1999 Oldsmobile Alero

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

DT: ON OCTOBER 1, 2005, NOTICED THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP, AND THEY NOTICED THAT THE LEFT REAR COIL SPRING BROKE, BUT DID NOT PUNCTURE THE TIRE. THE LOCAL MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT THE STRUTS BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE COIL SPRINGS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID BASED ON THE LOW MILEAGE, THEY WERE SURPRISED THAT THIS HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE. THEY TRIED TO CONTACT A LOCAL DEALER, BUT SINCE THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE A HISTORY WITH A LOCAL DEALER THEY WERE ABLE TO ASSIST HER IN THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *AK (11/09/05) *SC

1 I WAS LEAVING WORK PARKING LOT AND HEARD A CLUNK NOISE AND GOT OUT OF MY CAR TO SEE IF I HAD HIT SOMETHING AND CHECKED MY TIRES AND EVERYTHING APPEARED ALRIGHT SO I PROCEEDED TO PULL OUT AGAIN AND HEARD A CLUNK AND THEN PSSSSSSSSSS. GOT OUT OF MY CAR AGAIN AND MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WAS DEFLATED. 2 WHEN PULLING TIRE OFF TO CHANGE IT WE COULDN'T GET THE TIRE OFF BECAUSE THE COIL SPRING SHOT THROUGH THE TIRE. FINALLY GOT TIRE OFF AND CHANGED IT. 3 TOOK CAR TO STEVE SHANNON TIRE AND AUTO CENTER AND HAD IT REPAIRED. CHECKED WITH GM DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL (BEFORE HAVING SHANNON'S FIX IT) BUT THERE WAS NOT. TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF IT. PARTS REPLACED : 2 STRUTS, COIL SPRING SET, 2 STRUT MOUNTS, 1 TIRE. I DO HAVE THE TIRE AND COIL SPRING. I REPORTED THIS TO GM AND TOLD THEM I WOULD BE FILING A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. *JB

I HAVE A 99 OLDMOBILE ALERO. I WAS DRIVING IT OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT A SLOW SPEED. NEAR THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY I HEARD A LOUD CRACK. I MANUVERED MY CAR INTO THE STREET AND THERE WAS A LOUD CRUNCHING DRAGGING SOUND. I STOPPED MY CAR AND CHECKED UNDERNEATH AND SAW NOTHING. I MOVED MY CAR BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND PARKED AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND WALKED AROUND AGAIN. I NOTICED MY PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT TO THE GROUND. I TOOK OFF THE TIRE AND NOTICED A LARGE GROOVE AND SPLIT IN THE TIRE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I NOTICED THE SPRING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD BROKEN AND PUNCTURED MY TIRE. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS SO CLOSE TO HOME AND TRAVELING AT SLOW SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. MY CAR IS NOW IN THE SHOP WAITING FOR A COST ESTIMATE AND SERVICE. IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART.

ON 5/27/05, THE FRONT SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED TIRE, CAUSING A BLOW OUT. THERE WAS NO WARNING ON DASH TO INDICATE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THERE WAS A CLANKING IN THE FRONT END AS THE DRIVER APPROACHED A STOP SIGN, THEN TIRE WAS PUNCTURED. THERE WERE NORMAL DRIVING AND WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED FRONT WHEEL BEARING ISSUES. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS PUNCTURED AS A RESULT OF THE SPRING BREAKAGE. THE DRIVER NOTICED A WORN PATTERN ON THE TIRE WHERE THE SPRING HAD BEEN RUBBING. THE SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WAS 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY SERVICED. UPON THE LAST INSPECTION THERE WHERE NO REPORTS OF A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. *AK THE FRONT COIL SPRING SURROUNDING THE STRUT BROKE AND THE SHARP STEEL EDGE FROM THE BRAKE GOUGED THE TIRE WEARING A GROOVE IN IT AND AFTER A SHORT TIME CAUSED IT TO FAIL. THE RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE CAUSED SMOKE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB

MY CAR WAS SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT, AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE STALL, I HEARD A BANG. AFTER LOOKING AT THE CAR, I COULD SEE THAT THE RIGHT FRONT END WAS SITTING ON THE TIRE. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO TOLD ME THAT THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING HAD JUST BROKE. LUCKILY, I WAS NOT DRIVING AT THE TIME. IT COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY FATAL HAD THE SPRING BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I NOTICED THAT THIS SAME SPRING HAS BROKEN ON SEVERAL ALLERGY AND 26 GRAND AMS, BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED. I HAVE THE PART, IF FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. GM COULD BE EXPOSED TO STRICT PRODUCT LIABILITY BECAUSE THIS DEFECT IS UNREASONABLY DANGEROUS. I CONTACTED GM, FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM, AND AM WAITING FOR THEM TO CALL ME BACK. I LEFT 2 ADDITIONAL MESSAGES, AND NO ONE IS RETURNING MY CALLS. I AM ALSO GOING TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.*AK

OCTOBER OF 2004 I WAS PARKED ON SCHOOL GROUNDS WAITING FOR MY DAUGHTER TO FINISH SCHOOL.WHEN I HEARD A BIG BANG. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR ,AND WALKED AROUND IT. I COULD FIND NOTHING. WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE IT THERE WAS A CRUNCHING COMING FROM THE FRONT END. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING SNAPPED. I REPLACED IT THINKING IT WAS A FREAK ACCIDENT. THEN THIS WEEK APRIL 10,2005 I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND AGAIN HEARD ANOTHER BANG. THIS TIME THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING SNAPPED. I CAN SEE ONE BREAKING AS AN ACCIDENT , BUT WHEN BOTH GO. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. MY LAST CAR WAS A 1993 FORD TAURUS. THEY TOO HAD A FRONT COIL SPRING ISSUE. FORD RECALLED OUR CAR AND REPLACED THE SPRING AT NO CHARGE.*AK