U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Oldsmobile ALERO problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

184 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 128 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 79 of 184 complaints (42.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	35	19.0%
Engine operation	29	15.8%
Braking behavior	18	9.8%
Steering behavior	18	9.8%
Fuel system concerns	7	3.8%
Transmission and shifting	4	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

Air Bags

Engine

Electrical System:Horn

Unknown Or Other

Steering

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System:Ignition

Electrical System: 79; Air Bags: 22; Engine: 17; Electrical System:Horn: 11; Unknown Or Other: 11; Steering: 10; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Electrical System:Ignition: 9

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: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 33; 100,000 to 149,999: 27; 150,000 and above: 13

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 56 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.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2019

2021

2024

2003: 5; 2004: 7; 2005: 14; 2006: 10; 2007: 13; 2008: 11; 2009: 10; 2010: 10; 2011: 9; 2012: 6; 2013: 2; 2014: 44; 2015: 23; 2016: 13; 2017: 4; 2019: 1; 2021: 1; 2024: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 35 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 29 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 18 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 10105154 · 2005-01-26 (January 26, 2005)

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS CAME ON PERIODICALLY, AND THE WINDOWS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND HAD ALSO CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WAS NO HELP AT ALL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECRICAL WIRING WAS REPLACED BUT WHEN INSPECTED THE OLD WIRE WAS FOUND STILL IN THE VEHICLE. *TC

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10105154 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10153971 · 2006-03-29 (March 29, 2006)

AUTO STALLED OUT TWICE WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO YIELD, STOPPING COMPLETELY IN TRAFFIC AREAS SO THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED ASIDE. AFTER THE FIRST TIME THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME, THE BATTERY WAS JUMPED AND THE CAR STARTED. THE ALTERNATOR WAS TESTED AT THAT TIME AND INDICATED EXCESS CURRENT FLOW. DURING THIS PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS INTERMITTENTLY, THE PARKED VEHICLE WOULD CRANK BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. EACH TIME, WITH NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE WOULD START AND WOULD PERFORM FOR A DAY OR SO THEN R…

Owner-reported narrative. 60,790 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153971 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10042736 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER. VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP WITH NO PROBLEM. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP MECHANIC, BUT PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10042736 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10061898 · 2004-03-11 (March 11, 2004)

THE VEHICLE DIES. WHILE CRUISING AT ANY SPEED, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES & STEERING FAILED DUE TO THE ENGINE DYING. THERE IS NO SET PATTERN, IT MIGHT STALL 6 TIMES IN ONE DAY, THEN TWICE THE NEXT DAY. THEN GO 4 DAYS WITH NO OCURRENCE, THEN IT WILL STALL ONCE A DAY FOR 3 DAYS. THEN GO A WEEK WITH NO OCURRENCE, THEN STALL 4 TIMES A DAY FOR 5 DAYS, ETC., ETC. IN EVERY OCURRENCE, IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START BACK UP. AT HIGH SPEEDS, IT IS EXTREMELY TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WE'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER, UNDER EXTENDED WARR…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10061898 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10050273 · 2003-12-09 (December 9, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN THE RAIN CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND THEY LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND HIT A LARGE ROCK HEAD ON. THE VEHICLE BOUNCED OFF THE ROCK AND HIT THE EMBANKMENT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER THREE TIMES. THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. CONSUMER STATED THAT BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10050273 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10045029 · 2003-10-29 (October 29, 2003)

VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FROM WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL SETTING OFF A FUSE WHICH SHORTED OUT THE AIR BAG MODULE. IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, AIR BAGS MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 19,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045029 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10214460 · 2008-01-10 (January 10, 2008)

FUEL PUMP AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 69,833 miles reported. Look up ODI 10214460 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10227942 · 2008-05-15 (May 15, 2008)

VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THREE OCCASIONS. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER TURNING OVER. THREE REPAIR SHOPS COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BUT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. MANY IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE (I.E., CARCOMPLAINTS.COM) AND EVERYTHING FROM REPLACING THE FUEL PUMPS, RELAY SWITCHES, BATTERIES, ANTI-THEFT SYSTEMS TO WASHING OUT THE FUEL TANK HAS BEEN TRIED TO KNOW AVAIL. THE SHOP CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AND IT WILL BE HARD TO SELL THE CAR HONESTLY WIT…

Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10227942 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10106127 · 2005-01-11 (January 11, 2005)

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 750 MILES. ATAINED SPEED OF 65MPH FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN ACTED AS IF IT SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL, I MANUALLY DOWNSHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR AT 45MPH AND PROCEEDED TO NEXT SAFEST PLACE TO STOP. AFTER STOPPED I SHIFTED TO D AND THEN TOOK OFF AND IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. I STOPPED AGAIN AND WAITED A FEW SECOND THEN TOOK OFF AND IT BEGAIN TO SHIFT NORMALLY AGAIN. I WENT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER, THEY DID A DIANOGSTIC TEST AND IT SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. PROBLEM HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE. AT ABOUT 24,000 MILES I N…

Owner-reported narrative. 750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106127 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10355464 · 2010-09-14 (September 14, 2010)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS FAILING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COVERING FOR THE AIR BAG WAS SHIFTING AND THAT 2/3 OF THE COVERING WAS UP IN THE AIR. THE SURFACE WAS NO LONGER SMOOTH. THE CONTACT HAD A SEAMSTRESS INSPECT THE SURFACE. THE SEAMSTRESS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG COULD POTENTIALLY DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88…

Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10355464 at NHTSA ↗