1999 Oldsmobile Alero

THE MAKE : OLDSMOBILE MODEL : ALERO YEAR : 1999 MANUFACTURER : GENERAL MOTORS CORP. MILEAGE: 62,000 MILES PROBLEM: ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK - DEXCOOL I, LIKE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND OTHER GM OWNERS, AM EXPERIENCING A LEAKING ENGINE DUE TO THE DEXCOOL COOLANT USED IN THE RADIATOR. THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NOT BEING SEALED CORRECTLY TO HOUSE THE CORROSIVE COOLANT. (I'VE BEEN TOLD BY BOTH MY MECHANIC AND THE DEALER THAT THIS EFFECTS ALL 3.0L SERIES ENGINES IN GM VEHICLES FROM THE YEARS 1998 - 2003.) I ONLY REALIZED MY PROBLEM AFTER MY FRIEND (WITH THE EXACT SAME MODEL CAR AND YEAR) HAD HIS HEAD GASKET BLOWN OFF DUE TO THE ENGINE COOLANT MIXING WITH THE OIL. TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: $750. RISK OF ACCIDENT IF CAR'S ENGINE BLOWS IN TRAFFIC. *JB

IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS THREE OUT OF 4 WINDOWS ON MY VEHICLE ARE NOW HELD UP WITH DUCT TAPE SO THAT THEY DON'T FALL INTO THE CHANNEL AND I CAN'T GET THEM UP. LUCKILY, ONLY ONE OF THEM MANAGED TO DO THAT AND A FRIEND MANAGED TO GET IT BACK UP FOR ME. THAT OCCURRED AT THE END OF JANUARY 2006. I COULD UNDERSTAND ONE- MAYBE- BUT THREE!!! NO. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I SUSPECT THE ONLY REASON THAT MY ONE WORKING WINDOW, THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE, IS STILL WORKING IS BECAUSE I HAVEN'T TRIED TO PUT IT DOWN- OR THE RESULT WOULD BE THE SAME. I AM SURE THAT IS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR, SO I GUESS I'LL GO WITH THE DUCT TAPE FOR A WHILE. I HAVE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, THE GASKETS ON THAT WERE REPLACED IN JANUARY, 2006. I WAS LOSING ANTIFREEZE FROM THE OVERFLOW TANK, AND HAVING TO FILL IT EVERY DAY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY FOUND THE WATER PUMP LEAKING AND THE INTAKE GASKETS LEAKING. THEY WERE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. AND... THE INTERMITTENT TURN SIGNAL IS ALSO A PROBLEM. THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THAT, LIKE YOU DID FOR THE 2000- 2001 VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. THE INTERIOR TRIM ON THIS VEHICLE IS SHODDY, AND THAT IS BEING KIND. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW WITH 23 MILES ON IT WHEN WE GOT IT TO OUR HOUSE IN JUNE, 1999. IN LESS THAN A YEAR A DOOR PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD COME APART. THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN PEELING FOR ABOUT 11/2 YEARS BECAUSE THEY USED CHEAP GLUE TO HOLD THE COVERING ON THE PLASTIC. I REALIZE THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT COSMETIC, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING: I CHECK EVERY ALERO I SEE IN A PARKING LOT AND THERE ARE A LOT WITH PEELING DASHBOARDS. GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THAT- THEY CAUSED THE PROBLEM. GM CAUSED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS ON THIS VEHICLE BY DOING IT ON THE CHEAP. IT IS VERY COSTLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THEM, AND IT SHOULDN'T BE. I DON'T MIND PAYING FOR ROUTINE REPAIRS, I EXPECT THAT, BUT THESE PROBLEMS ARE NOT "ROUTINE".*NM

LOCKED UP IGNITION SWITCH CRUISE CONTROL FELL APART GEAR SHIFT SHIFTER NOT SECURE AND SLIDES UP THE SHIFT.. BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS FAILED ALL FOUR WINDOWS ELECTRIC MOTORS, AND RACKS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FRONT END VIBRATION WHEN STOPPED OR PARKED ON INCLINE DASH BOARD LEATHER COVER CAME LOOSE AND ROLLED UP LIKE A USED RUG ORIGINAL FUEL FILTER HAVE TO BE PRIED OUT OF LINE AND THEN PIECES LEFT HAD TO BE REMOVED WITH NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS. FUEL GAUGE AS NEVER WORKED. NOW ITS RUNNING ABOUT 4 MILES AND THEN QUITS, SETS FOR 30 MINUTES AND DRIVE ANOTHER 4 MILES THEN QUITS. CODE READER SAYS ENGINE RUNNING LEAN, (PROBLEM IS 4 TO 5 SENSORS INCLUDING THE INJECTORS COULD BE CAUSING THIS, NO WAY TO TELL WITH REPLACING THEM UNTIL IT RUNS. THE EXPENSE OF THIS COULD BE 1000 TO 3000 DOLLARS. ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED , REPLACE SWITCH, ONLY WORKS PART OF THE TIME. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THERE WAS A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAME INOPERABLE, A BURNING SMELL APPEARED AND THE VEHICLE WAS LOOSING WATER. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY, WIRING, SPARK PLUG WIRING AND A BELT WERE REPLACED. THE WATER PUMP AND WINDOW SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE BLOWER MOTOR NEEDED TO CLEANED OUT. THE BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE UPDATED 05/01/06.*JB

NOTICED MY SON'S 1999 OLDS ALERO WAS USING EXCESSIVE ANTIFREEZE, TOOK TO SHOP & HAD TO HAVE DEFECTIVE INTAKE GASKET REPLACED AS ANTIFREEZE WAS BEING SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE. REPAIR SHOP REPORTS THAT THEY ARE REPAIRING SAME PROBLEM ON 3 GM CARS PER WEEK IN THIS TOWN OF 25,000 PEOPLE. COST $ 650 TO REPAIR; GM SHOULD RECALL THIS VEHICLE & SIMILAR MODELS AND REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE GASKETS, WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE DID NOT RUIN THE ENGINE ON THIS CAR. WE HAD TO GET THE CAR REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY AS MY SON DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER VEHICLE TO DRIVE TO WORK WHILE THE ALERO WAS BEING REPAIRED AND REALLY COULD NOT AFFORD THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR ON THIS CAR. REPAIR SHOP ADVISED THAT GM IS NOT RECALLING THIS PART OR PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS THE FAULT OF A DEFECTIVE GASKET AND NOT THE CAR OWNERS FAULT. *NM

1999 OLDS ALERO GLS, BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY,2004 WITH 23,000 MILES ON IT. FROM DAY 1 I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT MOSTLY BRAKES, CAR HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY ON IT. THE ROTORS GRIND, PULSATE, SQUEAK, THE CALIPERS MAKE CRACKING NOISES SOMETIMES BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR SAYS IT WILL NOT DO IT FOR THE MECHANIC, WHEN I DROP IT OFF I ALLOWED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO HEAR IT HE ALSO VERIFIED THE SOUND, ONLY TO GET THE CAR BACK BEING TOLD IT WON'T DO IT. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4X THE BRAKES 3X THE CALIPERS 2X, I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. CD PLAYER WILL NOT WORK TOLD BY DEALERSHIP IT IS THE HUMIDITY DOING IT WHICH I LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA AND IT IS WINTER THERE IS NO HUMIDITY. TOLD DEALERSHIP ABOUT A SQUEEZING NOISE UNDER HOOD GOT CAR BACK AND TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT, I GET HOME AND POP THE HOOD AND FIND A GREASE LIKE RESIDUE ON THE SERPENTINE BELT, I LATER FIND THE WATER PUMP LEAKING. CAR LOSES POWER AND A METAL BANGING NOISE OCCURS FROM UNDER THE HOOD UNDER ACCELERATION, DEALERSHIP SAYS CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TELL THEM ABOUT THE BRAKES AND WATER PUMP, THE TELL ME THAT THEY CANNOT SATISFY ME AND THEY WILL NOT SERVICE THE CAR AND NOT TO BRING IT TO THEM ANY MORE. IN ONE MONTH I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, IT STILL IS NOT FIXED, WITH EACH TIME HAVING TO PAY A $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE. I CONTACT GM THE SAY CAR IS TO OLD AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME. THE CAR HAS 56,000 MILES ON IT AND THE WARRANTY DOES NOT EXPIRE UNTIL 60,000 OR MAY,2006. I AM GETTING READY TO TRADE IT IN FOR A TOYOTA. *NM

I PURCHASED THE CAR & IMMEDIATELY HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED BY THE DEALERSHIP. IN 3/05 HAD COMPLETE LOOK AT CAR -AT CHEVY. DEALERSHIP, THEY FLUSHED RADIATOR, CLEAN FUEL LINES-THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES "TO MAKE MY CAR RUN BETTER". IN JUNE OF 05 I STARTED NOTICING A SMALL PUDDLE OF WATER UNDER MY VEHICLE & IT STARTED OVERHEATING. WAS TOLD MY REPAIR MAN THAT RADIATOR CAP NEEDED REPLACING. THAT SEEMED TO HELP A LITTLE. BY OCTOBER 05 THE CAR WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE FROM UNDER THE CAR. DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE IT FIXED SO I DIDN'T DRIVE IT BECAUSE I WAS A STAY AT HOME MOM. DEC 05 I WENT TO WORK AND ITS BEEN DOWNHILL. MY CAR NOW WILL OVERHEAT IF IT IDLES FOR VERY LONG, LEAKS ANTIFREEZE (I HAVE TO ADD COOLANT EVERY MORNING), AND WE WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE PROBABLY THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET GONE BAD WHICH WILL COST ABOUT 900.00. THIS IS JUST 1 OF THE MANY PROBLEMS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE THE PURCHASE. *JB

DT: 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THE HUB BEARINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONT END WENT OUT. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A GARAGE. THE MECHANIC TOLD HER OF THE PROBLEM, AND SAID IF SHE DROVE IT MUCH LONGER THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. THE HEAD GASKETS ALSO BLEW OUT THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO THE AIR SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE GARAGE BEING FIXED FOR THE HEAD GASKETS. ALSO, FUEL PUMP WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE GARAGE. THEN, THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE CONTACT STATED , IN ADDITION, THERE HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE COMPUTER SYSTEM HAD TO BE RESET A COUPLE OF TIMES. THIS HAS HAPPENED WITHIN THE PAST 12 MONTHS. *AK