-02-12 (February 12, 2003)

WHEN I BRAKE THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE GOING ON UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF MY CAR. HAPPENS WHEN I BRAKE GOING DOWN HILL, OR WHEN I HAVE TO BRAKE SUDDENLY. WHEN I BRAKE NORMALLY, THERE IS THIS SHAKING THAT IS GOING ON. I THOUGHT I NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE SITUATION. ALSO, MY SUNVISOR FALLS OFF VERY FREQUENTLY HITTING ME IN THE HEAD. AND MY DRIVER SIDE MIRROR SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHILE IM DRIVING. AND MY TIRES LOOSE PRESSURE CONSTANTLY AND SOMETIMES THE LIGHT EVEN COMES ON WHEN MY TIRES ARENT LOW.

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005741 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007328 · 2003-02-13 (February 13, 2003)

WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, CONSUMER NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007328 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10026115 · 2003-07-15 (July 15, 2003)

MY CAR REFUSED TO START OR DIED WHILE ON THE FWY ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. EVERYTHING WORKED (LIGHTS, RADIO), BUT THE ENGINE WOULDN'T "TURN OVER." CK ENGINE LIGHT ON- TOW-TRUCK DRIVER COULDN'T START. TOWED TO DEALER. GM SERVICE COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM- MULITPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS- PUT THROUGH DIAGNOSTIC TESTS-COMPUTER MODULE REPLACED AND DETERRENT MODULE NEEDS REPLACING- CAR "THINKS" ITS BEING STOLEN, SO IT CUTS OFF THE FUEL PUMP. (2)SIGNAL LIGHTS AND EMERGENCY SIGNAL SOME TIMES STOP WORKING. DEALER ALWAYS UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT HO…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026115 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10028520 · 2003-07-17 (July 17, 2003)

ELECTRICAL,TIRES,AIR CONDITIONER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028520 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009982 · 2003-03-05 (March 5, 2003)

WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED, IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER LEFT TO RIGHT INTERMITTENTLY.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009982 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10013873 · 2003-04-03 (April 3, 2003)

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, MY ALERO HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS GOING 55 MPH IN TRAFFIC. THE POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN AND IT WAS HARD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IF IT IS RAINING OUTSIDE, YOU MAY AS WELL JUST PARK IT. IT WILL NOT CRANK EASILY AND IT ACTS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT TO RUN ONCE YOU GET IT TO START. OF COURSE, WHEN YOU TAKE IT TO THE SHOP THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. MY DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL DOWN. THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT GOES OFF EVERY OTHER DAY, EVEN …

Owner-reported narrative. 14,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013873 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051470 · 2004-01-01 (January 1, 2004)

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO PROBLEMS MY WIFE AND I ARE HAVING WITH OUR OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WE INITIALLY USED THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAUS'S AUTOLINE ARBITRATION PROCESS AND ALTHOUGH THE ARBITRATOR SAID THAT THE CAR QUALIFIED FOR THE OHIO LEMON LAW, HE THOUGHT THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US AND THE DEALER. WHAT A JOKE. IF YOU LISTEN TO THE AUDIO TAPE OF THE HEARING IT IS OBVIOUS THAT GENERAL MOTORS WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING IS PART OF THE INITIAL LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU SINCE YOU …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10051470 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10055253 · 2004-01-16 (January 16, 2004)

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP'S MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVE. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 54,530 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055253 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10010484 · 2003-03-14 (March 14, 2003)

(1)MY CAR REFUSED TO START ONE FRIDAY WHILE I WAS TRYING TO LEAVE WORK. EVERYTHING WORKED (LIGHTS, RADIO), BUT THE ENGINE WOULDN'T "TURN OVER." COULDN'T START SATURDAY, TOW-TRUCK DRIVER COULDN'T START MONDAY. CALL FROM SERVICE CENTER TUESDAY, CAR STARTED WHEN TECH TRIED, PUT THROUGH DIAGNOSTIC TESTS, NOTHING FOUND WRONG. THREE WEEKS LATER, SAME THING HAPPENED. CAR STARTS AGAIN AT SERVICE CENTER. TECHNICIAN TELLS ME THE THEFT DETERRENT MODULE NEEDS REPLACING. CAR "THINKS" ITS BEING STOLEN, SO IT CUTS OFF THE FUEL PUMP. MOTION OF BEING PUT ON TOW…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010484 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10034110 · 2003-08-18 (August 18, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING SHIFTER BUTTON BROKE AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF DRIVE. CONSUMER STUCK A SCREW DRIVER WHERE THE BUTTON WAS TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO FIXED THE SHIFTER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10034110 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056718 · 2004-02-07 (February 7, 2004)

MY CAR IS A 2001, IT HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN , LUCKILY THE BLINKER, FLASHER ISSUE IS BEING RECALLED. MY CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THESE CARS. MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TOO. WHEN I TRY TO ROLL IT DOWN, IT WILL PULL DOWN THE ENGINE AND MY LIGHTS WILL DIM VERY LOW.( EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS.) MY BACK SPEAKERS ALSO WORK WHENEVER THEY WANT TO. I AM NOT ONE TO LISTEN TO LOUD MUSIC, BUT IT'S PRETTY BAD WHEN ONLY THE FRONT SPEAKERS WORK. I BELIEVE THESE CARS NE…

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056718 at NHTSA ↗