repaired · 2016 Q2
Electrical system: ignition
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.
2003 Oldsmobile AleroProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 184 owner complaints about the 2003 Oldsmobile Alero, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-400 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 5, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Oldsmobile Alero has problems
184 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
103Electrical system7 crash/fire/injury
24Air bags11 crash/fire/injury
17Engine1 crash/fire/injury
15Exterior lighting
14Vehicle speed control
13Steering
12Engine and engine cooling
11Visibility
10Suspension
5316 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 103 | 7 |
| Air bags | 24 | 11 |
| Engine | 17 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 15 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 3 |
| Steering | 13 | 3 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 12 | 0 |
| Visibility | 11 | 0 |
| Suspension | 10 | 0 |
| 16 other systems | 53 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2003 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.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. FAILURE TO RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
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?
83kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 68 electrical system complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.
10under 30k miles44under 100k miles24100k miles or more
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.
Electrical system
11 owners mentioned a cost$575median
Middle half: $395 – $850
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
2003 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
2003 Oldsmobile Alero safety ratings
2003 Oldsmobile Alero 2-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
In owners' words
What Alero owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Driving and everything quit but the engine nothing on the dash worked, door locks unlocked lost headlights, radio anything Electrical was gone
CAR HAS BEEN HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES HER AND THERE HAS HAD A FUEL LEAK FOR AWHILE NOW AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WILL NOT START..
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE FAILED TO ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Own a 2003 Alero?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.