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2001 Oldsmobile AleroProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 364 owner complaints about the 2001 Oldsmobile Alero, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-400 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.

47
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Alero median · #3 of 6 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 22%Owner complaints36438 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage88kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 18, 2023. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 Oldsmobile Alero has problems

364 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
Electrical system1308
Exterior lighting681
Service brakes, hydraulic473
Engine and engine cooling460
Visibility342
Fuel system, gasoline280
Suspension180
Steering172
Engine151
17 other systems11220

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

4 recalls

2001 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

Hazard flashing warning lights: switch

Recall 03V-327 · Aug 28, 2003 · 670,740 vehicles

Risk. WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS ARE INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER CANNOT USE THEM TO SIGNAL INTENT TO TURN THAT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Power train: manual transmission

Recall 00V-372 · Nov 13, 2000 · 216 vehicles

Risk. IN THIS SITUATION, THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS IN A FORWARD GEAR, WHICH IS NOT PERMITTED BY THE STANDARD.

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.

Mileage at failure

When do electrical system problems start?

88kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 84 electrical system complaints. 57% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
5under 30k miles48under 100k miles36100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2001 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

2001 Oldsmobile Alero safety ratings

2001 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
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2001 Oldsmobile Alero, and the recalls they led to.

  1. ERRATIC FUEL GAUGEEA02028 · closed Dec 30, 2003
    No recall
  2. TURN SIGNAL FAILURESEA02037 · closed Sep 5, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-327
  3. ERRATIC FUEL GAUGESQ01002 · closed Sep 30, 2002
    No recall
In owners' words

What Alero owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The car will shut off while driving/idling. There are no check engine lights. Took it to get the latest recall fixed that had to do with this and they just gave us new keys. It did not remedy the situation! Now we are paying to fix it because it is still shutting off while driving.
Complaint 11517655 · Apr 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V400000 (Electrical System) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The consumer stated the vehicle was junked 3 or 4…
Complaint 11475958 · Jul 26, 2022
FOR SOME TIME THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY. IT SEEMED LIKE I HAD MORE TROUBLE WITH THEM IF IT WAS VERY HOT AND HUMID OUTSIDE. THEN, THE TURN SIGNALS TRIGGERED THE HAZARD LIGHTS TO COME ON. THE TURN SIGNALS ARE NOW INOPERABLE. SOMETIMES THE HAZARD LIGHTS COME ON BY THEMSELVES AND…
Complaint 11342676 · Aug 1, 2020 · 130,000 miles

Own a 2001 Alero?

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