Reliability & cost of ownership
Oldsmobile Alero Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Oldsmobile Alero? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Oldsmobile Alero problems by model year
21 recall entries across 6 model years and 1,957 owner complaints across 7 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining model year — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Alero | 2 | 109 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2003 Alero | 3 | 186 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2002 Alero | 2 | 279 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2001 Alero | 5 | 364 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2000 Alero | 5 | 557 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 1999 Alero | 4 | 460 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 1998 Alero | Not confirmed | 2 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Oldsmobile Alero, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- electrical system597 complaints
- exterior lighting355 complaints
- service brakes, hydraulic305 complaints
- engine and engine cooling251 complaints
- visibility167 complaints
- suspension105 complaints
- air bags101 complaints
- steering95 complaints