2003 Oldsmobile Alero

THE HORN HAD NEVER BEEN EASY TO USE, NOR DID IT ALWAYS FUNCTION, BUT SUDDENLY IT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF, THEN IT COMPLETELY DIED. ON TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DIAGNOSED A SHORT-CIRCUIT AND PRONOUNCED THAT IT WOULD COST $1,390.00 + TAX TO REPAIR, AS THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE AIR BAG IN ADDITION TO THE 2 HORNS THAT THE CAR APPARENTLY HAS. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN FAILED TO SOUND WHEN DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN ACTIVATED WITHOUT PROVOCATION AND HE HAD TO REMOVE THE FUSE TO SHUT IT OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HORN WIRING IN THE STEERING WHEEL PAD WAS STUCK. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 67,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50. THE CONSUMER STATED GM EXPLAINS THE HORN CONTACT IS INTEGRAL TO THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY WHICH MUST BE REPLACED TO REPAIR THE HORN AT THE SUM OF $800. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED INFORMATION FROM A WEBSITE PERTAINING TO THE SAME DEFECT AS THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION. UPDATED 08/20/07 *TR

CAR DASH LIGHTS, CD PLAYER, AND AC UNIT DO NOT TURN ON WHEN CAR STARTS. THIS USUALLY OCCURS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND IS WARM. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AND THEN STARTING THE CAR AGAIN THAT IS WHEN THE PROBLEM USUALLY OCCURS. THE DELAY FOR THE STARTING OF THE DASH AND ACCESSORIES IS ANYWHERE FROM 5 SECONDS TO 1 MINUTE. *NM

AUTO STALLED OUT TWICE WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO YIELD, STOPPING COMPLETELY IN TRAFFIC AREAS SO THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED ASIDE. AFTER THE FIRST TIME THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME, THE BATTERY WAS JUMPED AND THE CAR STARTED. THE ALTERNATOR WAS TESTED AT THAT TIME AND INDICATED EXCESS CURRENT FLOW. DURING THIS PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS INTERMITTENTLY, THE PARKED VEHICLE WOULD CRANK BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. EACH TIME, WITH NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE WOULD START AND WOULD PERFORM FOR A DAY OR SO THEN REPEAT THE PROBLEM. INSPECTIONS INDICATED THAT THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE FINE AND THERE WERE NO OTHER INDICATORS OF CAUSE. FINALLY, WHEN BROUGHT TO A DEALERSHIP, THEY FOUND THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER HAD FAILED AND THE PASS LOCK SECURITY SYSTEM WAS SHUTTING DOWN THE CAR BECAUSE IT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY. THE CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND NEW KEYS CREATED, BUT THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE IGNITION MODULE HAS FAILED ALSO. *JB

2003 ALERO IGNITION SHORTED CAUSING CONSUMER NOT BE ABLE TO START VEHICLE, ALSO FOUND A LEAK IN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *TS THE PASSLOCK SENSOR IN THE IGNITION CYLINDER SHORTED AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE INTAKE GASKETS AND OIL DRIVE O-RING LEAKED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, ROCKER COVER GASKETS AND OIL PUMP DRIVESHAFT COVER SEAL. THE AIR BAG COVER WARPED. THE TOP OF THE DASH WAS WRINKLED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PAN WAS PEELING FROM IT'S BACKING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ASSEMBLY AND TRANSFERRED ALL COMPONENTS. *NM

I EXPERIENCED IGNITION FAILURE RECENTLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, AND AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSIVE SYSTEM HAD FAILED. I LATER LEARNED THAT THE MECHANIC HAD REPLACED THIS VERY ITEM ON 6 OTHER VEHICLES EXACTLY THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL AS MINE WITHIN THE PAST MONTH. (THAT SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT FOR ONE SHOP TO DO.) I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART INCLUDING LABOR WOULD BE $460!! THIS WAS QUITE EXPENSIVE, BUT MUCH LESS THAN THE DEALER WANTED (AS EXPECTED). I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A RATHER COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE, YET IT WAS NOT RECALLED.*JB

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS CAME ON PERIODICALLY, AND THE WINDOWS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND HAD ALSO CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO WAS NO HELP AT ALL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STILL HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECRICAL WIRING WAS REPLACED BUT WHEN INSPECTED THE OLD WIRE WAS FOUND STILL IN THE VEHICLE. *TC