Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 030601010 | 03/01/2003 | 10001282 | Engine oil or coolant leak. *tt | 04/25/2003 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||||
| 010602012 | 12/01/2001 | 628890 | Some owners may comment on leakage of a few drops of coolant after parking their vehicle. *tt | 03/21/2002 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 03-06-01-010 | 04/01/2008 | 030601010C | 10004768 | Engine oil or coolant leak. *tt gm reminder. *tt install new lower intake manifold gasket. updated 7/18/08 *pe | 01/06/2004 |
| 052203 | 05/22/2003 | 10003658 | Complaints of intermittent vehicle shutting off while driving with no multiple codes set. the vehicle would immediately restart. the actual cause of this condition was that over bumps the mass and weight of the customer's key ring forces | 10/27/2003 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 020601014 | 04/01/2002 | 634708 | Subject regarding revised lower intake manifold installation. *tt | 10/07/2002 | |
| 020604009 | 03/01/2002 | 629502 | Subject regarding hesitation or stumble on throttle application after cold start (reprogram pcm). *jg | 04/02/2002 | |
| 151101 | 11/15/2001 | 628134 | Onwers may comment on a light hesitation or stumble after a cold start at temperatures below approximately 50 degreees fahrenheit or ten degrees c. *tt | 03/05/2002 | |
| 990604005A | 04/01/2001 | 990604005 | 619360 | Some owners may comment on driveability symptons of long or hard starts, chuggle, rough idle and light or intermittent misfire due to clogged fuel injectors. *tt | 05/24/2001 |
| 130301 | 03/13/2001 | 619231 | Experiencing a no crank no start, crank no start, no start or a start doesn't run that may be accompanied by a theft system light and / or a service engine soon light. *tt | 05/19/2001 | |
| 990604005 | 02/01/1999 | 776304A | 604343 | Some owners may experience a driveability symptom of long or hard starts, chuggle, rough idle and light or intermittent misfire. *tt | 04/26/1999 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 01/28/2011 | 97213 | ||
| 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 service lights on the dashboard began to illuminate. the speedometer also began to display random speeds ranging from 0 mph to 100 mph. the vehicle was taken home where it stalled. the contact also stated the hazard lights would not function. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed. the failure and current mileages were 97,213. sm. | |||
| 07/05/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Car began to overheat two days ago. intake manifold gasket replaced a year ago. dealership stated the intake manifold needs to be replaced again. we also found out that we may have a blown head gasket and possibly a cracked engine--which means a new motor. car has 80,000 miles on it and has been very well taken care of. we are devastated as this is our daughter's car and she is about to be a freshman in college. the car broke down on her while traveling down an interstate-at night. *tr | |||
| 03/07/2006 | 73277 | 2 | 11/01/1999 |
| In march 2006 at 73,277 miles i had to have the intake manifold gaskets, valve cover gaskets & water pump assembly replaced due to a constant antifreeze leak. then in april 2007 at 87,452 miles had to have the head gasket replaced due to the same problem. was told by the mechanic this was a common problem & gm even changed the intake manifold so the one i had put on in 2007 was different than the one in 2006 because they have had so many problems. seemed like they should be reimbursing people & having a recall because they obviously knew about the problem. *ak | |||
| 11/10/2006 | 75000 | 6 | 07/01/2001 |
| 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 failure, fuel gauge failure, transmission leakage, poor springs/struts, gear slipping, hard starting, water leaking in from rain under glove compartment, off alignment (set three times in year), poor gas mileage, overheating or running above normal temperature and sudden overheating without notice of gauge lights or sounds. has had front right caliper failure locking brake pads down against rotor causing burnout of pads,rotor warping, caliper cylinder damage. has had power steering pump leakage. this car is a lemon and gm should not be allowed to get away with selling unsafe, worthless vehicles. the only reason i still have mine running is because i have put a lot of personal as well as paid labor into its upkeep over the years due to that i cant afford another car. *jb | |||
| 04/15/2006 | 62000 | 1 | 11/23/2003 |
| The make : oldsmobile model : alero year : 1999 manufacturer : general motors corp. mileage: 62,000 miles problem: engine intake manifold leak - dexcool i, like several hundred thousand other gm owners, am experiencing a leaking engine due to the dexcool coolant used in the radiator. the problem stems from the intake manifold not being sealed correctly to house the corrosive coolant. (i've been told by both my mechanic and the dealer that this effects all 3.0l series engines in gm vehicles from the years 1998 - 2003.) i only realized my problem after my friend (with the exact same model car and year) had his head gasket blown off due to the engine coolant mixing with the oil. total estimated cost: $750. risk of accident if car's engine blows in traffic. *jb | |||
| 03/13/2006 | 79000 | 2 | 05/01/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving at various speeds there was a humming noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. additionally, the abs light illuminated, the cruise control became inoperable, a burning smell appeared and the vehicle was loosing water. the dealership inspected the vehicle. the battery, wiring, spark plug wiring and a belt were replaced. the water pump and window switch was replaced. the blower motor needed to cleaned out. the brakes were inoperative updated 05/01/06.*jb | |||
| 02/24/2006 | 65000 | 1 | 07/01/2005 |
| Noticed my son's 1999 olds alero was using excessive antifreeze, took to shop & had to have defective intake gasket replaced as antifreeze was being sucked into the engine. repair shop reports that they are repairing same problem on 3 gm cars per week in this town of 25,000 people. cost $ 650 to repair; gm should recall this vehicle & similar models and replace these defective gaskets, we were lucky that we did not ruin the engine on this car. we had to get the car repaired immediately as my son did not have any other vehicle to drive to work while the alero was being repaired and really could not afford this expensive repair on this car. repair shop advised that gm is not recalling this part or paying for the repairs even though they are aware of the problem and that it is the fault of a defective gasket and not the car owners fault. *nm | |||
| 02/08/2005 | 26000 | 1 | 05/25/2004 |
| 1999 olds alero gls, bought the car in may,2004 with 23,000 miles on it. from day 1 i have had nothing but problems with it mostly brakes, car has extended warranty on it. the rotors grind, pulsate, squeak, the calipers make cracking noises sometimes brake pedal goes to floor. the dealership refuses to fix the problem or says it will not do it for the mechanic, when i drop it off i allowed the service manager to hear it he also verified the sound, only to get the car back being told it won't do it. the rotors have been replaced 4x the brakes 3x the calipers 2x, i still have the problem. cd player will not work told by dealership it is the humidity doing it which i live in philadelphia and it is winter there is no humidity. told dealership about a squeezing noise under hood got car back and told they could not find anything wrong with it, i get home and pop the hood and find a grease like residue on the serpentine belt, i later find the water pump leaking. car loses power and a metal banging noise occurs from under the hood under acceleration, dealership says cannot find the problem. i go back to the dealership and tell them about the brakes and water pump, the tell me that they cannot satisfy me and they will not service the car and not to bring it to them any more. in one month i was at the dealership for the same problem, it still is not fixed, with each time having to pay a $100.00 deductible. i contact gm the say car is to old and there is nothing they can do for me. the car has 56,000 miles on it and the warranty does not expire until 60,000 or may,2006. i am getting ready to trade it in for a toyota. *nm | |||
| 06/24/2004 | 63000 | 1 | 04/25/1999 |
| Without any warning or signs, the car engine died at approximately 65,000 mi. car was driven locally and was well taken care of. it cost $1,700.00 to replace (with an engine that had 43,000 miles.), and seems that the engine should have lasted for more than 65,000 miles.*ak | |||
| 02/28/2003 | 32000 | 5 | 02/14/2003 |
| Purchased the car in february'03. bad vibration when driving at speeds over 45 mph, tires rotated and balanced 4+ times, both front wheel bearing/hub kits replaced in less than 6 months after purchase, still occurs and have just grown accustomed to the shaking. engine coolant leaks: replaced pump and o ring. power steering pump and return hose replaced. driver side window does not roll back up(believe dealership replaced prio to purchase). driver side mirror motor has never worked properly, dealer(in rochester) put on receipt of last repair that they replaced motor, but didn't actually have part, but was on order. never received a phone call back when or if part came in(dealership is over 300 miles from my home, purchased car on the internet).*jb | |||
| 02/08/2004 | 40000 | 2 | 11/26/2002 |
| Loosing engine coolent. no visible leaking on the ground.*ak | |||
| 09/15/2003 | 75000 | ||
| Car engine compartment completely engulfed in flame after 5 mile drive to a shopping mall. car was cruising parking lot looking for space when fire erupted. | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 40000 | ||
| Engine: 3.4l v6. the manifold gasket and water pump failed at approximately 40,000 miles. the dealer picked up the cost of the parts under their "goodwill" policy, but out of pocket cost to me was still over $800. the manifold gasket on my 2002 buick rendezvous, vin 3g5da03e52s528965 also failed and had to be replaced at 18,000 miles. this was done under warranty at no cost to me. this was also the 3.4l v6 engine. it is obvious this is a problem gm has known about for quite some time and have not taken corrective action in a timely manner. an extension of the warranty on this engine is certainly called for. i have advised many friends to avoid purchasing a gm car with either the 3.1l or 3.4l engine. | |||
| 01/15/2003 | 0 | ||
| Within my 36,000 of driving from 50,222 to 86,119 my intake gaskets have been replaced twice. my rack has been replaced twice and will need to be replaced a third time. i am also aware that the rack was replaced while the previous owner had the car. recently i realized why water was getting into my passenger side of the vehicle. the window seal is shifted causing the window to leak if the car is parked at certain inclines. this repair is not covered by my pre-owned vehicle warranty. all major repairs have been covered by my warranty and any additional costs have bee quote "eaten" by repair facilities. | |||
| 04/10/2004 | 68000 | 1 | 03/01/2000 |
| Lower intake gasket failure causes near collision on freeway. while i was driving home on a busy day my coolant light came on and my engine started pulsing strangely. trying to pull into the emergency lane caused several cars to nearly slam into the back of my car. the problem with the coolant was found to be a common flaw in the lower intake gasket on 3.4l (3400) gm engines. after investigation, i've found that many people are experiencing this problem yet gm is doing nothing to address it.*ak | |||
| 12/18/2001 | 35000 | 3 | |
| While driving at any speed consumer heard a rattling sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. dealer examined the vehicle and replaced the front hubs and wheel bearings. also, vehicle used an excessive amount of oil and coolant.*ak | |||
| 04/04/2004 | 62797 | 1 | 10/04/2001 |
| At 50k miles, low coolant light would flicker on and off so per the manual dexcool/water mixture was added. this alleviated the problem only temporarily however. light continued to come on, and later at 61k, oil leak was noticed on the side of the intake manifold. an appointment was made to bring the car to the dealership the same week, during which the security dummy light came on (for no apparent reason). also during this week, the change oil dummy light came on 100 miles before the oil change was due (at 2900 miles). the car was brought to the dealership to fix per its appointment, and not only was coolant leaking into the engine, but the upper and lower intake manifold gaskets required replacement. in addition, on its way to the dealership, the engine started to misfire causing the check engine light to flash for several moments before turning to a steadily lit dummy light. car has always been given routine maintenance and oil changes every 3k or as necessary, so this performance and obvious design flaw are very disappointing. would not recommend this car/3.4l v6 engine to anyone looking to purchase a new vehicle and considering this make/model/engine type. *jb | |||
| 02/04/2004 | 54500 | 1 | 09/01/1999 |
| Head gasket and manifold gasket leak on a 1999 olds alero with 55000 miles. *jb | |||
| 09/17/2003 | 1 | 07/12/2001 | |
| I own a 1999 oldsmobile alero with a v-6 3.4 liter engine, and it uses dex-cool. over the past few months my low coolant light has been coming on and as instructed in my owner's manual i have been replacing the dex-cool/water mixture in the overflow tank. just recently my abs light and low track light has come on, and over the weekend i was driving on a highway when my fan belt prematurely broke and stranded me along side of the highway. *jb | |||
| 12/28/2002 | 75469 | 11/09/1999 | |
| While placing car in reverse the engine began knocking and has not ran since. not happy at all still owe a lot of money and car doesn't run!! not worth the money. *nlm | |||
| 04/17/2003 | 41000 | 1 | 09/15/1998 |
| Water pump and intake manifold gasket had to be replaced at 40,000 miles. very disappointing. appears to be common problem with gm 3.4l v6 engine. reconsider before purchasing car with this engine. *jb | |||
| 11/29/2002 | 39151 | 1 | 10/15/1998 |
| 1999 alero 3400 sfi engine w/39186 miles. low coolant light comes on. pontiac delaership says lower intake gasket leaking. orange antifreeze dexcool getting into engine oil. oil looks like coffee w/creamer. car not driven since 12/02/2002 due to olds dealer closing doors after 36 years and unable to get them to honor the extended warranty i purchased thru them. bbb and state atty general's off ice of no to help to locate/have them honor warranty. pretty much they ran off w/my $. | |||
| 10/12/2001 | 30000 | 03/08/2002 | |
| Upper or lower intake gasket leak. seems to be a very common problem with the 3.4l v-6. noticed coolant loss with only 30,000 miles!!!! | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 1 | ||
| My 1999 oldsmobile alero has had a major problem with 1.manifold gaskets leaking. 2. all of the windows failing by falling off the tracks or the regulator itself failing. three times for the drivers side window! 3.the turn signals have stopped working correctly, clicking constantly. 4.the gas gauge stopped working 5. the interior leather curled up on the dash, which i notice on many other alero's i've seen. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2009 | 90000 | 1 | |
| Gas gauge is always off, i have to fill the gas tank up atleast 2-3 a day. maybe there is a leak from recall, or the recall form the gas tank. also spent $700.00 for a recalled intake manifold gasket. *tr | |||
| 06/04/2006 | 52000 | 4 | 06/30/1999 |
| In the last six months three out of 4 windows on my vehicle are now held up with duct tape so that they don't fall into the channel and i can't get them up. luckily, only one of them managed to do that and a friend managed to get it back up for me. that occurred at the end of january 2006. i could understand one- maybe- but three!!! no. this is definitely a safety issue. i suspect the only reason that my one working window, the back passenger side, is still working is because i haven't tried to put it down- or the result would be the same. i am sure that is going to be expensive to repair, so i guess i'll go with the duct tape for a while. i have also had a problem with the intake manifold, the gaskets on that were replaced in january, 2006. i was losing antifreeze from the overflow tank, and having to fill it every day. took it to the dealer, and they found the water pump leaking and the intake gaskets leaking. they were replaced at my expense. and... the intermittent turn signal is also a problem. that has been going on for about a year now. it should be recalled for that, like you did for the 2000- 2001 vehicles. the vehicle has 70,000 miles on it. the interior trim on this vehicle is shoddy, and that is being kind. the car was purchased brand new with 23 miles on it when we got it to our house in june, 1999. in less than a year a door panel had to be replaced because it had come apart. the dashboard has been peeling for about 11/2 years because they used cheap glue to hold the covering on the plastic. i realize that you consider that cosmetic, but it shouldn't be happening: i check every alero i see in a parking lot and there are a lot with peeling dashboards. gm should be responsible for fixing that- they caused the problem. gm caused multiple problems on this vehicle by doing it on the cheap. it is very costly to the people who own them, and it shouldn't be. i don't mind paying for routine repairs, i expect that, but these problems are not routine.*nm | |||
| 06/18/2005 | 1 | 03/04/2003 | |
| I purchased the car & immediately had to have the brakes fixed by the dealership. in 3/05 had complete look at car -at chevy. dealership, they flushed radiator, clean fuel lines-things along those lines to make my car run better. in june of 05 i started noticing a small puddle of water under my vehicle & it started overheating. was told my repair man that radiator cap needed replacing. that seemed to help a little. by october 05 the car was leaking antifreeze from under the car. didn't have the money to have it fixed so i didn't drive it because i was a stay at home mom. dec 05 i went to work and its been downhill. my car now will overheat if it idles for very long, leaks antifreeze (i have to add coolant every morning), and we was told that it was the probably the intake manifold gasket gone bad which will cost about 900.00. this is just 1 of the many problems we have experienced since the purchase. *jb | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 45000 | 2 | 12/28/1998 |
| Failure of head intake manifold gasket on 1999 oldsmobile alero due to dex-cool engine coolant / faulty gasket design.*ak | |||
| 11/03/2004 | 63360 | 1 | 02/25/2000 |
| 1999 oldsmobile alero (out of warranty) began to have problems with transmission slipping occasionally during the summer. i was told no problem could be found. while driving home last evening, the service engine soon light came on as well as the trac off light and it was very hard to get the car to go more than 30 mph on a 50 mph highway very nearly causing an accident. by the grace of god, that did not happen, but now i am told that the transmission may possibly be bad or it could be several other things. in either case, it would seem to me that someone should have found the error before. additionally, the car has less than 65,000 miles on it and though it was sluggish from the time i bought it and would occasionally lurch forward when pulling away from a stop, it was not until the summer that it became a frequent as opposed to a rare occurrence. i truly believe that there is some flaw in the transmission. of note also is that the driver's side window only rolls down on occasion and sometimes will not go back up, the fan only works on the highest 2 settings and the entire wiper blade assembly (some sort of sensor) had to be replaced 1 month out of warranty. what a piece of junk. and, the air conditioner no longer cools the car and i was told i had a slow leak.*ak | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 119000 | 7 | 12/09/2000 |
| Due to gm defect to date i have had to replace intake manifold gasket, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt and am now looking at replacing gas tank and heater core. . *ak | |||
| 11/21/2003 | 46000 | 1 | 03/24/1999 |
| Engine abruptly overheated. after immediately pulling over, the engine began smoking. car was towed to nearby service center where it was discovered the engine lower intake gasket was faulty. *la | |||
| 09/19/2003 | 60000 | 1 | 04/05/1999 |
| 99 alero with what appears to be common problems. first it was a faulty water pump and now there is a lower intake gasket failure. *jb | |||
| 06/01/2003 | 55000 | 1 | 08/28/1999 |
| I have a 1999 v-6 oldsmobile alero and it continually overheated. my mechanic told me a number of people have been having the same problems and that it had to do with a faulty gasket. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2003 | 55000 | 1 | 06/01/1999 |
| Coolant leaking around the engine. mechanic says this is common for the 3400 engine because there is no gasket, just a bead of caulk.*ak | |||
| 03/26/2003 | 1 | ||
| The engine leaked coolant from the intake gasket. *nlm | |||
| 03/05/2003 | 65950 | 1 | 06/14/2000 |
| Automatic transmission will not shift into 3rd or 4th gear, anymore. roars loudly rather than shifts. when i take my foot off the accelerator at 30+ mph car acts like cruise control is on - decelerates extremely slow. rpms stay at 2200+ at 35 mph. also now a little higher on temperature gauge. *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer is requesting reimbursement for repairs made to a leaking water pump and radiator, consumer also states that there was a large puddle of coolant found on her garage floor. *slc | |||
| 05/12/2001 | 1 | 09/01/2000 | |
| Water pump was defective. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2001 | |||
| Water pump is leaking some kind of liquid, and engine is always getting hot. contacted dealer, and the dealer can't do much about problem. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN | |||
| 03/24/2008 | 12 | 03/09/1999 | |
| Engine cooling system: blower motor and resistor have malfunctioned numerous times. initial malfunction was in 2003 and has been repaired approx. 12 times to date. *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - HOSE | |||
| 06/23/2002 | 70000 | 0 | 04/09/2001 |
| 1999 oldsmobile alero/vin #1g3nf52e7xc405310ast summer i lost the air conditioning in my car. in nov, i deployed with the af to the middle east. upon return i was disappointed since i had completely forgotten the ac didn't work in my car. i took it to a repair shop for a recharge and freon. after that, it worked for less than 2 days and started blowing hot air again. i returned to the repair shop, this time they put it on all the guages and saw it wouldn't hold a charge. they took the car for a quick ride, and ran the ac for about 10 minutes. when we stopped, there was a really bad smell. they sprayed everything with a blue spray and saw bubbles on the hose line. they looked closer and noticed the side and underside of the hose was burned through both the covering and the hose itself, and maintain it was caused by the hose being a little too long and being able to rest up against the engine. am i really the only owner of a 1999 alero that has experienced this problem? i can't believe i should be responsible for the replacement of this hose (which is a pretty extensive job). this is the second summer i've been without ac, and they have been pretty hot and unpleasant summers, (although not quite as bad as the middle east). i've already invested $79.95 to have the ac checked out, charged, freon added. right now i'm i very dissatisfied oldsmobile owner. i've checked the defect investigations and recalls, and found no other mention of this design defect, but i still maintain that this couldn't be a one of a kind. what do you suggest i do from here? i don't feel i should have to pay to have the hose replaced, since i did nothing to cause the hose to burn/melt. one tie wrap would have been a simple, inexpensive solution, but now it's way beyond that point. please help me with this. the summer isn't cooling off, and i can't buy any chocolate candy bars to calm me down because they all melt faster than i can eat them. thanks, and i'm anxious to hear back from you.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 04/30/2004 | 74000 | 2 | |
| Consumer took the vehicle to the dealership for a sudden acceleration issue. vehicle was accelerating without the accelerator pedal being depressed. while having this issue checked dealership noticed that the head gasket failed and leaked radiator anti freeze into the engine. the cause of the sudden acceleration was due to a bad chip in the mother board. the cause of the radiator anti freeze leak was undetermined.*ak *nm | |||
| 08/26/2003 | 1 | ||
| Coolant is leaking from the radiator, causing vehicle to overheat. *ak | |||
| 12/07/1998 | 3 | 10/15/1998 | |
| While driving at about 40 mph passenger side door came ajar, not able to close and latch properly. repetetive problems with rear defroster. low tire pressure warning light inaccurate. *ak.et. there were two incident of cracked radiator cap. there were three incidents of interior trunk release button failure. gas guage malfunctioned. *yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 56000 | 4 | 07/13/2002 |
| Dt: 1999 oldsmobile alero. the contact stated the hub bearings on both sides of the front end went out. there was a noise coming from the front end, the contact took the vehicle to a garage. the mechanic told her of the problem, and said if she drove it much longer there would have been an accident. the head gaskets also blew out the engine. the vehicle was leaking antifreeze into the air system. the vehicle is currently at the garage being fixed for the head gaskets. also, fuel pump went out while driving on the road. the vehicle was towed to the garage. then, they replaced the fuel pump. the contact stated , in addition, there have been electrical problems. the computer system had to be reset a couple of times. this has happened within the past 12 months. *ak | |||
| 07/12/2005 | 7 | 06/08/2002 | |
| Rear defroster, steering, brakes (3x's), engine, radiator, belt, security systerm, tape deck, power windows. | |||
| 02/02/2004 | 54000 | 1 | 08/18/1999 |
| Loss of power during acceleration into an intersection.*ak | |||
| 03/02/2004 | 72936 | 2 | 03/06/2001 |
| I own a 1999 oldsmobile alero with a 3.4l engine. at a cost of $652.01, on 28-october-2003 i had service performed on my vehicle because i was loosing coolant at regular intervals and it was not leaking onto the ground. the severe cause for concern was after i had refilled my coolant reservoir, drove approximately 3 miles, and all of the coolant was gone. the temperature guage shot up to the red zone, and i pulled over immediately. i had the car towed to the dealer and they indicated that this was a common problem for vehicles with this engine. they replaced the intake gasket and i was on my way. a few weeks later i noticed the coolant level was low again, and i had to add more coolant. i took the car back to the dealership on 25-november-2003. they checked the car and said they could find no leaks. i continued to drive the car. consistently, every 2 weeks, i was refilling the coolant resevoir. this has been happening until recently (february 2004). in late february 2004 i started losing coolant at a much faster rate, about 3 day intervals. on 2-march-2004 my car did not start the first 2 times i tried, on the third it caught. i decided to inspect the oil, using the dip stick, and found that the oil was a thick goo. this prompted me to call gm and the dealership to identify my options for having this problem resolved. i am frustrated, aggrevated, annoyed, among other things, and i fear that had this gone undetected, the oil would have gotten to a state where it would not have allowed the engine to function, perhaps leading to an accident. not only do i fear for my safety, but i am concerned that having a severe problem like this fixed only to find that it happens again will only lead to the samething happening yet another time. how many times will i have to have this problem fixed? is this a recurring safety concern? | |||
| 01/28/2004 | 1 | ||
| The check engine light came on. upon checking the coolant levels, it was low. the repair shop diagnosis is a leak in the intake manifold with an $800+ repair cost. according to research, the particular type of coolant, dexcool, used in gm cars is linked to corrosion to the intake manifold gaskets. *ak | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 72000 | 1 | 02/01/2000 |
| The coolant light came on - then the car died & overheated...apparently coolant was leaking into the engine because a gasket failed...now the engine must be replaced at 70,000 miles. starting at 3,000 miles, the check engine soon light came on & it has been in and out of dealerships ever since!!! gm hasn't done a thing to help me! i just spent $1,300 to get the gasket replaced in the intake manifold & now they tell me the engine needs to be replaced!!! please help me - i need a contact for gm - the customer service line has not done a thing to help & apparently this is a common problem... *la | |||
| 08/12/2003 | 21000 | 2 | |
| When vehicle is turned on it takes a long time to start, and it idles very roughly. when vehicle makes right turns there is an annoying squeaking sound coming from the brakes.*ak | |||
| 07/11/2003 | 63000 | 1 | 10/30/1999 |
| The coolant started leaking into the oil. vehicle was taken to the dealer, pence oldsmobile, april 24, 2003, due to engine ticking. advised oil appeared to have not been changed in 1 yr. i advised the service oil was changed every 3 months less than 3000 miles. oil was gunky and thick like vaseline. vehicle also loosing coolant. oil was changed and engine to clean of gunk on 04/24/03. 07/5/03, coolant tank low 15 miles later coolant tank refilled again.. 07/06/03, vehicle parked. 07/7/03, before leaving for work, coolant refilled again. no leakage on ground. after about traveling about 8 miles, while stopped at a stop light the vehilce started to tremble & make sounds. drove approx 1 mile to employers parking lot and called tow truck to tow it to. dealer service dept informed me oil pump o-ring, intake gasket, valva cover gasket and pcv valve needed replacing and there could possibley be internal engine damage.. the vehicle was picked up on 07/11/03 between 5:30-6pm, driven 20 miles and parked until 07/12/03 until 5:30pm..vehilce driven another 20 miles and coolant light came on again. coolant refilled. sun 07/13/03, vehicle driven 10 miles and coolant light on again. coolant was refilled vehicle parked until 07/14/03. vehicle driven back to dealer on 07/14/03, and left with service dept.. i had just paid $757.80 for repairs and 24 hrs later the vehicle was doing the same thing. approx 1hr after i left the dealership, they called to inform me that the water pump was now gone and needed replacement. complaint made to oldmobile customer service but no action taken. the vehilce had 63000 miles and service as required. this problem seems to be a defect from the manufactorer.. when the coolant was low, prior to water pump problem of 07/12/03, the coolant was leaking into the engine. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2001 | 20000 | 1 | 07/15/1999 |
| Engine gaskets failed, which caused coolant to leak into the oil. *jb | |||
| 09/14/2002 | |||
| Consumer experienced head gasket blow out. *mr | |||
| 01/17/2002 | 08/01/1999 | ||
| The lower intake gasket & oil pump drive o-ring seal is leaking coolant internal & is mixing with oil, engine will need to be replaced. this car is only 2 1/2 yrs old, the intake gasket and o-ring seal should not leak fluid; this must be a manufacturer's defect. i have taken the car in for service (fitzgerald auto mall- maryland) consistently. .... idlerpulley - i had the serpentine belt replaced in nov 2001(113.38). in february while driving on the interstate all of car systems began to fail. once the alternator was drained dry and the car coolant, the battery died, because the serpentine belt came off. after two hours in the rain we were able to get the belt back on and i took the car to the dealership the following day. the dealership discovered the idler pulley bearing was loose and needed to be replaced...this cost $117.47. the dealership would not pay claim any liability, because it had been two months since they had replaced ther serpentine belt and felt anything could of happened since november. i am sure it is not common for an idler pulley bearing to become loose, this may be a manufacturer's defect. thank you. *ak | |||
| 03/20/2001 | 1 | 10/10/2000 | |
| Consumer states head gasket was replaced at 50,000 miles.*jb | |||
| 06/15/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1999 | |
| The oil pan gasket and the intake gasket were replaced failure causing leakage. *mjs | |||
| 04/24/2000 | 10 | 04/01/2000 | |
| I purchased my 1999 oldsmobile alero on 4/20/00. four days later, the car overheated. it overheated approximentley 10-12 times after that, each time with me bringing it back to the selling dealership to fix the problem. each time i took the car back, something in the engine was replaced and i was told it was ok. no more than 5 miles down the road, the car would overheat. it seemed to be a mystery to everbody. finally, i suggested to the dealership to possibly change the thermostat. they did and that ended the overheating problem. now, a month later, the factory warranty is up- so olds wont help me, the dealerships warranty is up, so they wont help - they blame olds. i do have an extended warranty, but i dont think it covers a lot of the repairs that need to be done. ive already had to pay $250 before it totally broke down. and besides this has been going on since i got the car when it was within the bumper to bumper. the engine will not hold antifreeze (been going on for about 2 week), we put it in and 5 min. down the road its gone! its started overheating again, and right now is totally undrivable!! i have to use my works company car (lucky they are so nice) to get back and forth to work with. i bought a 1999 so that i would have a reliable car that i could trust to not give me these kinds of drastic problems! - so bad that it doesnt even work anymore!! i have been on the phone with oldsmobile numerous times and they are of no help!!! so, i've come to my last straw, ive gone to a consumer lawyer to help me figure this mess out...oh yeah, did i mention that i am a 20 year old female - what do i know??? - i have saved all of my receipts, have pics, and a file with olds. someone has to do something!! i want revenge and to be compensated for this!!! and the way the lawyer talks, i cant sue unless they dont contact me when they recieve the letter of demand to fix the car. but obviously they will. i want more than that. im ready for a battle!!*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 12/10/2004 | 35800 | 1 | 11/19/1998 |
| Discovered during a vehicle inspection that oil was leaking around the upper part of the engine...near the head and intake manifold area. plus have been smelling burning oil through the ventilation system...occasionally. at the time, vehicle was no longer under manufacture warranty...contact manufacture for assistance, but assistance was denied. | |||
| 12/06/2004 | 68000 | 1 | 07/23/2002 |
| Engine coolant leak onto engine block and transmission housing. intake manifold gasket needed to be replaced. oldsmobile dealership stated that this was a common problem with the 3400 v6 engine. *jb | |||
| 01/02/2004 | 48536 | 1 | 03/12/2003 |
| Car overheated. had to have it towed. rear of intake manifold was found to be leaking. intake manifold gaskets had to be replaced. *cb | |||
| 01/21/2003 | 2 | 07/11/2002 | |
| We purchased this car in july 2002 from classic chevrolet in owasso, ok. we also purchased an extended warranty. in december the car was hit from the rear by a hit and run driver. in january the engine began to knock. i called the warranty place and got permission to take it to a mechanic, he said it was the intake manifold gasket, replaced it when it still knocked he said it would take awhile for all the water to get out of the engine. we took it back, and got a run around for 4 weeks, finally called the warranty place told them he wasn't getting it fixed and requested permission to take it to a different shop. granted then when they found out it needed a new engine they refused to pay for it, said they would only contribute a sum of money toward fixing it. i called gmac because they financed the warranty, one person told me that gm should honor the warranty and so i have a call in to a dealer in pittsburgh, ks. we no longer have a gm dealer in our town. my point is that someone needs to make this right and put a new engine in my car at no more expense to me. when i talk to gm i will be letting them know that i found your site and checked it out, and lodged a complaint. i am unsure of the exact date of the incident and since it is 4:15am am unable to call and get it. *nlm | |||
| 02/03/2003 | 79500 | 10/05/2001 | |
| I have a 1999 oldsmobile alero with a 3.4l v6 engine that leaks coolant from the intake manifold gaskets. my dealer is jim muir oldsmobile, who put me in contact with gm customer service. they claim no knowledge of the problem. according to the internet, there are thousands of vehicles with the problem. my father, who works at gm says that at least seven people he knows in his office have had repairs done. gm needs to acknowledge the issue and start fixing them. | |||
| 01/17/2002 | 08/01/1999 | ||
| The lower intake gasket & oil pump drive o-ring seal is leaking coolant internal & is mixing with oil, engine will need to be replaced. this car is only 2 1/2 yrs old, the intake gasket and o-ring seal should not leak fluid; this must be a manufacturer's defect. i have taken the car in for service (fitzgerald auto mall- maryland) consistently. .... idlerpulley - i had the serpentine belt replaced in nov 2001(113.38). in february while driving on the interstate all of car systems began to fail. once the alternator was drained dry and the car coolant, the battery died, because the serpentine belt came off. after two hours in the rain we were able to get the belt back on and i took the car to the dealership the following day. the dealership discovered the idler pulley bearing was loose and needed to be replaced...this cost $117.47. the dealership would not pay claim any liability, because it had been two months since they had replaced ther serpentine belt and felt anything could of happened since november. i am sure it is not common for an idler pulley bearing to become loose, this may be a manufacturer's defect. thank you. *ak | |||
| 43 | 08/03/1999 | ||
| The front brakes and rotors have been replaced twice. the brakes are vibrating again when you try to stop at a higher rate of speed. the check engine light and service engine soon have been on at least 6 times. the fuel injectors have had to be replaced 4 times. | |||
| 10/01/2000 | 1 | 08/01/1999 | |
| Consumer states the check engine light illuminates. dealership repaired. *tt | |||
| 03/27/2000 | 1 | 03/27/2000 | |
| Engine failed and was replaced twice. *jb | |||
| 05/29/2001 | |||
| While traveling at highway speed of 60 mph vehicle shutdown without warning. vehicle was almost involved in a rear end crash, due to this condition. dealer was notified. feel free to provide us with any further details on this matter . *ak | |||
| 1 | 02/01/1999 | ||
| The engine was leaking oil. nlm | |||
| 08/22/1999 | 3 | 02/01/1999 | |
| On three occasions i have driven my car to my destination and when i go to get back in the car it won't start. it have left me stranded each time and a tow truck was called. the dates this happened was 8/22/99, 9/14/99-9/17/99 & 9/22/99-current. the dealership still has my car to this date. they admit that there is a defect which they thought was the fuel pressure regulator because they've had this problem in other alero's, but apparantly that wasn't it. i forgot to add that after the car sits for awhile, it starts back up, so the it won't duplicate itself at the dealership. you never know when this will happen, but i have noticed that it has occurred within 24 hours after filling the tank up with fuel and i told them this because i thought it may have something to do with it not starting up or something in the fuel line was defective. i personally think that the car needs to be recalled. i've only had the car for 5 months and its been in the shop twice. the first time it happened it was on a weekend and the dealership was closed. so far my car has been in the shop cumulative 15 days. i think this is a safety issue because it has left me and my son stranded and i don't know if this has happened to anyone else, but i feel that the consumers need to know this. this is my only means of transportation and i do not feel comfortable in that car any longer and am not taking it back. we have yet to work out a resolution to this problem. please contact the dealership and the manufacturer (general motors) to investigate this problem. this could result in a much more serious problem if the defects aren't detected. i spoke with brent walls, gm factory representative @ 1-800-823-0055 x8174. i have also filed a complaint with oldsmobile 1-800-442-6537 file #990072405 and with the attorney general's office and bbb autoline. please contact me with any suggestions or to discuss this claim. i appreciate any help you can give me. | |||
| 05/09/1999 | 1 | 01/01/1999 | |
| Rear main seal oil leak., oil blowing onto exhaust pipe. *ak. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 119000 | 7 | 12/09/2000 |
| Due to gm defect to date i have had to replace intake manifold gasket, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt and am now looking at replacing gas tank and heater core. . *ak | |||
| 01/17/2002 | 08/01/1999 | ||
| The lower intake gasket & oil pump drive o-ring seal is leaking coolant internal & is mixing with oil, engine will need to be replaced. this car is only 2 1/2 yrs old, the intake gasket and o-ring seal should not leak fluid; this must be a manufacturer's defect. i have taken the car in for service (fitzgerald auto mall- maryland) consistently. .... idlerpulley - i had the serpentine belt replaced in nov 2001(113.38). in february while driving on the interstate all of car systems began to fail. once the alternator was drained dry and the car coolant, the battery died, because the serpentine belt came off. after two hours in the rain we were able to get the belt back on and i took the car to the dealership the following day. the dealership discovered the idler pulley bearing was loose and needed to be replaced...this cost $117.47. the dealership would not pay claim any liability, because it had been two months since they had replaced ther serpentine belt and felt anything could of happened since november. i am sure it is not common for an idler pulley bearing to become loose, this may be a manufacturer's defect. thank you. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 05/10/2006 | 49000 | 15 | 06/14/2000 |
| Locked up ignition switch cruise control fell apart gear shift shifter not secure and slides up the shift.. both oxygen sensors failed all four windows electric motors, and racks have been replaced front end vibration when stopped or parked on incline dash board leather cover came loose and rolled up like a used rug original fuel filter have to be pried out of line and then pieces left had to be removed with needle nose pliers. fuel gauge as never worked. now its running about 4 miles and then quits, sets for 30 minutes and drive another 4 miles then quits. code reader says engine running lean, (problem is 4 to 5 sensors including the injectors could be causing this, no way to tell with replacing them until it runs. the expense of this could be 1000 to 3000 dollars. electric door locks failed , replace switch, only works part of the time. *jb | |||
| 08/09/2004 | 1 | ||
| Oldsmobile alero 1999 the vehicle experienced brake and rotor problems. *sc the alternator failed. the driver's side window regulator failed. the front coils spring failed. the oxygen sensor was replaced. left front abs sensor and hub assembly were replaced. *nm | |||
| 07/01/2002 | 11/01/2099 | ||
| One failed due to the others failure.no safety defect listed. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 01/15/2004 | 60000 | 1 | 05/10/2000 |
| The oldsmobile alero is a pile of crap. since i have had it i have replaced almost everything in the front end. my catalytic converter went out at 70,000 miles, i had a warranty and they didn't fix it. my anti-lock brakes and traction control went out and my cruise control switch hasn't worked since about 60,000 miles. i'm just waiting for the day this car just bursts into flames. *cb | |||
| 04/28/2001 | |||
| While pulling out of parking lot vehicle commenced to smoke severely. vehicle taken to a independent repair shop, and informed that catalytic converter had gone bad and needed to be replaced. feel free to provide us with any further information concerning this matter. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 01/10/2007 | 70000 | 1 | 01/08/2007 |
| 1999 olds alero 70,000 miles and will have to spend over 700 replacing the intake manifold gasket. if we do not repair, will lose engine at over 2500 expense. we have talked to shops and read internet issues predominant on this same issue. gm should do a recall on this vehicle due to so many complaints on this issue. *jb | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 73500 | 1 | |
| 1999 olds. alero 3400 gls. there is a problem with the manifold gasket many people have this problem i think it should be looked into for a safety recall. *nm | |||
| 07/07/2004 | 81198 | 3 | 06/06/2001 |
| My car's coolant light came on the first time about 2 weeks ago. at that time i replaced the coolant that was missing, only to have the light come on again 2 days later. i again replaced the coolant. i could not find any visible leaks under the car. i was driving to the mechanic when my check engine light came on, and the check coolant light came on. the cars tempature gauge was topped out. i had to pull over to the side of a major freeway and call for help. after 2 hours of waiting for a tow truck. the mechanic tells me that the upper and lower intake manifold gaskets need replaced. also, the coolant had leaked into my engine and mixed with the oil causing the engine to miss. i had to have the gaskets replaced with a new version. and also have the engine flushed, an oil change and a coolant flush as well as a coolant change. all of this costing well over $700. apparently, gm has issued a service bulletin related to this issue but has failed to issue a recall on that particular part. my safety should be of some concern to this car manufactuer to say the least! *ak | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| 1999 alero having problems with manifold leaking oil and failed fuel injectors. *mr the front spring had broken suddenly as the vehicle was in motion. the manifold and injector problem occurred within one week. recall #3v473000 and there was a recall for the suspension. *sc *jb | |||
| 06/07/2004 | 1 | 03/31/1999 | |
| A leak in the intake manifold that is allowing coolant and oil to leak into the engine. it costs between $600 - $800 to repair and this is a faulty part in a majority of the gm vehicles. there was a service bulletin dated march 2003 that entails the exact details of the problem, yet gm has not offered its customers any remedies to the problem such as paying for the repair. i have maintained this vehicle with all required service work. i want gm to pay for the repair.*ak | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 119000 | 7 | 12/09/2000 |
| Due to gm defect to date i have had to replace intake manifold gasket, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt and am now looking at replacing gas tank and heater core. . *ak | |||
| 03/15/2004 | 96540 | 5 | 05/08/2003 |
| I bought my alero in may of 2003, and it is not march 2004 and i am replacing the motor. started out with brake problems, then went on to the leather under the windows and on the dash bubbling up in the sun. next, i had coolant/oil leaks at the intake manifold. low trac light came on all the time, low tire pressure light stays on, the fan for the a/c or heat only worked in the 3-5 positions. (it's full blast or nothing.) coolant light frequently came on, transmission fluid vanishes, coolant leaks, yet no one knows where from. the temperature gauge never goes below halfway, and it ran hot a lot. had to replace the coolant cap and overflow resevoir. the gas hand sticks, the speedometer sticks, the leather seats are tearing, had to replace the factory radio because it would not pick up any channels, rear defrost works only when it wants to, and service engine light stayed on about half the time. i took this car to 7 mechanics, had it hooked up to diagnostic computers, had everything checked-yet no one could tell me what was going on. finally, i left the mechanic shop after being told that the car was good to go (which i would never put in the same sentence with alero again.), and it starting skipping. i had it towed, only to find out that i had a cracked block and cracked heads. (new motor needed-final prognosis) my mechanic told me that it would do absolutely no good to put a motor in it because in 2 years-the new motor will do the same! oldsmobile should be ashamed that they would recall a glove box latch, yet not the motor. after reading the reviews that i have read in the past week, i am seeking legal action in regards to this issue. i did not pay $17,000 for a lemon, which is all i got!! don't buy!! buyer beware!! *ak | |||
| 03/05/2003 | 40000 | 1 | 04/02/1999 |
| Gm v6 intake mainfold leak. *ak | |||
| 10/06/2003 | 69000 | 1 | |
| While driving driver noticed smoke coming under the hood. pulled vehicle over and checked. noticed coolant was leaking on the intake manifold. took vehicle to dealership. mechanic had not determine the cause of the leakage.*ak | |||