Comments: 1-15, 16-30
AC is always running
Fan does not work on first two settings
Rubber sealing around the windshield is coming off.
Rotors are done even car has only 38000KM
While turning steering make noises.
Brake pads need to be replaced at very low KM.
Car look great and handle OK. My previous cars were Japanese and were great. I bought my previous cars used and drove more than 200,000 km. When I bought Alero brand new, my first question was 'What is the difference?'
In my opinion this car has a major fault and that is 'It is American'.
This is my first and last American car.
WHY BUY BRAND NEW AMERICAN CAR WHEN YOU CAN BUY USED JAPANESE.
The 4-cylinder models are underpowered and more likely to have problems. You should have got the model with the 3.1 V6.
I, too, had the first two fan settings stop working. It was fixed under warranty, though. My rotors had to be replaced at 39K miles. I'm currently hearing a ticking during acceleration that my mechanic suggests is in the valve train - an expensive repair.
My 2000 Oldsmobile Alero is the WORST car I have ever owned! I wish I could still file a complaint for "the lemon" law, but I have dealt with it this long and since it's a lease I turn it in next month. Three years old and a thousand problems later! I too had the AC go in the first month, then the leather paneling came off one door, then another door, then the sun visor came off in my hand while driving, then the rear view mirror also came off in my hand while driving, two speakers blew (I like soft rock if that tells you anything about how ridiculous that is), the CD player stopped working and I can hardly remember all the rest because that was all under warranty in the first year. Oh, something was recalled too. But what I do remember is what's happening that I now have to pay for. The car, low miles and taken care of, has been having a problem starting. I had to slam on the gas down and it finally would start. Took it into the Olds. dealer who charged me $100 to run a diagnostic and tell me it starts for them NOTHING is wrong. Did it time and time again, finally now, it won't start at all. $56.00 tow to the dealership. They tell me it's NOW the fuel pump and it's $600 plus another diagnostic fee. I turn the lease in in less than a month and at the very end I have to pay $600 to get this running. NIGHTMARE!! Never ever buy this car!
West Palm Beach, FL.
I too am very disappointed in my 2000 Olds Alero. This is the first brand new car I've purchased, and it is the last American car I'll buy. My problems are similar to those above—Just at 100k, the fuel pump has gone out TWICE (it is costing me $600 just today). $600 for a fuel pump! I've had the rotors replaced four times. My back seat isn't fastened to the rest of the car (good thing I don't have children!). The molding pops off. I just had the wheel bearings replaced, at $250 each. My speakers are blown (that one might be my fault...). The brake pads have had to be replaced about every 20k. There's now a rattle that they can't diagnose, so I'm afraid to drive the car long distances. I had high hopes of owning this car many years, but at this rate it'll be in the junkyard before it's paid for!
I purchased my Alero in November 2003 and now 8 months later the seal around my windsheild has come loose... I have three kids and I took my car in yesterday for them to fix it and DEMANDED a loaner car, I have three kids and I'm not driving around town missing the seal on my windshield! I have also noticed problems with the engine pulling, when I first got the car it was FAST and Sporty, but now it looks more like a bad trade in!
My 2002 Olds Alero was the first and last car I'll buy brand new from GM. The warranty has turned out to be more of a confusing headache than a help.
My windshield seal is coming up at the corners, a plastic portion under my dash board fell shortly after purchase and is not fixable, my car is 2 years old and there is not only rust on my windshield wiper arms, but now on both doors AND I paid extra for corrosion protection.
From the day I brought my car home there was a wind noise that the dealer could never diagnose, the car has sounded like a jet taking off in 5th gear since purchase, and the black paint has peeled off the radio buttons. Now, I have a loud knocking under the passenger side, paid over $100 for a road test and the dealer said the car is "tight" and couldn't find anything wrong. Buyer beware...
I have a 2001 Alero. Like everyone else, I thought this was a good buy because the Accord was a couple of thousand dollars more and the Alero had the same features. This rationale was penny wise and dollar foolish. The CD player had to be replaced and I rarely use it. Fortunately, the car was under warranty. The turn indicator stopped working (recall). The electric seat height adjustment has stopped working and that is $400 to fix. I can live without it for now. The biggest problem is that the intake manifold gasket had a leak and needed to be replaced for $1000 (American). This is also the last GM car I buy. From now I will buy a used Accord and drive it next to come. I guess compared to other Alero owners, I am getting off cheap.
I have a 2000 olds Alero. The dash is coming apart, all four windows stopped working and needed the motors rebuilt, the first 2 A/C settings stopped working and was replaced 3 time under warranty and is broke again now out of warranty (found out this is a resistor pack under the glove box), the intake manifold gasket failed at 63,000 miles (major repair) back speakers blew out, and it has left my wife stranded on the side of the rode at least 10 times with "nothing wrong" no codes and it would restart after 5 minutes to 45 minutes without explanation. and on a personal note, it has blind spots had more close calls in this car than I've ever had driving and my wife has had 2 accidents with it.
I agree about this car--wish I had had all this information before I bought my son's 2001 Olds Alero. Something is ALWAYS wrong with this car!!! The brake pads are constantly being replaced; his AC doesn't work at 60,000 miles. I just paid for a new fuel pump (over $500) and was told that the expense was due to the fuel pump being located inside the gas tank... I'm not a mechanic, of course, but I have NEVER paid more than $150 for a fuel pump on any of my other vehicles!!! Oh, and I forgot about the repairs on the wheels. The car is very cute and sporty, but what a lemon. I have owned Oldsmobiles all my adult life and the best thing about them was you could just above drive the wheels off them before they quit on you---with this one I am out of cash and out of luck in the first 2 years of ownership. Honda next time.
I have had my 2000 Alero for nearly 4 years now. I didn't, but it new; it was a fleet car from the dealership where my father worked. He's the one that talked me into buying it in the first place, and because he was the inventory manager at the dealership, I only paid dealer cost for the car.
I liked the fact that the car was American; my first 3 cars had all been from Honda. It was weighty and didn't feel flimsy. It had a ton of features, got good gas mileage and had much better acceleration than most other 4-cylinders. Instead of the standard rubber timing belt which normally needs replacing every 50k, it came with a lifetime timing chain. And unlike nearly every other American car I've ever been in, the interior looked sporty and modern. The exterior looked really good, too.
For the first couple of years, other than the first few settings (2 at first, and then 4 at the time the motor was replaced) on my AC which stopped working, the only problems I had with the Alero were random screws appearing one by one on the floor board along with broken pieces of plastic. Friends attributed these problems to "gremlins" because I could never quite ascertain where the things were actually coming from.
Both my rear speakers blew during the first year, but at that time, my friends were using my car and claimed responsibility.
My real problems started about a year and a half ago when I noticed water standing in the rear passenger floor board. Nothing else in the car was wet and the windows were all closed. This still happens occasionly when it rains, although the seal has been replaced twice. Right after that, my emergency flasher button went into the dashboard when i pushed it which eventually caused my turn signals to sporadically go on and off. And then the rear view mirror fell off.
Six months ago, I found dirt around the edge of my gas tank opening. When my car started mysteriously dying out while driving, my mechanic and i thought someone had put dirt in my gas tank. That was 4 fuel filters, one tank flushing and two fuel pumps ago. And my car is still not fixed.
To top it all off, the volume on my radio fades out and then stays off for extremely long periods of time. I know it is still on because the timer on the cd player continues to run.
I have a 2004 Alero GLS Coupe. I purchased it new. It now has over 120,000 miles on it. The only problem outside of regular maintainence has been the resister board for the heating/AC blower. It has been replaced twice. This is for the 3 lower settings on the fan. I've had the front brakes done only twice. The rears are still original. I had the water pump replaced, the radiator, the intake gaskets, and the intake itself, all after 100,000 miles. My vehicle has never been serviced at a Dealer and never will. I've had no problems with the paint or body of the car and it still looks brand new. I've been pretty happy with the Alero and plan to keep it for quite awhile.
I looked at the Honda Accord Coupe when I purchased the Alero, but elected to buy another GM after having good results with 4 other GM that my wife and I have owned.
I have a 2001 Alero and just found out my intake manifold gasket needs to be replaced. I thought I was the only one. Guess not! Nothing like giving up $650.00
Well, here it goes.
I own a 2001 Alero LS which I have had for 18 out of 60 a month purchase deal. I too started noticing water in the passenger floor, and sometimes in the rear floor, but as far as I know, that's not that big of a deal.
Over time, my car seams to get louder, and looses power. I do drive my car pretty fast (on the interstate at 80 MPH AVG).
I tried to start my car up the other day at work so I could take my break, and my car did not start. I thought it was the battery (or hoped it was anyways), so I replaced it ($75.00) did not work.
** For those reading with simular problems, but have not found the solution: I attempted to start the car, and the battery would turn over, but it felt as though it was not getting that last spark that causes the car to run. **
I payed 70$ to have it towed and 18$ to have it checked out. It ended up being a fuel pump that went bad at 70k miles. The pump and labor will cost $538.
As soon as I get this fixed, I hope to sell the car for a break even price, or close to it. KIA's are not looking so bad now. LOL.
Other than that, I guess I have been pretty lucky.
Man I don't know what you guys are talking about... I have a 2000 Alero and have 111000 k on it and it is running so well. The only thing I had to replace on it was the power steering pump, but that was my fault. I own the 3.4 L V6 and it is so nice! Lots of power, Handling is awesome. Stereo is kinda disappointing cause the cd player skips a lot. Overall this is an amazing car.
I have a 2000 Alero with 148,000 highway miles and the car runs great. I have replaced the fuel pump @ 110,000, front rotors once, rear rotors once. The heater/ac fan is
crap the 1st 2 speeds don't work. The is a problem with the drivers power window regulator. I purchased on ebay for 60 bucks (dealers want 250) and replaced myself. That's about it the car runs great and shows no signs of quitting.