2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO Complaints

I PURCHASED A USED 2001 OLDSMOBILE ALERO IN DECEMBER 2003 WITH 41,805 MILES. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR ONLY TWO MONTHS I NOTICED A PUDDLE OF COOLANT UNDER THE CAR, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THAT MY WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT DUE TO IT BEING A GASKET. I ALSO WAS INFORMED THAT MY WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. I LEARNED THROUGH RESEARCH THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES SO I CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO TAKE IT TO A GM DEALER TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED (I PURCHASED IT FROM A HONDA DEALER AND GM WOULDN'T TAKE THEIR DIAGNOSIS) TO SEE IF GM WOULD ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. I TOOK THE CAR TO A GM DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WAS THE LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND WAS TOLD THAT GM WOULD NOT BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT I WOULD OWE THE GM DEALER $30 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST (WHICH GM ALSO DECLINED TO COVER) TO FIND THE PROBLEM; I WAS NEVER TOLD UP FRONT THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME FOR THE TEST AND BASICALLY THE TEST WAS NOT REQUIRED SINCE I (AND GM) ALREADY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WAS TOLD BY THEM TO TAKE IT TO A GM DEALER FOR CONSIDERATION FOR ASSISTANCE. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS (IF NOT THOUSANDS) OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST GM FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND ALSO INTERNAL SERVICE BULLETINS FROM GM INDICATING THAT THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THIS IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR (BETWEEN $800 AND $900 DOLLARS) FOR ONLY OWNING THE CAR FOR TWO MONTHS.*AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT ABOUT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF FRONTAL AIRBAGS WHEN VEHICLE WAS HIT IN FRONT BY A TOYOTA TRUCK. ALSO AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER BEING HIT BY THE TOYOTA TRUCK AND THEN FINALLY HITTING A PARKED FORD MUSTANG HEAD ON. *JB

CONSUMER CAN PULL THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN FOWARD GEAR, THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE IT OUT OF REVERSE , THEN SHIFT IT BACK INTO REVERSE IN ORDER TO BACK OUT. *JB

THE IGNITION LOCK DID NOT FULLY ENGAGE THE LOCK FUNCTION, AND ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED WITHOUT ENGAGING THE "PARK" FUNCTION ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.*AK

WHEN IN DRIVE AND STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CAR ALMOST STALLS OUT. ON TWO OCCASIONS THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED AND DID NOT START THE FIRST TIME. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY TRIED TO SELL ME THE 30,000 MILES SERVICE PACK. I REFUSED TO PAY OVER 300 HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THAT. THEY SAID THEY WOULD CHECK THE CAR AGAIN AND CALLED ME BACK TO LET ME KNOW THAT IT LOOKED LIKE MY FUEL INJECTORS WERE A LITTLE CLOGGED. SO I HAD THE FUEL INJECTION CLEANING DONE. WELL THE CAR STILL RUNS THE SAME, ALMOST STALLING AND IT SEEMS WORSE. I CALLED THE DEALSHIP AND TOLD THEM AND THEY JUST GAVE MEAN ANSWER,"BRING IT IN". SO MY PROBLEM STILL IS NOT RESOLVED. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON THE CATALYIC CONVERTER.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TURN/START THE VEHICLE DUE TO IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY CAR IS A 2001, IT HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN , LUCKILY THE BLINKER, FLASHER ISSUE IS BEING RECALLED. MY CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THESE CARS. MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TOO. WHEN I TRY TO ROLL IT DOWN, IT WILL PULL DOWN THE ENGINE AND MY LIGHTS WILL DIM VERY LOW.( EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS.) MY BACK SPEAKERS ALSO WORK WHENEVER THEY WANT TO. I AM NOT ONE TO LISTEN TO LOUD MUSIC, BUT IT'S PRETTY BAD WHEN ONLY THE FRONT SPEAKERS WORK. I BELIEVE THESE CARS NEED TO BE REWIRED. THE LATEST PROBLEM HAPPENED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. THE TRANSMISSION LEVER BUTTON COMPLETELY BROKE OFF. LUCKILY THE BUTTON IS STILL "LITERALLY" HANGING IN THERE ,BUT IF IT FALLS OUT AND GETS LOST THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO PUT MY CAR INTO GEAR OR OUT OF GEAR FOR THAT MATTER. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE BUTTON TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. THE DEALER WHOM I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM IS NOT WILLING TO HELP AT ALL WITH ANY OF THE SITUATIONS WITH MY CAR. HOW CAN CONSUMERS PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM COMPANIES WHO DO NOT STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS. WE PAY GOOD MONEY FOR OUR VEHICLES AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH. OUR LIVES BEING IN DANGER. *AK

LEFT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR SHORTED OUT. *PH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON THE CHECK ENGINE, ABS AND TRACTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR SHORTED OUT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT HUB KIT AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. LESS THAN A YEAR LATER THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR SHORTED OUT. THE CONSUMER WAS ONCE AGAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1601.05 FOR BOTH REPAIRS. (NAR)

SINCE MY PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE IN OCTOBER OF 2003, I HAVE BEEN DISABLED NUMEROUS TIMES. ENGINE JUST QUITS. LOW TRAC LIGHT COMES ON AND ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP NUMBER OF TIMES AND THEY SAY NOTHING IS WRONG. I DO PLENTY OF THRUWAY DRIVING AND NOW COASTING OFF TO THE SIDES. ALSO BRAKES GRIND WHEN IT IS WET OUTSIDE.*AK

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP'S MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVE. *NM