Oldsmobile Alero

jlgolden · October 2002

Coonhound: If your Olds dealer says it's normal, but another GM dealer accepts and recognizes the problem, let that other dealer do the work for you. I bounced around between 3 GM dealers trying to fix suspension / steering problems with my Alero. Getting conflicting reports from different dealers is frustrating! I had to go out of my way to another dealer in Houston several times, and rent a car - but at least they were trying to help me. Unlike my selling dealer and another one that Olds customer service suggested.

coonhound · October 2002

Back to my dealer this morning. They admitted that the gear is leaking oil but did not find loose inner tie rod ends. To me the right hand rod end was obviously loose.

Anyway they are ordering a new gear. I always called it a steering rack, but I guess it's a gear. They always come with new inner tie rod ends.

cpwingnut · October 2002

45K is not too premature to replace brake pads. The avereage life should be around 50k depending on driving style and type of driving (city/highway). I have put over 120k on a set of pads but I drive mostly highway. Whereas I replace my friends pads every 6 months or so(about 20k). He drives fast, brakes hard, and drives mostly in the city. So the dealer is corect in charging you for the pads.

Having said that, they should not be just machining the rotors but replacing them instead. Turning them will just make them thinner and easier to warp the next time. You will be back in 20k complaining of the same problem instead of 45k! Insist that they pick up the tab for the new rotors, after all, it is still under warranty right?

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

heng · October 2002

I know some people have wrestled with this one in the past. Well, it has happened to my '99 just recently.

What was the fix and what are the associated TSBs. My warranty is up the end of this year so I have to move on it.

rdeschene · October 2002

I and another poster linked some articles re: the water seepage problem a while back. I'll do a search and see if I can find them, and then link them again below.

rdeschene · October 2002

http://www.alldata.com/TSB/43/994346GN.html

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jc/99-01alero_a.htm

rdeschene · October 2002

http://service.gm.com/techlink/html_en/pdf/200108-en.pdf#dst10

rdeschene · October 2002

http://service.gm.com/techlink/html_en/pdf/200110-en.pdf#dst11

heng · October 2002

Will take some of the info to a local Chevy dealer since Olds dealer is too far away. (Son has car in a college town)

coonhound · October 2002

Had the steering gear replaced yesterday on my 2000 Alero with a rebuilt gear under warranty. After sending me on my way with the U joint clamp bolt stripped and getting this corrrected, the noise is finally eliminated.

Recently I changed from 10/30 Mobil 1 tri syn to the new 5/30 super syn and the fuel mileage obviously improved. The last tank mileage was 30.25 mpg this is the best I have ever recorded in 18000 miles. I keep a record of every drop of fuel and mileage. The mileage has been running in the 24 to 27 mpg range. But most of that was with air conditioner on, and the last tank was with limited air conditioner operation.

dindak · October 2002

What engine do you have? I easily get 33-34 highway with the 2.2L.

coonhound · October 2002

I have the old modified, tweaked, massaged, insulated, retrofitted, quad 4. Now called DOHC, that we have installed dual balance shafts to nearly eradicate vibration. The nearly eradicate vibration is a little tidbit from the brochure.

That the thing was modified for 10 years or so, one would expect perfection.

Just reading the brochure makes me want to go buy another one.

But that mileage is mostly City, not heavy city, driving. The Intrigue gets better highway mileage than the old 4 cyl. Alero. The Intrigue is a GX sans the PCS and with 3.08 gears instead of the 3.27 with PCS. Also the V6 Alero turns in better highway mileage but less City mileage. With fuel prices rising 2 to 4 cents per day I may have to find a Geo metro or a Diesel VW.

dindak · October 2002

The highway mileage on our Intrigue is amazing. Our Alero and Intrigue are almost the same there. We are up to low 70 cent / liter range right now which is about u$1.65-170 gallon up here. It's killing me, but it seem like everything is up these days.

Your Quad 4 sounds good. Always liked the power but never the noise/vibration. I hear they will have turbo powered Ecotecs at the SEMA show coming up. Wonder if they could be added to the Alero?

jpelder · October 2002

Last fillup, 2.2 ecotec mileage was 29.5 for 50/50 city/highway. Just hit 4000 miles. Love this 4 cylinder...

dindak · October 2002

The 2.2L seems to smooth out over time. It seems even more peppy now also but that could be because I don't use the a/c anymore.

rebrab · October 2002

Thanks cpwingnut for taking the time to respond to my post re: rotors and front brakes on 2000 Alero. You are correct, my Alero is still under warranty. As the car is leased and I will be returning it at the end of the lease - which is at the end of December this year - I don't think I'll pursue the rotors any further. However, if I owned the vehicle or if I intended to buy it out at lease end I would absolutely insist the dealer replace the rotors completely under warranty.

Once again, thanks for the great advice.

rebrab · October 2002

Does any one know if the 2003 Aleros have the same bad rotors as the previous years?

Any other informatio re: the 2003 Aleros that anyone would like to share would be greatly appreciated. (By the way, I think the colours available for the 2003 are pretty terrible. LOL. Loved the old "midnight blue" but see that for 2003 there isn't any shade of blue available - guess it must be "old fashioned". For sure I thought the teal colour was old-fashioned - a flash back to the late 80's or early 90's but it's back - ugh)

dindak · October 2002

03 models do not have ABS standard any more except maybe the GLS models. and the rear discs are gone also unless you get a GLS. XM radio is an option for 03 if you want it. Otherwise not much new this year. As for rotors, they have been fine on my 02 GX so far.

I have a ruby red Alero, I think it, Polo green and gray are the best colors.

kelver777 · October 2002

Ok, I've had my 2002 Alero for about 3 months now and have not even put 2k miles on it. Noticed a noise yesterday when I finish turning left and the wheels are aligned back forward, I hear a slight pop or thump. The noise is coming from the right left wheel area. Anyone have any ideas on what this could be? Guess I'll get to see how the repair shop is next week. A friend of mine says it might be the boot, or the steering assembly.

Thanks

jlgolden · October 2002

kelver777: Welcome to Alero ownership! This noise is one of many steering / suspension noises you will likely hear. Your dealer may keep the car all day and then tell you they are "unable to duplicate" the noise - so go on a verification test drive with a service advisor or even your salesperson. If you are not satisfied with this dealer's responsiveness to your concern, try another dealer. I found that some GM dealerships did not like investigating noises, while others actually made an honest effort to help.

dindak · October 2002

6 months and not one noise yet. My mom's Alero is over 3 years old and she has none either.

mikey00 · October 2002

My Alero is over 2 years old with 30,000 miles. Only problem was the rotors which were replaced under the warranty at 13k. I wish my wife's Lexus RX300 was this good.

oldsman01 · October 2002

are ABS and 4 wheels discs no longer standard across the board?? This was one of the Alero's advantages. While most cars in this price range had rear drums and made you pay extra for ABS, the Alero had those features on all models. Dumb move in my opinion. No way to help move cars from a brand that is soon to be extinct.

mikey00 · October 2002

It was probably done to keep the base price down and help move cars. If someone is very price conscious it satisfies their need, If some desires ABS, you just pay for the option. (or package that includes the option)

dindak · October 2002

Simple... price. Competition doesn't offer it so they had to cut ABS to stay competitive. It's still disc/disc ABS on the GLS though.

Don't like it, but I understand why they did it. You can still get it optional.

evandro · October 2002

But did GM actually drop the base price?

BTW, would you care to share any blues your wife had with her RX300?

TIA

oldsman01 · October 2002

When your the underdog(for whatever reason) as Olds is/was then you have to offer more for less than what the competition charges. To me and to many recent buyers, this was what made an Olds an attractive buy. It also makes for a simpler buying process. You don't have to worry about finding the color you want with the features you want. Simply find the color you like and deal.

mikey00 · October 2002

I think the base price is lower or at least the come on sale prices are lower than last year. I am not paying close attention to the prices so if anyone has some facts, please jump in. Maybe taking out the ABS just helped them hold the line on price.
As far as your question about the RX, don't get me wrong we truly do love the car and would get another but: The sunroof would make a loud snap from heat expansion/contraction and it took about 7 trips to the dealer to get it fixed. Toyota has received a lot of bad publicity on the V6 engine in the RX, Highlander, and the Sienna minivan with what they are calling oil gelling, which is actually sludge. They did send a letter giving me a 8 year warranty on oil gelling, which helps a little. The engine does not idle as smooth as the Alero V6. Nothing to fix here, all RXs have the same idle. The RX is geared much lower than the Alero which causes the engine to rev much higher at highway speeds and affects gas mileage more than a higher geared car. No tire pressure monitor like the Alero. No chime when low on gas. Service is extremely expensive if you have the dealer do any work other than warranty. Not to mention you can get 2 Aleros for the price of one RX. Before anyone who owns an RX jumps on my case I did say we love the car and would get another. I also did not go into the many wonderful features of the car.

dindak · October 2002

Olds is dead anyway, but yes more for less is a reason I bought 2 Oldsmobiles. The cars offer tremendous value for the buck. ABS and 4-wheel discs are a big selling point to me but not likely to most people these days and when your competitors offer it as an option, to compete on price you must also.

Alero base price dropped a little I think, but when you add back the ABS, you will pay more for the same car.

oldsman01 · October 2002

Your Alero V6 actually idles smoother than the Lexus 3.0 liter V6? Thats pretty impressive and pretty interesting as most of the automotive press seem to think the Toyota 3 liter V6 is one of the smoothest operating engines on the road. I think Toyota has a good product line and reputation for good quality, but they are highly overrated IMO.

mikey00 · October 2002

The RX is probably the smoothest engine I ever owned when it comes to acceleration and cruising. Except as I mentioned above I wish it was geared a little higher like the Alero. However, I still feel like the idle is smoother on the Alero.

cpwingnut · October 2002

I've been away for a while. Recently bought a 2000 Jetta TDI (wow, what a car) and have spent hours reading hundreds of posts in the TDI club site. But back to the topic:

I also bought my 2K2 Alero because of the rear disc and ABS as "standard". A similarly equiped Accord or Camry were around $5000 more (not to mention less incentives such as cash back & 0% financing). No contest in my opinion. I will suffer with the resale however, but that wont be an Issue for 5-7 years, by which time the money saved initialy will have earned me over $3000 in interest!!! Add in another $2000 in interest I would have had to pay out to finance one of those cars for 5 years and you have a final price difference of $10000 over five years. Reliability and resale values are no comparison to $10000.

Disclaimer: These figures are rounded off and in C$. Others may save more or less. LOL :-)

thinman · October 2002

Since I visited this site. I read many of the posts after I bought the wife's '99 GL3. It now has 35,000+ and here is the take on it.

At about 15K started getting a pulsation through the brake pedal. Took it in and they did a "run-out" on the rotors and re-surfaced them under warranty. I told the service manager that I had been told there was a TSB on the rotors but he denied all knowledge. 7K later the pulsation was back. This time when I took it in armed with downloads off the web, and before I even mentioned the TSB the service writer said, "Really? Damn, those should have already been replaced!" Short story, Olds did it under warranty. (btw...this is Chev/Olds/Caddy dealership and they have done ALL the service work on my S-10 and the wife's Olds...I'm a familiar face there *L*)

At about 25K the battery cracked the casing. I know this was an anomaly so I don't fault the manufacturer. Replaced again under warranty.

Other than that no more problems aside from a few squeaks and groans that developed as the miles grew.

I love the brakes in her car! Very positive feel on the pedal. Easy to modulate, and stops on a dime! And the ABS has gotten me out of few tight jams!

The seats are junk! She is, well, er...Plus sized and she really can't get comfortable. I've been trying for three years to find the right "Sweet-Spot" on the adjustments. Still searching.

Handling at low to moderate speeds is exceptional! Almost go-cart like handling around town. However, out on the open road above 60MPH the front end starts to hunt around. Rather unsettling and doesn't inspire confidence on the interstates.

Car is NOISY! Tons of road noice comes into the cabin. Again, around town it isn't bad but on 'scruffed' open road pavement it starts to get tiresome.

LOVE THE V6/TRANS combo!! One of the best engine/transmission combos I've ever driven for two lane passing. Stab the go-pedal and it downshifts NOW!!! and I'm passed and slowing faster then you read this sentence. And it seems to get stronger as the miles pile up. LOVE IT!

It's paid off now and we're saving up for the downpayment on a '03 Passat GLS. That car is everything this OLDS tries to be. Quiet, surefooted, elegant, and powerfull. Would I buy this car again? Doubt it seriously. Knowing then what I know now.

dindak · October 2002

If you are looking for better reliability, don't expect it from the VW. No better than GM.

oldsman01 · November 2002

Have you looked at or test driven the new 03 Saab 9-3? I haven't driven one yet, but styling and feature wise the car looks to be a winner. I'm seriously considering one as an upgrade from my Intrigue and a stop-gap before I move on up to a Cadillac CTS.

oldsowner2 · November 2002

I've been reading through this site about some problems with the Alero. I own a '99 Red GLS Sedan, tan leather interior, sunroof, spoiler, 16" rims with performance tires. Believe it or not, the car has about 19,500 miles. I bought the car new in July 1999.
So far, the only real problem I've had with the car was the Service Engine Soon light coming on. It happened only once. After bringing it back to the dealer, he said it was probably air in the fuel system.
Another strange thing I've noticed is the car doesn't do well on gas consumption. I used to get only 18 mpg on the highway, worse in the city. I found putting higher octane gas pushed my milage to 27 mpg. My driving habits haven't changed, either. However, even after three years, it doesn't do as well as (believe it or not) my Olds Delta 88 (V6, 3.8 liter).
I'm pleased with the car overall. I drive my Delta in the winter, Alero in the summer. Both cars handle well and maintanence has been excellent (knock on wood). However, I think my Delta may soon need to be retired. I'm thinking about buying another car in the next year, but I'm going to keep the Alero. I love my Alero, but I have my sights set on something "just a little bit higher" (BMW 330xi). Steel Metallic Blue, Black Leather interior, Sport Package, Premium Package, Cold Weather Package, 5-speed, Bi-Xenon headlights, Aero package with spoiler. I'm hoping my Alero will have new company soon!

mikey00 · November 2002

I also had my service engine soon light come on. At the next fill up I found the gas cap off. It took about a day after putting the cap on for the light to go out. That was 10,000 miles ago and it hasn't come on since.
As far as your gas mileage goes, something sounds wrong. I use regular in my 2000GLS/Auto and always get at least 25mpg in a combination of city highway driving.

dindak · November 2002

Noticed the last 2 cold mornings (below freezing at night) that the Ecotec engine runs kind of rough for the first 3-4 minutes. When I stand at the lights on the first corner I get vibrations. It then goes away by the time I get to the 2nd or 3rd light.

Is this normal for DOHC I-4 engines like the Ecotec or should have the dealer look at it?

Otherwise all is well with almost 10K on the dial.

jpelder · November 2002

My alero is in a heated garage, so I can't duplicate your situation. It sounds like the computer is keeping the fuel mixture too lean. I'd have it checked.

By the way, we have 4000 on our GX and man is that ecotec/5 speed really getting smooth. I don't get to drive it much as it is my wife's car, but when I do, I notice the change. Wish it was my car!

dindak · November 2002

Once it's up to temperature it's very smooth. It's just those first few minutes after a cold nite. Car will be garaged for the winter once I clear out a few things.

I will have them check it next oil change.

iamgwc · November 2002

I am really close to ordering a 2003 GLS with sun&sound & xm. What are everybody's impressions of the performance suspension and tire option (std on GL2)? Is this actually an improvement? Does it make the ride firmer at the expense of harshness on rough roads? It is only $250 msrp so cost does not really factor in if it improves handling. Any thoughts on xm radio?

As far as buying a dieing breed ... $3,000 cash back on top of my GM employee discount (about 12% off msrp) seems a bit hard to pass up when combined with $2,000 from GMCard.

evandro · November 2002

FWIW, my GL2 didn't have it, but I've always felt that its ride was a bit on the harsh side.

dindak · November 2002

We love our Alero and this thing is well made. My mom has a 99 and has had zero major issues. The GLS still has the 4 wheel discs and the XM radio should make you smile. My brother in law (a trucker) has it in his rig and loves it.

Sounds like a sweet deal to boot. I'd say go for it.

heng · November 2002

The standard suspension and tire size (215/60-15)gives a pretty good balance of ride and handling. (didn't like the BFG touring TA tires)

If you really hot foot it a lot then go with the handling suspension and hi performance tire package. But if you have a concern for the ride on rough roads, stay with the standard setup.

iamgwc · November 2002

Put my order in on Friday ... I wanted to try to get everything done by the end of the year before the $3k runs out (Though I'm 99% sure it will be extended or increased but that 1% is scary and $1k ~ 30/mo). I decided to go for the performance suspension (heng - I am hoping it is not too rough). The tires are not BFG, they are Goodyear Eagle RSA vs Eagle LS in the standard form each 225/50-16 - I hope they have fixed the "grinding noise" issue mention earlier on this board!) I also went for the XM, this was a last minute decision that I finally made on the way to work that morning as I listened to what seemed to be an endless stream of comercials.

dindak · November 2002

Congrats!

I hope you enjoy your Alero as much as we like ours. You should, your car sounds like it's basically top of the line vs our base model. Let us know how u like the XM. I hear a lot of good things about it.

mlm4 · November 2002

Most of XM's channels are near-CD quality and it makes even the factory speakers sound great (you can hear the difference between FM and XM if you switch back and forth). Even if you only use the car to commute to and from work (the times of day when the commercial stations live up to their name), you should appreciate having XM (unless you're hooked on local news and traffic reports).

Did you say what color you ordered? The performance suspension isn't much rougher than the standard one (this isn't a Corvette :-) and I think it makes the car handle better and more fun to drive.

iamgwc · November 2002

Thanks for the info ... As far as color goes I did not want anything too dark as it they are hard to keep looking clean. I narrowed it down to Ruby, Silver, and Steel Grey (new this year). It turns out you can only get the neutral interior with the steel grey (my first choice ... makes no sense that you can not get pewter) and the neutral leather/interior is way too light and begs to show dirt/wear. So when pressed between Silver and Ruby I went with my old standby Silver. I have a bit of regret now as the XM antenna (black) will standout more on silver than Ruby. Oh well.

dindak · November 2002

Silver / gray are great colors in the winder as they just don't look that bad when they are dirty.

Any idea when your car will be delivered?

iamgwc · November 2002

I'm shooting for Christmas time. The dealer ordered it last Friday and said I should give him a call this Friday to see if there is a "build date" assigned. He was unsure of recent Olds delviery times but said that the Grand Am lead time was only 4-6 weeks (same car). He also said we could close the deal as soon as he gets a vin number which may be significant if it comes down to the end year and close to the currently stated $3k cash back. On the flip side, he also said that if it comes in too late and the cash back goes down he will just stock the vehicle.

Oldsmobile Alero

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