There are 5 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2003 Oldsmobile Alero in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HWY AT 55MPH AND MY CAR DIED I HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF ROAD LUCKY I DIDN'T GET IN A WRECK IT HAS HAPPEN 2 TIMES SO FAR AFTER SITTING ON THE SIDE ROAD FOR 20 MINUTES IT STARTED BACK UP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE SECURITY SYSTEM CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL REPEATEDLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR SPORADICALLY AND OFTENTIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART IMMEDIATELY AND OTHER TIMES IT WOULD NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE FUSE BOX YET THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN THE WEEK. THE FUEL PUMP WAS THEN REPLACED AND THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,527.
THE OLDS ALERO HAS A DEFECTIVE PASSLOCK THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM. IT SHOWS UP WHEN YOU INSERT YOUR KEY IN THE IGNITION, TURN IT, HEAR THE ENGINE CRANKING, ONLY TO FAIL TO START. THE DASHBOARD'S RED WARNING LIGHT, SECURITY, FLASHES ON AND OFF. IT BELIEVES IT IS BEING STOLEN, THUS SHUTTING OFF THE GAS TO THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM ACTUALLY STATED 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT MY CAR, WHICH I PURCHASE USED FROM A DEALER, I BELIEVE IM THE 2ND OWER. THIS ISSURE HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE EVERY 3 WEEKS OR SO. MY DAD ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY CONTACTS BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOSE, SO HE TIGHTENED THEM UP, THEN IT TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THE ANOTHER STRANGE ISSUE CAME UP, ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, AS MY CAR SAT IN PARK FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, JUST OUT OF THE BLUE THE HORN STARTED TO "BLOW" LIKE THE ALARM WAS SET OFF, BUT THE LIGHTS WERE NOT FLASHING SO IT WASNT THAT, ABOUT 20 MINUTES IT DID THIS TIL IT BLEW THE FUSE FOR THE HORN. AND NOW IM WITHOUT A HORN IN MY CAR, WHICH IS NOT VERY SAFE. SO I CHANGED THE FUSED, THE HORN WORKED FOR 1 DAY, THEN BLEW AGAIN, I CHANGED THE ACTUAL HORN AND ANOTHER FUSE, AND JUST 3 DAYS AGO, I HEARD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, MY HORN GOING OFF AGAIN FOR NO REASON, AND THE FUSE BLEW AGAIN, DRIVING WITH NO HORN. SO IM DRIVING MY CAR THAT HAS THIS ANTI-THEFT FEATURE AND I DONT KNOW IF ITS WORKING FROM 1 DAY TO THE NEXT, THE SECURITY LIGHTS STAYS ON MY DASHBOARD SO I KNOW SOMETHING IS APPARENTLY WRONG WITH IT, USUALLY THAT WHEN I KNOW, MY CAR WILL NOT START WHEN I SEE THAT LIGHT COME ON AND I HAVE TO DO THE TRICK WITH SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE IGNIGTION ON FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE STARTING IT. I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND HUNDRED OF PEOPLE THT ARE, CONTACTED GM AND OLDS CORP, THEY SAY THERE IS NOT RECALL ON THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHNG WRONG WITH IT. SOMETHING HAS TO BE FOR ALL THE CUSTOMERS TO BE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND APPARENTLY IS HAS BEEN GOIN ON FOR YEARS AND THEY WONT HELP.
VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THREE OCCASIONS. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTER TURNING OVER. THREE REPAIR SHOPS COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BUT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. MANY IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE (I.E., CARCOMPLAINTS.COM) AND EVERYTHING FROM REPLACING THE FUEL PUMPS, RELAY SWITCHES, BATTERIES, ANTI-THEFT SYSTEMS TO WASHING OUT THE FUEL TANK HAS BEEN TRIED TO KNOW AVAIL. THE SHOP CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AND IT WILL BE HARD TO SELL THE CAR HONESTLY WITH THE PROBLEMS IT HAS. THERE IS A MASS OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL FROM THE FACTORY, AND ALTHOUGH I DOUBT IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE, I AM ONE MORE PERSON IN THAT MASS. *TR
FUEL PUMP AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM. *TR
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