OLDSMOBILE ALERO · model year

2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO

294 NHTSA complaints, 27 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003OLDSMOBILEALERO carries 294 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 27 crashes, 3 fires, 26 injuries, and 2 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 ALERO is electrical system with 79 filings, followed by air bags (22) and engine (17). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 13 investigation files overlapping the 2003 ALERO. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

294
Complaints
27
Crashes
3
Fires
26
Injuries
2
Deaths

Total Complaints

294 filings

Crashes Reported

27 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM79
AIR BAGS22
ENGINE17
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN11
UNKNOWN OR OTHER11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL10
STEERING10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION9
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS9
EXTERIOR LIGHTING9
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE7
SERVICE BRAKES7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING5
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL4

Recalls (3)

07E02100012/03/2007

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

14V40000003/07/2014

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

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 agen

04V52800001/11/2004

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

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 OPERAT

Recent Complaints

20240105CrashAIR BAGS

The contact owned a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH and crossing an intersection, a speeding police vehicle crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle and the front driver's side wheel was bent. The air bags failed to deploy and the contact hit her chest against the steering wheel. Additionally, the left side of the contact' body hit the driver's side window. The contact was knocked unconscious for approximately 30 minutes. The police officers removed the driver's side door and assisted the contact out of the vehicle. The emergency units transported the contact to the hospital, where she spent one night. The contact was then transported to another hospital where she spent two weeks. The contact sustained severe head, collarbone, neck, and back pain. Additionally, the contact sustained chest pain bruises, and a broken left foot. The contact was then sent to a rehabilitation center where she spent one week. The contact was then transported t

Mileage: 75,000

20211220AIR BAGS

Driving and everything quit but the engine nothing on the dash worked, door locks unlocked lost headlights, radio anything Electrical was gone

20211220ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Driving and everything quit but the engine nothing on the dash worked, door locks unlocked lost headlights, radio anything Electrical was gone

20211220UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Driving and everything quit but the engine nothing on the dash worked, door locks unlocked lost headlights, radio anything Electrical was gone

20190720ENGINE

1200 MILES AFTER J02 RECALL CAR RUNS SLUGGISH GOING UP CANYON. STOP CAR AND ENGINE IS MISFIRING. TURN AROUND AND COAST DOWNHILL IN NEUTRAL UNTIL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON THEN STOP AND PARK CAR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. CALLED DEALER AND ASKED WHAT I SHOULD DO. COAST OUT OF THE CANYON WITH THE ENGINE OFF. TURN ENGINE ON AFTER SEVERAL MILES AND NO MORE PROBLEMS. DRIVE HOME CAREFULLY. NEXT DAY THROWS SEVERAL CODES AND RUNNING SLUGGISH. SEVERAL DAYS LATER CODES ARE GONE RIGHT BEFORE IT GOES TO DEALER. THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE IF CAR HAS NO ACTIVE CODES OR SYMPTOMS. ABOUT A WEEK LATER TURN CAR ON AND CAR IS MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND HAS SEVERAL PENDING CODES. CAREFULLY DRIVE HOME. CODES DIDN'T SAVE. FINALLY ABLE TO TAKE TO DEALER AROUND JUNE 25TH WHILE CAR IS MAKING THE KNOCKING NOISE BUT NO CODES AND THEY THINK IT'S A LIFTER BUT NOT SURE. I LEFT THE CAR AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE. LITERALLY THE SAME DAY I PICK THE CAR UP IT IS KNOCKING AND CONSISTENTLY DOES SO FOR THE NEXT WEEK

Mileage: 74,350

20170907ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CAR HAS BEEN HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES HER AND THERE HAS HAD A FUEL LEAK FOR AWHILE NOW AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WILL NOT START..

20170907FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

CAR HAS BEEN HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES HER AND THERE HAS HAD A FUEL LEAK FOR AWHILE NOW AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WILL NOT START..

20170907VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CAR HAS BEEN HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES HER AND THERE HAS HAD A FUEL LEAK FOR AWHILE NOW AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WILL NOT START..

20170508ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE FAILED TO ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

20170508ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE FAILED TO ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

20170321ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE AND BATTERY WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS BRIEFLY ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED OVER TEN TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

20170310VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CAR RANDOMLY BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL ONLY TO DISCOVER THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I STOMPED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL TO TRY TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ACCELERATING BUT THAT DID NOTHING. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN OFF ONTO A SIDE STREET WHERE I WAS ABLE TO SHUT OF THE ENGINE AND MAKE THE CAR STOP BEFORE HITTING OTHER VEHICLES. THE CAR'S ENGINE REVVED UP SO HIGH THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE GOING TO BLOW UP THE ENGINE. NOW THERE IS OIL LEAKING SEVERELY UNDER THE CAR AFTER THIS INCIDENT.

Mileage: 55,000

20161015TIRES

CONTINUATION OF A PRIOR COMPLAINT (10908068). ON 9/20/16, PRIOR DEFECTIVE STARFIRE RS-C 2.0 ULTIMATE TOURING TIRE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER SIMILAR STARFIRE TIRE (U30H LDJ) AT PEP BOYS. PAID $42.41 (TIRE HANDLING CHARGE, WHEEL BALANCE, ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY, AND VALVE STEM). ON 10/13/16 NOTICED NEW TIRE WAS FLAT/LOW, TIRE PRESSUE WAS DOWN TO 18LBS; INFLATED TO 34LBS. ON 10/14 TIRE WAS FLAT AGAIN DOWN TO 19LBS. USED FIX-A-FLAT TYPE PRODUCT AND INFLATED TO 34LBS, APPEARS TO BE HOLDING. SCHEDULING APPT WITH PEP BOYS TO CHECK TIRE AND POSSIBLY RESEAL. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO THIS TIRE BRAND? IS THERE A DEFECT?

Mileage: 97,700

20161015WHEELS

CONTINUATION OF A PRIOR COMPLAINT (10908068). ON 9/20/16, PRIOR DEFECTIVE STARFIRE RS-C ULTIMATE TOURING TIRE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER SIMILAR STARFIRE TIRE (U30H LDJ) AT PEP BOYS. PAID $42.41 (TIRE HANDLING CHARGE, WHEEL BALANCE, ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY, AND VALVE STEM). ON 10/13/16 NOTICED NEW TIRE WAS FLAT/LOW, TIRE PRESSUE WAS DOWN TO 18LBS; INFLATED TO 34LBS. ON 10/14 TIRE WAS FLAT AGAIN DOWN TO 19LBS. USED FIX-A-FLAT TYPE PRODUCT AND INFLATED TO 34LBS, APPEARS TO BE HOLDING. SCHEDULING APPT WITH PEP BOYS TO CHECK TIRE AND POSSIBLY RESEAL. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO THIS TIRE BRAND? IS THERE A DEFECT?

Mileage: 97,700

20160919TIRES

WHILE DRIVING ON I-295 NORTH NEAR HAMILTON TWP, NJ AT AROUND 6:45PM AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 65 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT COMPLETELY. THERE WAS A 2-INCH SQUARE HOLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE. CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL AND THE DRIVING SURFACE WAS DRY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PEP BOYS, BEVERLY NJ WHERE I PURCHASED ALL FOUR STARFIRE TIRES (RS-C 2.0 225/50/R16) ON 12/27/2015. EACH TIRE HAS THE ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY.

Mileage: 96,940

20160625ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER FAILURE RESULTING IN THE DEVICE STOCKING AND BECOMING STUCK INOPERABLE. AT FIRST IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN TO THE RUN POSSITION. IT WOULD FEEL STUCK AND TOOK SOME WIGGLING AND SHAKING IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. WHICH PROGRESSED TO BEING STUCK PERMANENTLY.

Mileage: 160,000

20160623ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR DUE TO THE CONTACT NOT HAVING THE ORIGINAL KEY FOB. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PART DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20160607ENGINE

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE CAR JUMPED UP ITO 6 AND 7 RPMS IN THE RED GOT STUCK EVEN WHEN PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED STAYED THERE I THE RED FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS FINALLY DROPPED AND STARTED KNOCKING.

Mileage: 110,000

20160607VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE CAR JUMPED UP ITO 6 AND 7 RPMS IN THE RED GOT STUCK EVEN WHEN PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED STAYED THERE I THE RED FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS FINALLY DROPPED AND STARTED KNOCKING.

Mileage: 110,000

20160607UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE CAR JUMPED UP ITO 6 AND 7 RPMS IN THE RED GOT STUCK EVEN WHEN PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED STAYED THERE I THE RED FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS FINALLY DROPPED AND STARTED KNOCKING.

Mileage: 110,000

Compare 2003OLDSMOBILEALERO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO have?
The 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO has 294 NHTSA complaints, 27 crashes, 3 fires, 26 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO?
Yes, the 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO?
The most-complained component for the 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 79 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and ENGINE.
Is the 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. 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.