There are 11 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2003 Oldsmobile Alero in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owned a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH and crossing an intersection, a speeding police vehicle crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle and the front driver's side wheel was bent. The air bags failed to deploy and the contact hit her chest against the steering wheel. Additionally, the left side of the contact' body hit the driver's side window. The contact was knocked unconscious for approximately 30 minutes. The police officers removed the driver's side door and assisted the contact out of the vehicle. The emergency units transported the contact to the hospital, where she spent one night. The contact was then transported to another hospital where she spent two weeks. The contact sustained severe head, collarbone, neck, and back pain. Additionally, the contact sustained chest pain bruises, and a broken left foot. The contact was then sent to a rehabilitation center where she spent one week. The contact was then transported to her residence by emergency units. The contact stated that she had not been able to work properly and she had been depressed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. A police report was filed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLID ON ICE AND CRASHED INTO A LIGHT POLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURY TO THE NECK, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,860.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD, WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. UPDATED 4/15/15*CN
PARTS FOR REPAIR TO THE KEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE AS OF OCT 1, 2014. PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. NO DATE OF PARTS AVAILABILITY COULD BE PROVIDED BY GM. *TR
THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS LIFTING AT THE SIDES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS FAILING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COVERING FOR THE AIR BAG WAS SHIFTING AND THAT 2/3 OF THE COVERING WAS UP IN THE AIR. THE SURFACE WAS NO LONGER SMOOTH. THE CONTACT HAD A SEAMSTRESS INSPECT THE SURFACE. THE SEAMSTRESS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG COULD POTENTIALLY DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
APPROXIMATELY 2 PLUS YEARS AGO MY HORN STOPPED WORKING. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER FROM WHOM I BOUGHT THE CAR. CAR WAS PURCHASED USED, HOWEVER I DID PURCHASE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THE HORN WAS CONNECTED TO AIRBAG MODULE AND THAT THE CONTACTS WERE SHOT. TO GET MY HORN BACK I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE A PERFECTLY GOOD, I HOPE, AIRBAG MODULE AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1100.00. THIS A B.S. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR A NEW AIRBAG MODULE. I AM STILL WITHOUT A HORN. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN HAVING A HORN IS IMPORTANT. IN MY MIND THIS IS SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM? TO ME THIS IS A 'BLATANT' SAFETY HAZARD. WILL MY AIRBAG WORK PROPERLY IF I EVER NEED IT???? *TR
MY PROBLEM IS WITH THE HORN/AIRBAG ASSEMBLY FOR THIS VEHICLE. IT STARTED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. THE HORN, IN COLD WEATHER, HONKS. IT WOULD GO OFF AND CONTINUE IN A CONSTANT HONK (NOT A PULSING HONK) AND WILL NOT STOP UNTIL THE RELAY UNDER THE HOOD IS PULLED. IF THE RELAY IS REPLACED AND THE WEATHER IS STILL COLD IT WOULD GO OFF/HONK WHILE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD. THE WHOLE HORN/AIRBAG ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACE. I REPLACED THE ASSEMBLY 2 YEARS AGO. NOW THE NEW HORN ASSEMBLY GOES OFF EVEN IN WARM WEATHER. SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, GOING DOWN THE ROAD, WHENEVER, CAUSING UN-NEEDED ATTENTION AND DISTRACTING OTHER DRIVERS. THE ONLY SOLUTION HAS BEEN TO TOTALLY DISABLE THE HORN/AIRBAG BY REMOVING THE RELAY UNDER THE HOOD LEAVING ME WITH NO HORN AT ALL. THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT IS OVER $900. MONEY I CAN'T AFFORD TO SPEND WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE THIRD UNIT WON'T DO THE SAME THING AS THE OTHER TWO. WHEN I ENTER A SEARCH ON-LINE THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER ALERO OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO SLID DOWN AN ICE COVERED HILL, STRUCK A TREE AND THE SEAT BELTS RELEASED.*MR THE REAR SEAT BELTS SECURED TWO CHILD SAFETY SEATS, 1 BOOSTER SEAT AND ONE CHILD SEAT, WHICH WERE THROWN ABOUT DURING THE ACCIDENT. BOTH CHILDREN SUSTAINED CONTUSIONS TO THE FOREHEAD. *NM
WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD ON ACCIDENT. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FROM WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL SETTING OFF A FUSE WHICH SHORTED OUT THE AIR BAG MODULE. IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, AIR BAGS MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Sep 8, 2026