1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO Complaints

WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

TURN SIGNALS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. DEALER REPLACED THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH. *AK CONSUMER EXPERIENCE THE SAME FAILURE AS STATED IN RECALL FOR MODEL YEARS 2000-2003 BUT HIS VEHICLE IS A 1999. OLDSMOBILE WOULDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE NOR REIMBURSE FOR REPAIRS. OLD PART AVAILABLE. *PH

TURN SIGNAL INTERMITTENTLY DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACED THE HAZARD SWITCH.*AK AFTER REPAIR WAS MADE, CONSUMER LEARNED OF A RECALL FOR 2000-2001 MODEL YEARS FOR THE SAME DEFECT. HE BELIEVES GM SHOULD REIMBURSE HIM FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. *PH

DEFECTIVE DESIGN/LOCATION OF HOOD LATCH MECHANISM CAUSED TOTAL FAILURE OF HOOD LATCH AND RELEASE OF HOOD (RAISING HOOD INTO THE AIR AND TEARING IT OFF THE HINGES) DURING A LOW SPEED FRONT END IMPACT INTO A STANDARD INTERSTATE HIGHWAY METAL GUARD RAIL. THE DESIGN OF THE "NOSE" TRIM OF THE CAR IS SUCH THAT WHEN THE "NOSE" TRIM IS PRESSED DOWN AND BACK BY A LOW SPEED DIRECT IMPACT INTO A STANDARD HIGHWAY GUARD RAIL, THE PLASTIC "NOSE" TRIM PUSHES THE HOOD LATCH RELEASE LEVER DOWN AND BACK, WHICH IN TURN RELEASES THE HOOD--INSTEAD OF SECURING IT. THE LOW SPEED IMPACT, WHICH DAMAGED ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND DID NOT EVEN BREAK THE GRILL, RELEASED THE HOOD, SENDING IT ALOFT, BLINDING THE DRIVER'S LINE OF SIGHT, AND RESULTING IN THE WIND TEARING OFF THE HOOD AND UNLEASHING IT AS A POTENTIAL MISSILE ON THE HIGHWAY. PROPER DESIGN (OF THE TRIM IN RELATION TO THE LATCH) SHOULD FORCE THE HOOD TO LOCK DOWN DURING AN IMPACT, INSTEAD OF RELEASING IT. IMPROPER DESIGN OF THE HOOD HINGES ALSO PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE HOOD TEARING AWAY INSTEAD OF BEING RETAINED/TRAPPED DURING THE ACCIDENT. I MUST EMPHASIZE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED, THE BUMPER WAS NOT DAMAGED, THE GRILL WAS NOT DAMAGED--BUT THE NOSE TRIM STILL WAS ABLE TO RELEASE THE HOOD LATCH WITH MINIMAL FORCE REQUIRED. *LA

I'M EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT IS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 03V327000. SPECIFICALLY, MY VEHICLE'S HAZARD-LIGHT SWITCHES MALFUNCTION WHEN THERE IS A TEMPERATURE CHANGE IN THE VEHICLE CAUSING MY TURN SIGNALS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL. I CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE I HAVE A 1999 ALERO, THAT MODEL YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED AND THEREFORE, THEY WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THIS PROBLEM FREQUENTLY PUTS ME IN HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS DUE TO TURN SIGNALS NOT WORKING AT TIMES.*AK

POWER STEERING FLUID RETURN LINE LEAKED AND LOST ALL FLUID, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. CONNECTION FROM METAL HOSE TO REINFORCED RUBBER HOSE HAD FAILED. *LA

THE FRONT LEFT ROTORS AND PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 55,000 MILES. THE FRONT LEFT HUB ASSEMBLY WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE PROBLEM HAPPENED SO FREQUENTLY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

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

REPLACED THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL BEARING IN JUNE OF 2002. WHEEL BEARING IS GOING OUT AGAIN AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 30,000 MILES. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW HAD AN OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE THAT HE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVERS WHEEL BEARING ON TWICE BEFORE GETTING RID OF THE CAR. *LA

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