CAR HAS BEEN HAVING ACCELERATION ISSUES HER AND THERE HAS HAD A FUEL LEAK FOR AWHILE NOW AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WILL NOT START..
2003 Oldsmobile Alero
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Oldsmobile Alero do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 279.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Alero years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
128 reports with mileage · 56 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 103 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
14 reportsWHILE DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CAR RANDOMLY BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL ONLY TO DISCOVER THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I STOMPED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL TO TRY TO KEEP THE C…
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WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CAR RANDOMLY BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL ONLY TO DISCOVER THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I STOMPED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL TO TRY TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ACCELERATING BUT THAT DID NOTHING. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO TURN OFF ONTO A SIDE STREET WHERE I WAS ABLE TO SHUT OF THE ENGINE AND MAKE THE CAR STOP BEFORE HITTING OTHER VEHICLES. THE CAR'S ENGINE REVVED UP SO HIGH THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE GOING TO BLOW UP THE ENGINE. NOW THERE IS OIL LEAKING SEVERELY UNDER THE CAR AFTER THIS INCIDENT.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE CAR JUMPED UP ITO 6 AND 7 RPMS IN THE RED GOT STUCK EVEN WHEN PEDAL WAS NOT PRESSED STAYED THERE I THE RED FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS FINALLY DROPPED AND STARTED KNOCKING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE.…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN AFTER THE CONTACT REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASION…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN AFTER THE CONTACT REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AND THE DRIVER HAD TO BRAKE HARD IN ORDER TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM DRIVING THROUGH A GARAGE WALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ACCELERATOR ONLY STICKS ON HOT AND HUMID DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON 8/714. UPDATED 3/30/15 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER ADVISED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V528000 (VEHIC…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER ADVISED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V528000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130, 000. UPDATED 9/12/14*CN UPDATED 02/05/2015 *JS
I LIVE IN A HOT "AMBIENT" ENVIRONMENT, THE SOUTH. I AM THE THIRD OWNER OF MY 2003 ALERO OLDSMOBILE. MY CAR'S ACCELERATOR STICKS AND WILL NOT RETURN TO IDLE. IT CONTINUES TO DO THIS AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS GETTING WORSE. IT IS ALSO AFFECTING THE REST OF THE CAR AND ITS PARTS. MY BRAKES ARE PROBABLY GOING OUT BECAUSE OF THE ACCELE…
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I LIVE IN A HOT "AMBIENT" ENVIRONMENT, THE SOUTH. I AM THE THIRD OWNER OF MY 2003 ALERO OLDSMOBILE. MY CAR'S ACCELERATOR STICKS AND WILL NOT RETURN TO IDLE. IT CONTINUES TO DO THIS AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS GETTING WORSE. IT IS ALSO AFFECTING THE REST OF THE CAR AND ITS PARTS. MY BRAKES ARE PROBABLY GOING OUT BECAUSE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING STUCK AND ME HAVING TO HOLD THE BRAKES DOWN WHILE ITS REVVING PAST 3000 RPMS IN PARK. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY CLAIM THAT MY VIN ISN'T EFFECTED. I HAVE READ ABOUT AND TALKED TO MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2003 ALERO OLDSMOBILE AND THEY ALSO WERE TURNED AWAY AND SAID THAT THEIR VINS WERE NOT EFFECTED. I THINK THAT GM MIGHT NOT BE TAKING THIS RECALL SERIOUSLY BUT I AM POSITIVE THAT THIS RECALL IS VALID FOR MY CAR AND IT IS SCARY WHEN I HAVE MY TWO BOYS THAT ARE UNDER FIVE IN MY BACKSEAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR STICKS AND CONTINUES TO DO AND EVEN WHEN I TURN OFF MY VEHICLE AND TURN IT BACK ON IT CONTINUES TO DO SO. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT YA'LL WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP ME . THANK YOU SO MUCH. *TR
I NOTICED AN ISSUE BUT THOUGHT IT WAS ALL IN MY HEAD BECAUSE I HAD BEEN PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK BECAUSE THE CAR ACCELERATED BY WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE PEDAL...ALTHOUGH I WAS PULLED OVER ALREADY TO INVESTIGATE WHY THE CAR ACCELERATED YET I STILL RECEIVED A TICKET .WASN'T TOO SURE WHAT HAPPENED ON 11/4 AT…
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I NOTICED AN ISSUE BUT THOUGHT IT WAS ALL IN MY HEAD BECAUSE I HAD BEEN PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK BECAUSE THE CAR ACCELERATED BY WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE PEDAL...ALTHOUGH I WAS PULLED OVER ALREADY TO INVESTIGATE WHY THE CAR ACCELERATED YET I STILL RECEIVED A TICKET .WASN'T TOO SURE WHAT HAPPENED ON 11/4 AT ABOUT 3:10PM I WAS INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT TURNING THE CORNER , THE PEDAL STUCK OR WOULDN'T STOP NOT TOO SURE BUT I LOST ALL CONTROL OF VEHICLE TRYING TO AVOID A CAR ON THE RIGHT I SWERVED AND HIT THE CAR ON THE LEFT THUS DESTROYING MY CAR AND THE OTHER CAR IN THE PROCESS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER PERFORMED THE VEHICLE INSPECTION TWICE WHEN THE WEATHER WAS 50 DEGREES; HOWEVER, THE PEDAL WOULD STICK WHEN THE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER PERFORMED THE VEHICLE INSPECTION TWICE WHEN THE WEATHER WAS 50 DEGREES; HOWEVER, THE PEDAL WOULD STICK WHEN THE WEATHER WAS MUCH WARMER. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V528000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL) WAS REFERENCED. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED ON HIS VEHICLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 51,848.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CURB AND A FLOWER POT BEFORE IT WAS STOPPED BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK AND FULLY DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE FOR REPAI…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CURB AND A FLOWER POT BEFORE IT WAS STOPPED BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK AND FULLY DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE FOR REPAIR. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 04V528000 WHICH WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE CONCERNING, THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ACCELERATOR PEDAL HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT OFFER A SECOND REPAIR WITHOUT CHARGE.
Official recalls
214V400000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jul 3, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
04V528000 · Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal
Nov 1, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, 'ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS.' IN HOT AMBIENT CONDITIONS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM MAY STICK AT THE ATTACHMENT TO THE BRACKET AND NOT RETURN TO THE ENGINE IDLE POSITION WHEN THE OPERATOR LIFTS HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FAILURE TO RETURN TO IDLE COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM AND REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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