Problems · by component

1999 Oldsmobile Alero engine and engine cooling problems

83 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero cite engine and engine cooling, 18% of all 466 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
83
18% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ROUGHLY AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS FURTHER INSPECTED BY THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ALSO, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE CONSOLE COVER WAS NOT CLOSING PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V140000 (STRUCTURE) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT ABLE TO SPECIFY WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES SEVERAL TIMES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2014Engine and engine cooling, StructureODI 10648399
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 32 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. DURING THE FAILURE ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO BEGAN TO DISPLAY RANDOM SPEEDS RANGING FROM 0 MPH TO 100 MPH. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE HAZARD LIGHTS WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 97,213.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10379803
“POWER WINDOWS HAVE BOTH WENT OUT HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR FOR THAT, 2 TIMES NOW THE RACK AND PINION HAS CAME OUT AND 2 TIMES I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALTENATOR HAD TO REPLACE OVERFLOW RESORVOIR I DONT FIND THIS TO BE A RELIABLE OR SAFE CAR TO BE IN. I BOUGHT IT USED SO WHO KNOWS WHAT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE I GOT IT I FORGOT TO MENTION MY PART-TIME SIGNAL LIGHTS THEY WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO AND I HAD TO REPLACE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSER I HAVE ONLY HAD CAR 5 YRS MYSELF AND ITS SO NOT WORTH THE MONEY I HAVE PUT INTO IT THE DATES VARY BUT THE FIRST WAS IN 2004 AND THE LAST WAS 2009. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2010Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 10355125
“MY 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO HAS HAD A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH 1.MANIFOLD GASKETS LEAKING. 2. ALL OF THE WINDOWS FAILING BY FALLING OFF THE TRACKS OR THE REGULATOR ITSELF FAILING. THREE TIMES FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW! 3.THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY, CLICKING CONSTANTLY. 4.THE GAS GAUGE STOPPED WORKING 5. THE INTERIOR LEATHER CURLED UP ON THE DASH, WHICH I NOTICE ON MANY OTHER ALERO'S I'VE SEEN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 13, 2009Engine and engine cooling, Exterior lighting, Visibility, Electrical systemODI 10265175
“GAS GAUGE IS ALWAYS OFF, I HAVE TO FILL THE GAS TANK UP ATLEAST 2-3 A DAY. MAYBE THERE IS A LEAK FROM RECALL, OR THE RECALL FORM THE GAS TANK. ALSO SPENT $700.00 FOR A RECALLED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2009Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10260369
“CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT TWO DAYS AGO. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED A YEAR AGO. DEALERSHIP STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT WE MAY HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND POSSIBLY A CRACKED ENGINE--WHICH MEANS A NEW MOTOR. CAR HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. WE ARE DEVASTATED AS THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER'S CAR AND SHE IS ABOUT TO BE A FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE. THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON HER WHILE TRAVELING DOWN AN INTERSTATE-AT NIGHT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 7, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10233467

Showing 6 of 83 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.