US vehicle recalls and complaint patterns, explained
Oldsmobile Alero recalls and complaints by year
Comprehensive recall and complaint data for the Oldsmobile Alero,
sourced from official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records.
Stats focus on model years from 1960 onwards.
Earlier years appear in the detailed table below where data exists.
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Get plain-language explanations of recalls and complaints for the
Oldsmobile Alero. Powered by AI, backed by NHTSA data.
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Important: This assistant provides context from aggregated NHTSA data.
Always check your specific VIN on
NHTSA.gov
for vehicle-specific recall information.
Key Takeaways
A quick scan of where recalls and complaints concentrate for the Oldsmobile Alero,
based on aggregated NHTSA counts and campaign metadata.
Coverage spans model years 1998–2004 with 15 recall campaigns and 2934 complaints in NHTSA data.
Years with the most recall activity: 2001 (4), 2000 (4), and 1999 (3).
Years with the most complaint volume: 2000 (810), 1999 (702), and 2001 (549).
Top recall themes: Electrical, Equipment and labeling, and Other.
Most reported complaint areas (across all years): Electrical system, Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor, Exterior lighting.
Complaints are not proof of a defect, but repeated themes can be useful signals when researching a used vehicle.
Always check your specific VIN for open recalls (open recalls are VIN-specific and can change over time).
Recall Themes
Instead of listing long campaign narratives, this groups recall campaigns into a few recurring areas.
Each theme links back to official notices as evidence.
Electrical
1 campaign · Years: 1999–2004
These campaigns relate to wiring or electrical components that can cause warning lights, loss of function, or fire risk in some cases.
Across all model years, the most frequently reported areas for the
Oldsmobile Alero in NHTSA complaint data are
Electrical system, Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor, Exterior lighting.
Jump to Model Year
Year-by-Year Overview
Each row shows how often this model appears in NHTSA recalls and consumer
complaints for a given model year. These are counts of campaigns and
complaints, not risk predictions.
Model Year
Recalls
Complaints
Details
2004
1
171
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine.
2003
2
294
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Air bags, Engine.
2002
1
406
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Exterior lighting:turn signal.
2001
4
549
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine and engine cooling.
2000
4
810
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor, Electrical system, Exterior lighting:hazard flashing warning lights:switch.
1999
3
702
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor, Electrical system, Visibility:power window devices and controls.
1998
0
2
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Tires:tread/belt, Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe.
What to Do Next
Check open recalls by VIN on the official NHTSA site (open recalls are VIN-specific).
If buying used, ask for proof of recall remedy completion (dealer paperwork helps).
If symptoms match common complaint themes, consider a mechanic inspection before purchase or long trips.
A compact evidence view of recall campaigns that include this model.
The default text is an original summary line, with official notice text available on demand.
Most common areas involved:
Electrical system
, Power train
and Exterior lighting
Show recall evidence by year
2004
Electrical system: Ignition:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency
2003
Vehicle speed control: Accelerator pedal:
Safety recall involving the vehicle speed control area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 124, 'Accelerator control systems.' In hot ambient conditions, the accelerator pedal arm may stick at the attachment to the bracket and not return to the engine idle position when the oper
Electrical system: Ignition:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency
2002
Electrical system: Ignition:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency
2001
Power train: Manual transmission:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles equipped with manual transaxles (rpo m86) fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 114, "Theft protection." When a driver attempts to shift from 5th gear to reverse, a shift inhibitor causes the transmission to be mechanically in 4th gear e
Equipment: Owners/service/other manual:
Safety recall involving the equipment area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "Child restraint anchorage system." The owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchora
Exterior lighting: Switch:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain passenger vehicles have hazard warning switches that may experience solder joint cracking caused by rapid temperature transitions and the soldering process. If solder joint cracking occurs and results in an open circuit, the turn signals/hazard lamps become intermittent or inoperative.
Electrical system: Ignition:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency
2000
Structure: Body:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: these vehicles do not comply with the occupant protection requirements of fmvss no. 201, "Occupant protection in interior impact." The console cover on these vehicles does not stay closed when a specified vertical load is applied.
Power train: Manual transmission:
Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles equipped with manual transaxles (rpo m86) fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 114, "Theft protection." When a driver attempts to shift from 5th gear to reverse, a shift inhibitor causes the transmission to be mechanically in 4th gear e
Exterior lighting: Switch:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain passenger vehicles have hazard warning switches that may experience solder joint cracking caused by rapid temperature transitions and the soldering process. If solder joint cracking occurs and results in an open circuit, the turn signals/hazard lamps become intermittent or inoperative.
Electrical system: Ignition:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency
1999
Structure: Body:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: these vehicles do not comply with the occupant protection requirements of fmvss no. 201, "Occupant protection in interior impact." The console cover on these vehicles does not stay closed when a specified vertical load is applied.
Electrical system: Ignition:
Safety recall involving the electrical system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency
Steering: Steering wheel/handle bar:
Safety recall involving the steering area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The steering wheel can come loose from the steering shaft because the steering wheel retaining nut could have been improperly tightened.
Other Oldsmobile Models
Explore recall and complaint data for other Oldsmobile models.
Recall Explained provides independent analysis of official NHTSA data.
This site does not replace the official NHTSA VIN lookup and should not be
treated as legal or safety advice for your specific vehicle.
For any safety concerns: Always check your VIN on the official
NHTSA site and contact an authorized dealer.
