2000 Oldsmobile Alero Brakes Problems

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THIS CAR THE BACKSEATS WERE NOT ATTACHED TO THE CAR. THE DASHBOARD IS PEALING UP ALL THE WAY AND THE PAINT IS GONE FROM MY GEAR SHIFT. BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE DRIVER SIDE I HAD TO GET FIXED FOR INSPECTION COST ABOUT $300. TIRES AND BRAKES NEED REPLACED CONSTANTLY. LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIGHT UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON. BLINKERS DON'T WORK MOST OF THE TIME AND WHEN THEY DO IT IS THIS HORRIBLE LOUD CLICKING NOISE. CD PLAYER/RADIO STOP WORKING RANDOMLY. AC ONLY WORKS ON 3RD SETTING. REAR DEFROST DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. FOG LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN ON AND BULBS ARE BRAND NEW. TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN WITH BUTTON FROM INSIDE CAR OR KEYLESS ENTRY. MY TRUNK RANDOMLY COMES OPEN FOR NO REASON AND ONCE WOULD NOT LATCH TO SHUT FOR A FEW DAYS BUT THEN RANDOMLY LATCHED SHUT. CAR LEAKS WATER IN THE FRONT AND BACK. RECENTLY MY CAR WON'T START EVERYTIME IT RAINS. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO PLACE AND THEY RAN IT THROUGH THE COMPUTER AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. NOW IT'S AT A WINDSHEILD PLACE BECAUSE THE MECHANIC SAYS ITS LEAKING WATER INTO FUSE BOX. GLASS PLACE IS SAYING THAT IS NOT IT EITHER. I AM AT MY WITS END. IT DRIES OUT AND WILL START AND AS SOON AS IT RAINS WILL NOT START. I DON'T WANT TO PAY ANOTHER MECHANIC TO HAVE THIS FIXED. I SEE WHERE OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT FUSES AND WATERS LEAKS. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TWICE IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS AND HAD $600 WORTH OF WORK DONE ON MY CAR. I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW CAR. I'M VERY AGGITATED THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS CAR AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. I EVEN COMPLAINED TO THE BBB ABOUT THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM TO NO AVAIL. WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE? *TR

I HAVE AN 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO WHICH IS A PIECE OF CRAP SINCE I FIRST BROUGHT IT HOME. I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE BRAKES ABOUT 7 TIMES!!! I HAVE ALSO HAD TO FIX ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE STATED IN THE RECALLS. I FIXED THE RECALL PROBLEMS BEFORE THERE EVEN WAS ANY RECALLS BECAUSE GM WOULD NOT HELP ME. THEN LATER I WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALLS. NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS SHOT!! THE ETS SYSTEM IS NOT ALLOWING THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT PROPERLY. WE FOUND A BOLT LAYING IN THE TRANSMISSION PAN WHEN WE FIRST SERVICED IT. IN THE BEGINNING WE THOUGHT WE ONLY NEEDED A TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGE BUT COME TO FIND OUT THAT BOLT THAT WAS IN OUR TRANSMISSION PAN FILTERED THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION ALLOWING SOMETHING TO BECOME LOOSE IN THE TRANSMISSION MAKING IT SHIFT VERY HARD. WE HAD 2 MECHANICS LOOK AT IT AND BOTH AGREED THAT WE NEEDED TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS BUT EVEN IN THE BEGINNING OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE THINGS STARTED TO GO WRONG. NOW OLDSMOBILE IS OUT OF BUSINESS AND GM/OLDSMOBILE WONT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME WHICH IS TYPICAL OF GM. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH GM ABOUT 5 TIMES NOW AND THEY JUST KEEP TELLING ME THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER. BASICALLY I'M OUT OF LUCK. NOW IT WILL COST 2000.00 TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION AND I DO NOT HAVE THAT. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A GM VEHICLE EVER AGAIN. I THINK THAT A FOREIGN CAR LIKE HONDA OR NISSAN WOULD BE MORE RELIABLE AND WONT BE A PIECE OF JUNK THAT ISN'T EVEN WORTH 100.00. PLEASE HELP ME I NEED A VEHICLE FOR WORK. *NM

BRAKES PULSATE VERY BAD. I HAD FRONT ROTORS REPLACED APPROX. 6,000 MILES AGO AS WELL AS PADS AND PULSATION IS BACK. MECHANIC STATES THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH ALEROS...*

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING 35 OR 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKES, ROTOR, AND CALIPER; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,083 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,600.

I HAVE A 2000 OLDS ALERO AND JUST HAD A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF FRONT ROTORS BECAUSE OF "PULSATION" FEELING IN BRAKE PEDAL..I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT MY ROTORS NEEDED REPLACING AND THAT ALERO'S WERE NOTORIOUS FOR FAST-WEARING ROTORS. I REPLACED THEM BUT NOW AFTER ONLY 4,000 MILES THE PULSATION IS BACK. NOW THE MECHANIC/DEALER IS TELLING ME THAT IT IS A KNOWN ALERO DEFECT..I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO KEEP PAYING FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY A DEALER ISSUE... *NM

ON MARCH 3, 2005 MY 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO GL V6/3.4L WOULD NOT START. ON MARCH 4, 2005, ALL 3 DISTRIBUTOR COILS WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS ALL 6 SPARK PLUGS. THE CAR WORKED FINE UNTIL MARCH 7, 2005 WHEN WHILE DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, THE CAR SHUT DOWN. IT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I COULD NOT GET IT TO START AGAIN. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE CAR SEEMS TO TRY TO START BUT IS UNSUCCESSFUL. IN MY ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH NO KNOWN RESOLUTION FOR OTHER OWNERS OF THE ALERO. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER THE WINDOW FELL INTO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, ON OCTOBER 19, 2004, I HAD THE MECHANISM FOR THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REPLACED. IN DECEMBER 2004, THE SAME WINDOW FAILED TO WORK AT ALL. I HAVE NOT HAD IT FIXED AGAIN. THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AFTER A SUDDEN COOLANT LEAK COMPLETELY DEPLETING THE SYSTEM IN NOVEMBER 2003, AND THE SAME SITUATION OCCURED AGAIN REQUIRING THE WATER PUMP TO BE REPLACED AGAIN IN FEBRUARY 2005, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER. ONE OF THE CIGARETTE LIGHTERS STOPPED WORKING IN JUNE 2004. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT, TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT, AND COOLANT LIGHT COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO APPARENT PROBLEM. THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT IS TOUCH AND GO, MEANING IF I TOUCH THE CASE, IT MAY OR MAY NOT GO ON OR OFF. THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT ON MY ONE HAND IN THE NEARLY 3 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED IT. THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WOULD STOP FUNCTIONING AND BUZZ HIDEOUSLY UNTIL I PRESSED THE HAZARD BUTTON. WATER HAS COLLECTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOORBOARD AND IN THE TRUNK FROM SEAL FAILURE. THE ENGINE SEEMS TO BURN OIL QUICKLY. *AK

APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED IN MY 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THIS YEAR I AM REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN. THE COST OF EACH REPLACEMENT WITH LABOR IS APPROXIMATELY $600.00 IF YOU RUN AN INTERNET SEARCH FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ALERO, YOU WILL FIND THAT TWO COMMON PROBLEMS EXIST FOR THE ALERO. ONE IS BRAKE PROBLEMS (A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE) AND THE OTHER BEING FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS. HOW LONG WILL IT BE (OR HAS ALREADY HAPPENED) BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED BY A SITUATION WHERE THE FUEL PUMP FAILS WHILE DRIVING CAUSING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER THEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE CAR ONLY TO FIND THE BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, RESULTING IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION? GM SHOULD STEP UP AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE DEFECTS.*AK

UNUSUAL WEARING & PULSATION OF FRONT BRAKES ON CAR; REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 41,000 MILES. 1) REPLACED ROTORS & PADS AT 7000 MI. AT OLDS DEALER-NO CHARGE. 2) 28,000 MI. SAME PROBLEM; WORK DONE BY ESTES CHEVY INDIANAPOLIS. GM SERVICE CTR. PAID 1/2. 3) AT 41,000 MILES, SAME PROBLEM. TOOK TO CAR-X FOR OPINION; EST. OF $283.00 TO FIX THE PADS & ROTORS; CALIPERS OK. TOOK CAR TO ESTES. THEY SAID A BAD CALIPER CAUSED BRAKES & ROTORS TO WEAR & ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY SUGGESTED OWNER "RACED THE CAR" - UNTRUE. ESTES GAVE ESTIMATE OF $1000 & SAID TO CALL GM SVC. CTR. GM CUSTOMER SVC REP, MAURA SAID GM WOULD PAY 1/2 THE COST. I TOLD HER THAT WAS NOT OK; THEY HAVE BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH ALEROS & HAVE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES CAUSING A PRODUCT LIABILITY & SAFETY CONCERN. MAURA REFUSED TO GIVE US THE OLD PARTS ON THE CAR IF WE HAD ESTES DO REPAIR WORK, SAYING GM WANTED THEM. SHE SAID ESTES' ESTIMATE WAS $863, DIFFERENT THAN MY QUOTE. I ASKED MAURA TO SEND E-MAIL OR FAX WITH GM OFFER & SHE TOLD ME SHE DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A FAX OR EMAIL. SHE ASKED IF I WOULD GIVE MAINTANENCE DOCUMENTATION. I TOLD MAURA THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BRAKES, AND I WANTED TO TALK TO HER SUPERVISOR. SHE REFUSED, SAYING SHE DOES NOT HAVE A SUPERVISOR. I TOLD HER TO CALL ESTES' SERVICE MGR; WE DID NOT WANT ESTES TO FIX IT. I HAD RESEARCHED BRAKE PROBLEMS ON ALEROS ON WEB; THERE ARE SITES DEVOTED TO THIS. WE PICKED UP THE CAR FROM ESTES, TOOK IT TO CAR-X TO FIX, & HAD THEM CHECK THE CALIPERS. COST WAS $284.00 FOR ROTORS AND PADS; THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG W/CALIPER; THEY WILL CHECK THE PADS EVERY 6 MOS . THEY GAVE US OUR OLD PARTS TO KEEP. THEY STATED GM ROTORS WERE THIN METAL; BRAKE PADS WERE GRINDING INTO THEM. THE VALUE OF THE CAR IS LESS THAN LOAN, BECAUSE OF POOR QUALITY OF THE CAR, SO WE ARE OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ESTES LIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM, OVERCHARGED, AND GM REFUSED TO GIVE US THE PARTS OFF OUR OWN CAR. GM & ESTES COLLUDED IN EVALUATING THE CAR. *AK

THIS CAR HAS HAD THREE SETS OF BRAKES PUT ON IT AND NOW AT 45780 MILES IS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER SET. I KNOW THE PREVIOUS OWNER WELL AND KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE ESPECIALLY. THE BRAKES ARE EITHER OF SUBSTANDARD DESIGN OR USED INFERIOR QUALITY MATERIALS IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE ROTORS ARE JUNK. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT SAFE IN A SUDDEN EMERGENCY STOPPING SITUATION.

REGARDING 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO - INTERMITTENT FAILURE/ MALFUNCTION OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL WHILE BRAKING TO A STOP.UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD APPEAR TO WORK FINE. THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, INDICATED BY THE "LOW TRAC" LIGHT MAY OR MAY NOT BE LIT, INDICATING A PROBLEM. SHORTLY AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND WHILE BRAKING TO A STOP, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM SEEMS TO SENSE A SLIPPERY ROAD AND ACTIVATES THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO DISENGAGE AND THEN SLOWLY RE-ENGAGE, AS IF STOPPING ON SLIPPERY PAVEMENT. HOWEVER, THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON DRY, NORMAL PAVEMENT AT NORMAL SPEED AND STOPS. HAVING THE BRAKES DISENGAGE WHILE BRAKING TO A STOP INCREASES THE NEEDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO EITHER TURN TO AVOID A COLLISION OR USE THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP. NOTE THAT THE THE RED BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT IS NOT ON DURING THIS CONDITION. AFTER STOPPING, THE AMBER "ANTI-LOCK", "TRAC OFF", AND "SERVICE VEHICLE SOON" LIGHTS ARE LIT AND THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO DEACTIVATE THE ANTI-LOCK AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP. THE BRAKES THEN WORK FINE, WITH THESE SYSTEMS DEACTIVATED. *AK

THIS IS THE THIRD BRAKE JOB , GOT CAR WITH 30,000 MILES HAD IT TWO YEARS - HAVE REPLACED BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS--CAR NOW HAS 55,000 MILES. HAVE REPLACED DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW CONTROL SWITCH AND NOW ITS IN FOR THE DOOR LATCH FAILURE. EVER DRIVEN 30 MILES TO GET TO A DEALER WITH YOUR DOOR BUNGIE CORDED SHUT IF THAT IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM WHAT IS ?? THAT IS THE DRIVERS DOOR BY THE WAY. I HAVE MOST DEFINITELY LOST FAITH IN GM. MY NEXT VEHICLE MAY VERY WELL BE A HYUNDAI ACCENT, THEY HAVE ONLY ONE PAGE OF PROBLEMS AND THEY PROVIDE A WARRANTY. *JB

BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, AND FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. CONSUMER RECENTLY LEARNED THE FRONT BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. (NAR) *PH *CB

CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON; HAD PROB FIXED BEFORE MECHANIC SAID A WIRE WAS LAYING ON MANIFOLD, REPOSITIONED AND TIGHTENED BUT PROB IS OCCURING AGAIN; SERVICE VEHICLE LIGHT STAYS ON ALONG WITH TRAC OFF LIGHT; CAR ENGINE PRESUR IS DECREASED AND MAKES NOISES AND WHEN TURNING WHEELS LEFT OR RIGHT THERE IS A SOUND LIKE RUBBER RUNNING TOGETHER; PADS HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY 6 MONTHS AND RORTORS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TWICE.*AK

COOLANT LEAKING FROM ENGINE AREA, TOLD INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS NEEDED REPLACING. 3.4L ENGINE

FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND RE-TURNED TWICE. ALL WERE HIGHEST QUALITY NAPA ROTORS AVAILABLE WITH CERAMIC PADS. BURNED THROUGH CERAMIC PADS AS WELL! CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW AS BRAKING SYSTEM IS UNDERSIZED FOR WEIGHT OF CAR. *LA

MY PROBLEM IS LIKE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED HERE. THE BRAKES! I AM CONTINUALLY HAVE THEM SERVICED. EVERY SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN MY CAR THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IT IS JUST GETTING WORSE AS TIME GOES ON. I JUST GOT MY 3RD SET OF BRAKES IN UNDER A YEAR PUT ON TWO DAYS AGO. THE DEALER SAYS BRAKE WEAR IS NORMAL, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. NOTHING WRONG, EXPLAIN TO ME WHO HAS TO REPLACE BRAKES THIS OFTEN? I LIVE IN WISCONSIN, SO ITS NOT LIKE I HAVE HARD BRAKING OR LOTS OF HILLS ETC. MY BRAKES PULSATE, MAKE FUNNY NOISES AND THEY WEAR DOWN CROOKED. I HAVE CALLED OLDSMOBILE ONLY TO BE GIVEN A RUN AROUND. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS IDENTICAL TO MINE, WHEN IS OLDSMOBLE/ GM GOING TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING A FAULTY PRODUCT????? *JB

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHAKES OR PULSATES. REPLACED PADS. MINIMAL CHANGE. FOUND REPORT ADVISING COMMON PROBLEM AND ROTORS AND HUBS MUST ALSO BE REPLACED. *JB

THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN OUT AT 41,944 MILES FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED & THE PADS REPLACED. THE BRAKE REPAIR LASTED ONLY 12,296 MILES ( THIS WAS 296 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY) WHEN I WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN & THE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OF COURSE THIS IS "NORMAL WEAR" THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TWICE FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIR. AFTER FINDING THE TSB REPORTS, I FEEL THE ROTORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. SINCE READING THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS COVERING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS ON THE BRAKES OF THIS VEHICLE, I FEAR THE BRAKES MAY FAIL WITH OUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING. WHAT WILL IT TAKE & HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE THE NHTSA FORCES GM TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THE BRAKES?! *JB

BREAKS ON OUR 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO HAVE BEEN CHECKED/FIXED 3 TIMES IN 39000 MILES. IN AUG 2002 NEW FRONT ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED AT 31810 MILES. IN JULY 2003 AT 39448 MILES FRONT INSIDE PADS WERE OVER 50 % WORN AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TURNING. BACK BRAKES ALSO NEEDED REPARE. THIS LAST INSTANCE ONLY HAD 7638 MILES ON THE 'NEW' ROTORS AND PADS.THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND ONE THAT THE CUSTOMER MUST SWALLOW HUGE REPAIR BILLS EVERY 8,000-10,000 MILES, WELL OUT OF THE NORMAL RANGE.*AK NHTSA MUST DO SOMETHING TO FORCE GM TO CORRECT THE ISSUE BEFORE A LOSE OF LIFE HAPPENS AND TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS WITH HUGE COST IN BREAK REPAIRS.

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR A CHECK UP TIRE PRESSURE WAS NOT CHECKED. BRAKES WERE REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE TWICE WITHIN 20000 MILES, AND THE WHEELS HAD CRACKS. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE INFORMED OF THIS WITH NO REMEDY.*AK