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I'm not alone! I took comfort in it. I just found this site here – I'm an Alero 2000 owner based in Europe – Germany. And I'm totally disappointed with that car. The problems read like a complete car fleet problems-list: for every 2 days of driving the car spends 1 day in service.
We drove the car now 100.000 km (60.000 miles) : forget it! Every day I see the tiny sticker on the rear window: “Build with pride in the US” Hey, guys of Chevrolet: spend more quality in your products than pride! My wife's next car will be a Toyota.
By the way: I’m riding a Lincoln Mark VIII too. Since 13 years as a fun car. And you know what?! No problems since 135 k miles!
I've got a '99 Alero with 145,000 miles on it. It's been a pretty good car. Service work seems to be about average. Blinker went bad around 80,000 miles, left front wheel bearing went bad around 95,000 miles. I'm pretty sure the right front wheel bearing is due to be replaced now at 145,000 miles. Battery was replaced in '03. Bought good ceramic pads and quality rotors from NAPA and I'm getting 50,000 on a set of breaks. Power steering fluid needs to be added when it gets really cold and the driver's window occasionally doesn't hit a limit switch and won't go down, but I fixed that. I'm just amazed at how well it runs and the transmission is still working. Good percentage of highway miles, but city driving included as well. Yes, it has some rust now 8 years into it, but what do you expect after 8 winters in Michigan? No, I don't work for the auto industry or a union.
I have a 99 Alero bought it for 5500 dollars with 54000 miles on it. Just to get to the point I have some stuff that will help you out with some issues and same you some money as so far I have done all the repairs myself.
-replaced both front hubs 60,000
-replaced both half-shafts-60,000
-brakes twice since I owned it
-fuel/brake lines from front to back
-low-pressure steering line return
-working on small leak in Evap. emissions system
-working on Anti-lock/tack off problem
-one oxygen sensor
-one fuel pump assembly.
For those of you with problems with your rear defroster not working and all the fuses are good there is a piece of electronics that connects to the rear antenna and the rear defroster that melted in my car and caused the defroster not to work. If you sit in the back of your car on the passenger side behind the plastic by your head there is a black box that connects everything if its melted replace it and everything will be working again.
A note on the braking system for this fun car. If you like doing the work yourself you can save yourself some brake jobs by checking that the caliper slides are not froze. The bottom slide rusts up very easily as water seems to finds its way in no matter what. I have tried replacing the boot does not matter. This will keep your brakes from wearing faster then normal and all warping your rotors.
Other than brakes its not so bad. I have 104,000 and I am going to run it into the ground.
This car also sounds a lot better if you insultate the trunk and the interior. That is how I found out about the black box thing behind the plastic panel what during the installation of the audio system.
I was just looking though some adds for Oldsmobile Aleros, since I am only 18 a newer vehicle for under 10,000$ is pretty good. After reading all these comments, I think I will stick to Japanese cars.
Another thing I noticed is the majority of Alero owners have had to replace both front and rear wheel bearings at around only 60,000miles.
No wonder they're being sold dirt cheap, you get what you pay for!
- Sarah.
I also own a 2002 Alero... my mistake.
Purchased it used two years ago with 21,000 miles on it seemed like a good gas saver for work, 50 miles each way.
Lots of electrical issues.
Turn signals, wipers, seat belt light, low tire light, cruise turns off just about all the time now. Radio buttons have no finish left on them.
Power steering pump is starting to leak.
Now I am getting a loud noise from the front end, I was told wheel bearings are famous to go bad. GREAT what else. Only 58,000 miles ready to dump it.
It has a mind of it's own.
That's weird to read all this stuff from other people with similar problems. My 2002 Alero has costed me a lot of money. I'm over seas right now and my wife is constantly having trouble with that car. From the blinkers working from time to time, the dome light will be on the whole time she's driving, and the biggest problem is the car starts when it wants to. She has been towed all over the state of Carolina. I had an old friend that always told me to buy Toyota's. I think I'll be taking his advice...
I own a 2003 4 Door Alero GLS with V6. I bought the car used with 32k miles on it. I didn't have any problems with it up until about 2 years ago. First it started with the rotors which were badly warped. Not even 6 months later the wheel bearing on the front/right started making a very loud "roaring" sound whenever I would drive the car.
Since then I have had to replace both front rotors regularly (about once a year) and at the moment BOTH wheel bearings in the front are at the loudest and worst condition I have ever heard with any car. This doesn't include the Fords, Pontiacs, and Chryslers I have spent more money repairing than normal maintenance. I am now at almost 82k miles and needless to say I am done buying American cars.
-Mike
Plymouth, MN
Yep, bought a 2002 alero 2 dr in 2006 @ 74,000 km and have had the engine gasket replaced at 10k later. Dome light fell down, low pressure light, service light and just today engine light is on. Security just started acting up last week and haven't even hit 100k yet!!
Front tires squeaking turning corners cause the rim lips are rubbing the tires. (thought it was wheel bearings) Replaced tires and that stopped the squeaking.
Seems that I'm not doing too bad yet, can't wait to see what this car has in store for me?
Any one want to by an Alero? Last GM for me!!!
My 2002 Alero doesn't start from time to time. This has been happening for about 4 months now and it hasn't been fixed. I've had my computer replaced, but that didn't solve the problem. I've read in other forums that it could be the ignition switch. Anybody else have the same problem and has it been fixed? If so please state what fixed the problem.
Danny.
Well I have a used 1999 3.4 alero I bought when it had 68k miles on it. ran fine for awhile, but here is what my problems are.
1. BRAKES BRAKES AND MORE BRAKES rotors go bad quickly no matter what parts brand kind you use. I know the front rotors overheat if you have to brake hard even once and causes them to start to warp and then the problems begin.
2. defroster in rear window quit working the second time I had to use it. I am told it's an electrical.
3. Blinkers stopped working off and on have to turn on blinker hit the emergency switch on and off to get them to work again. Had a recall that they said was not a recall to fix, they fixed free, but broke my emergency switch and glued it back in place so the first time I used the emergency it fell off into the dash (they denied it) part was 34 dollars to fix and I did it myself. Oh yea blinkers stopped working again and they tell me they fixed it under the non recall recall so its my headache now. I'm sure this is computer problem as well.
4. low fluid light comes on, but my fluid levels are fine it goes on and off while you drive. again computer related.
5. ABS light comes on and stays on then will not work properly. again computer related.
6. Drivers side window going out. has been for awhile the button does not make good connection.
7. power mirrors work sometimes and sometimes they don't.
8. air conditioner never gets that cold and is making a loud noise that is rpm based (gets louder as you drive) so that pulley is going out.
9. although air not to cold try putting on the air even 1/2 up and on your upper vents only and play a cd. after awhile the cd will mess up and when you pull it out you will see water all over the cd (yes I'm in Texas) but a very poor design in the air routing.
10. car would not start one morning had to get a ride to work, then that evening when I came home it cranked up. was told the sensor by the throttle body was bad $125 later it starts, but runs like a badly tuned car erratic idle between 800rpm to 450rpm dips (I KEEP THIS VAR VERY WELL MAINTAINED)
11. went to stop and my car took off, with foot on brake I killed the ignition to stop car (IT REDLINED AS I WENT TO STOP) I almost hit the car in front of me, but thank god I did not. was told I must have hit the gas by mistake. Then my father-in-law drove it a week for me and it happened to him twice as well so NOPE GM NOT ME, but YOUR LOUSY COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THIS LEMON OF A CAR.
Overall this car is terrible, I had this car checked out by an independent car service $100 to tell me this was a solid well taken care of car. What they failed to tell me that the parts used in building this rat trap are very sub-par. When I bought the car I went and did all recommended maint. on it regardles of whether it needed it or not. I put new shocks etc.. to have peace of mind that I bought a used car and could use as a daily driver.
So even after my recall of blinker fix all they do is replace a part not troubleshoot the computer system and fix that so my blinkers do not work yet again. Horrible customer service from any gm dealer I deal with. (I never raise my voice to any of them and am polite so its not like I start it off on the wrong foot) I disagree with them and all I get are the same answers that's normal wear and tear on a car. HELLO NO BLINKERS AND A RACE CAR WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES.
Do yourself a favor if you own one trade it in on some other car (not gm unless you like to be treated with indifference). This car is not safe and you might end up injured or worse.
OH YEA I also might add.
12 or 13. Transmission started slipping. This car has never been abused I am the second owner (the third party service told me that) and I took it to the same service center for maint that the first owner had it.
A trans that slips off and on started at 74,387 miles on the car. Yes being very attentive to the list that grows as to my headache called the alero.
I bought my 2002 four door Alero in 2003 with 18,000. My driver's side window has been fixed 6 times in two years because it comes off the track or the clips break. The body control module has gone out twice in three months. One other computer type problem with the ignition went out as well in the last six months. Today my car won't start again and I'm praying its the same thing so at least I won't have to pay for it. The car only has 67,000 miles. Are all of these problems normal? I can't figure it out.
I have also had my breaks replaced twice.
If anyone has any ideas as to why my car hates me let me know!
Liz.
For those with a in-op rear window defogger... I found some instructions on the Web for soldering the wires directly to the control box located in the pillar between the rear window and the right rear window. If you google the problem you can probably find more detailed instructions, as I have misplaced them right now. Basically, the connectors to the box overheat and fail. Several other GM cars have the same problem (Grand Prix). The solution suggested was to take the control box apart and solder the wires directly to the tabs, but there are probably other options. I did the soldering method, it was a pain, but very successful.
Has anyone had a problem with animals - or rats - getting into the fan?
I have a 2001 Alero. It's a 6 cyl and has a very loud humming noise once you accelerate up to 20 mph. My husband replaced the driver's side front wheel bearing hub, but still have the noise. Can anyone tell me if the left hub needs replacing too or is it something different? Oh, if you turn the steering wheel to the right, the sound changes and is less noisy. Thanks for any help at all.