2002 Oldsmobile ALERO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
279 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
74,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 183 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 101 of 279 complaints (36.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 39 | 14.0% |
| Braking behavior | 27 | 9.7% |
| Steering behavior | 16 | 5.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 15 | 5.4% |
| Engine operation | 11 | 3.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 0.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 101 |
| Exterior Lighting | 30 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal | 23 |
| Engine | 13 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 13 |
| Unknown Or Other | 13 |
| Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch | 12 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch | 12 |
Electrical System: 101; Exterior Lighting: 30; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal: 23; Engine: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling: 13; Unknown Or Other: 13; Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch: 12; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 18 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 27 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 48 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 40 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 28 |
| 150,000 and above | 22 |
Under 25,000: 18; 25,000 to 49,999: 27; 50,000 to 74,999: 48; 75,000 to 99,999: 40; 100,000 to 149,999: 28; 150,000 and above: 22
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (48). 96 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 17 |
| 2004 | 18 |
| 2005 | 45 |
| 2006 | 23 |
| 2007 | 19 |
| 2008 | 24 |
| 2009 | 18 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 41 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2002: 5; 2003: 17; 2004: 18; 2005: 45; 2006: 23; 2007: 19; 2008: 24; 2009: 18; 2010: 13; 2011: 9; 2012: 11; 2013: 6; 2014: 41; 2015: 14; 2016: 3; 2017: 3; 2018: 3; 2019: 3; 2020: 1; 2022: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 39 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 27 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 16 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 10042769 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042769 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10049214 · 2003-12-04 (December 4, 2003)
I MADE A LONG VACATION TRIP IN OCT. OF 2002 AT WHICH TIME MY 2002 OLDSMOBILE ALERO TURNED OVER 36,000 MILES. BY THE TIME I ARRIVED HOME, IT HAD TURNED 37,000. I DIDN'T DRIVE THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS UPON MY RETURN. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR TO DRIVE IT NEXT, I SAW THAT THE DASH AND THREE OF THE DOOR PADS HAD COME UNGLUED AND BUCKLED REALLY BADLY. I TOOK IT BACK TO DAN CUMMINS IN PARIS, KY AS SOON AS I DISCOVERED THAT THE INTERIOR WAS FALLING APART. THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR SINCE IT HAD GONE OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRAN…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049214 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051593 · 2003-12-16 (December 16, 2003)
WHILE BRAKING, THE FRONT END WOULD WOBBLE. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 19,076 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051593 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10058996 · 2004-02-25 (February 25, 2004)
MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT AND TRAC LIGHT STAY ON AT ALL TIMES. I HAVE HAD IT SERVICED WITH THE RESULT BEING "MY GAS CAP WAS NOT TIGHT." I FEEL THERE IS MORE TO THIS THAN THEY SAY DUE TO KNOWING 3 OTHER ALERO OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058996 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10072057 · 2004-05-04 (May 4, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING VEHICLE SHOOK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED STEERING BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $900.00 *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10072057 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10117693 · 2005-04-04 (April 4, 2005)
2002 OLDSMOBILE ALERO HAS PROBLEMS WITH STEERING ASSEMBLY.*MR THERE WERE TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE FRONT STEERING MECHANISM WOULD STEER LEFT OR RIGHT WITHOUT THE STEERING WHEEL MOVING AND THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE NO CONTROL. THE POWER STEERING PUMP ASSEMBLY, POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY, STEERING ROTATION SENSOR , HUB ASSEMBLY BEARING WERE ALL REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. (LAWYER ON BEHALF OF CONSUMER)*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10117693 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10086269 · 2004-08-05 (August 5, 2004)
I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR THE PAST 7 MONTHS. I HAVE CHANGED OUT THE BATTERY, THAT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN IT COUNTLESS TIME TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY COULDN'T FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED THE PLANT WHERE THE CAR CAME FROM AND THEY REFERRED ME TO A CAR SERVICE THAT SPECIALIZES IN OLDSMOBILES. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, AND THEY FIXED IT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IT COULD BE SOMETHING ELECTRICAL, HOWEVER THEY WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE CAR TEARS ALL THE WAY UP. THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR. IT SOUNDS LIK…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10086269 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183438 · 2007-02-25 (February 25, 2007)
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE CAR SHUT OFF, I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR RESTARTED AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PASSLOCK ENGAGED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN OPERATION THEREBY TELLING THE COMPUTER THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN "STOLEN" AND TO SHUT OFF THE FUEL PUMP. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THIS "PASSLOCK" FAILURE IN GM VEHICLES IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT AND ONLY THE "DEALERSHIP" IS ABLE TO REPAIR IT. THE APPROX COST IS $900.00 IN WHICH THE DEALERSHIP WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION AND BCM MODULE WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PA…
Owner-reported narrative. 103,678 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183438 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038061 · 2003-09-03 (September 3, 2003)
WHEN GOING UP THE SLIGHTEST INCLINE AT 70 MPH RPMS REVVED, AND ENGINE STARTED MISSING, FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038061 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069217 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FAILED ON FEBRUARY 5 AND HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER SINCE THE MORNING OF THE 6TH. GM IS UNABLE TO FIND REPLACEMENT PART. THIS PART IS ALSO USED ON THE 2002 GRAND AM WITH STANDARD TRANSMISSION. AS THIS RENDERS THE CAR INOPERABLE (WON\\'T SRART AND CAN\\'T SHIFT GEARS). I FIND IT INCREDIBLE THAT THERE ISN\\'T ONE TO BE FOUND IN THE US
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10069217 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10314065 · 2010-02-25 (February 25, 2010)
SPEEED SENSOR REPESTLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IF THIS NOT VITAL TO THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY AND IS ONLY A F EATURE THAT IS REASSURING THE DRIVER. THREE KIGHTS GO ON, CHIMES RING, AND IT APPEARS THAT SOMETHING IS CHANGING HOW THE CAR DRIVES- HARD. THERE IS CAABIN NOISE RESULTING FROM THE APPARENTLY CHANGE IN SHIFTING. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME IN FOUR YEARS THAT SPEED SENSORS NEED TO BE REPLACED IS IT NOT THE SPEED SENSORS, AND ANOTHER PART= LIKE ELECTRICAL AND THE CODES ARE THE SAME? ARE THE SENSORS THEMSELVES FAULTY?
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314065 at NHTSA ↗