Menu

1999 Oldsmobile AleroProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 462 owner complaints about the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-400 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.

42
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.4× the Alero median · #2 of 6 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 22%Owner complaints46238 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage65kService brakes, hydraulic, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 19, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero has problems

462 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic1115
Electrical system899
Engine and engine cooling853
Visibility562
Suspension461
Exterior lighting430
Power train340
Steering302
Structure290
15 other systems11514

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1999 Oldsmobile Alero recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

22%repaired · 2016 Q2

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 14V-400 · Jul 3, 2014 · 5,877,718 vehicles · 1,318,487 repaired

Risk. If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Structure: body

Recall 00V-140 · May 18, 2000 · 487,400 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CONSOLE COVER COULD OPEN AND THE COVER OR ITEMS STORED UNDER IT COULD INJURE AN OCCUPANT.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Steering: steering wheel/handle bar

Recall 98V-320 · Dec 15, 1998 · 217 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Oldsmobile.

Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

9 owners mentioned a cost

$750median

Middle half: $652 – $800

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

1999 vs. every other Alero year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Alero median. How we score

'99'00'01'02'03'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1999 Oldsmobile Alero safety ratings

1999 Oldsmobile Alero 4-DR in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero, and the recalls they led to.

  1. TURN SIGNAL FAILURESRQ04005 · closed Nov 30, 2004
    No recall
In owners' words

What Alero owners report

Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 32 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. DURING THE FAILURE ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO BEGAN…
Complaint 10379803 · Feb 1, 2011 · 97,213 miles
I AM ASHAMED TO SAY I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. I BOUGHT IT LAST YEARS AS A BACK-UP CAR, SO WE WOULD HAVE TRANSPORTATION SHOULD ONE OF OUR NEWER VEHICLE HAVE PROBLEMS. I GAVE $2000 FOR IT AND HAVE SPENT JUST AS MUCH ON REPAIRS. THE TURN SIGNALS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY THOUGH EVERY FUSE IN IT…
Complaint 10361062 · Oct 18, 2010
I HAVE HAD AN 99' OLDSMOBILE ALERO FOR 7 YEARS. IT HAS HAD ALMOST EVERY PROBLEM LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE. IT HAS HAD AN OVER HEATING PROBLEM EVERY YEAR SINCE I GOT IT AND I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS IN REPAIRS FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM, FUEL PUMP, POOR INTERIOR MANUFACTURER, AC/HEATER BLOWER MOTOR SETTINGS…
Complaint 10180772 · Jan 26, 2007 · 75,000 miles

Own a 1999 Alero?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.