1999 Oldsmobile Alero Coupe from North America - Comments

This is my first and last experience with an Oldsmobile. The main reason is I don't want to support a car dealership that doesn't respect my business, but I'm not happy with the product either.

After the first week of ownership, I had to return to the dealer to investigate a noise generating from the front end of the car. Covered under warranty, I don't believe they really fixed anything, they claimed they lubricated a bushing, which means they sprayed WD-40 on the thing...

After the first month of ownership, I had to return to the dealer to replace the fuel pump. This experience took them over a week to repair, and was the experience that caused me to never give the Oldsmobile Company (GM) my business again! I will never own another GM product, after the experience this dealer put me through.

After the 1st year of ownership, I lost speeds 1-2 on my climate control fan. Turns out this is a $25 part that I could order from an online dealer (Blower Fan Resistor Pack) and took me about an hour to install, but after reading numerous reviews, I understand that this is a common problem with this car.

After 3 years of ownership, I started experiencing the brake related problems that I'm seeing posted here. Pedal pulsations, and brake pads that seem to wear prematurely. I do all my own work on the car, and I know the brakes are properly installed, I think it's an engineering design flaw.

During this time, I also started experiencing the problems with the dash lights coming on in particular the Track Off and Anti-Lock lights... they come on sporadically, sometimes go out, I'll need to take to an auto electric specialist to troubleshoot, hopefully, I'm not wasting my time.

I love the look of this car, and the engine problems I've seen here, are beginning to worry me, I'm seriously considering on selling this car before I start to experience these engine problems.

In comparison to the Eclipse, I'd take the olds, but that's not saying much. It is a good looking, stylish car, and if you could afford to park it in a garage and take it out on sunny Sunday afternoons, then it may be the car for you. If you need it to function like a CAR? Try a Toyota!

I have experienced the problem with the anti-lock brake and the traction lights coming on. I had to replace my front hub and bearing assembly. To be sure of this use a jack to jack your car up. If you can move either of the front tires it is more than likely the bearing assembly. My dad paid about $108 for each and changed them in a couple hours. Hope this helps.

The problem with the traction control and anti-lock brake lights coming on is a result of a faulty ABS sensor that is integrated in the hub bearing. Even if the hub bearing isn't bad yet you will need to replace it in order to fix the problem. My hub bearings in the front failed at about 120,000 miles. First one side and then the other a 1,000 miles later. The cost on these are about $100 each for a Timken bearing which includes the ABS wheel speed sensor.

Avoid Alero, avoid Oldsmobile.

My 1999 Alero that had clockwork oil changes and service just blew it's engine. Piston 1 went right through the oil pan.

It had under 80,000 miles.

Common problems with the 1999 Olds Alero.

If you had the vehicle for more than one year, it is too late to think about selling it. I wanted to sell mine after one year, but the price had dropped too much.

I found this web site by looking for info about the Anti-Lock and Track Off lights and sadly read the comments about this vehicle. I have experienced the same problems and more.

The first blower resistor was gone when the car was only two years old (13578 miles) and it was replaced in warranty. The first set of breaks was gone after, meaning the rotors had to be replaced, at 17675 miles. However, the dealership replaced only the front rotors and resurfaced the rear ones. At 26210 miles the rear rotors had to be replaced. I had done the work since the warranty was over. The blower resistor was gone again, almost two years to the date when the first one was replaced. The part was $ 33.29 and I did the work. At 39220 miles the passenger side front coil-spring broke. I heard from two mechanics that GM had a problem with these springs on the Olds Alero and the Malibu. By this time the brakes were pulsating again and the rotors had to be replaced at 39222 miles. Shortly after this, the bearing on the AC clutch was gone and since it is on the same serpentine belt, it had to be repaired. The vehicle, after over seven years, still only has 41100 miles. This is when the Anti-Lock and Track Off lights started to come on, but unlike before, when the Track Off light would come on after a bump on the road, this time both, the Track Off and the Anti-Lock lights come on intermittently. Should I worry about this or is it just a connection problem?

Wow I am sorry to hear about all the problems you all are having, I bought my 99 Alero in 2001 with 11k miles, I now have 139k miles on it. This is the 4 cylinder.

In that time I have replaced the Injectors once, the coil and other electric pieces with that twice (once at 70k which is 20k after the recommended time and again at 115k). I have replaced the struts once.

I have replaced the brakes many, many times, they do seem to last less time than I feel they should. I have never needed to turn or replace the rotors (though I will need to this next brake change).

At about 110k miles I had to put in a new alternator, along with the second batter it has needed.

And now I need to replace the belt tensioned and the fan blower resistor. Though for almost 140k miles the car has been very reliable.

I just bought my brown 99 alero 4 cylinder with over 100k on it and I drove the car for a week and I am now seeing that my trac light at the same time my anti light is coming on at first it was once and a while, but now it is more like when I start the car drive about 1-2 miles then they come on this worries me considering the fact that my kids are in the car with me when the lights come on.I'm very dissapointed in the car I once thought was a perfect car, but turns out to be a lemon.