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OLDSMOBILE · vehicle model

OLDSMOBILE ALERO

2,934 NHTSA complaints and 7 safety recalls across model years 1998–2004.

Complaints
2,934
Recalls
7
Model years
7

The OLDSMOBILEALERO appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 2,934 consumer safety complaints and 7 recall campaigns across 7 model years (1998–2004). That averages roughly 419 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 13 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
2004171
2003294
2002406
2001549
2000810
1999702
19982

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 90 in 2017-2021 to 17 in 2022-2026, a fall of 81.1%. That is the 15th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

46
’99
139
’00
213
’01
243
’02
301
’03
405
’04
259
’05
157
’06
120
’07
118
’08
105
’09
86
’10
66
’11
50
’12
46
’13
300
’14
125
’15
48
’16
46
’17
14
’18
15
’19
6
’20
9
’21
7
’22
2
’23
8
’24

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare OLDSMOBILEALERO to Similar Vehicles

OLDSMOBILEALERO vs DODGECALIBER → OLDSMOBILEALERO vs NISSANQUEST → OLDSMOBILEALERO vs CHEVROLETMONTE CARLO → OLDSMOBILEALERO vs MAZDAMAZDA6 →

NHTSA Investigations

RQ17002Recall QueryClosed2017-04-24

Loss of Headlights

PE05006Preliminary EvaluationClosed2005-02-04

TURN SIGNAL FAILURES

RQ04006Recall QueryClosed2004-07-07

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE

PE04032Preliminary EvaluationClosed2004-04-06

BRAKE LAMP FAILURE

EA04003Engineering AnalysisClosed2004-02-03

FUEL RAIL LEAKS

EA04002Engineering AnalysisClosed2004-01-06

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE

PE04001Preliminary EvaluationClosed2004-01-05

FUEL SPILLAGE DURING REFUELING

PE03042Preliminary EvaluationClosed2003-09-17

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE

RQ03001Recall QueryClosed2003-01-02

POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE

EA02037Engineering AnalysisClosed2002-12-23

TURN SIGNAL FAILURES

View all 13 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the OLDSMOBILE ALERO?▼
The OLDSMOBILE ALERO has received 2,934 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1998 to 2004, with 7 recalls. That averages about 419 complaints per model year.
What years of OLDSMOBILE ALERO are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the OLDSMOBILE ALERO from 1998 to 2004 (7 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the OLDSMOBILE ALERO have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many OLDSMOBILE ALERO model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common OLDSMOBILE ALERO complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the OLDSMOBILE ALERO are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my OLDSMOBILE ALERO has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. OLDSMOBILE ALERO totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.