Problems · by component
1999 Oldsmobile Alero service brakes, hydraulic problems
107 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero cite service brakes, hydraulic, 23% of all 466 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
107
23% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“I AM ASHAMED TO SAY I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. I BOUGHT IT LAST YEARS AS A BACK-UP CAR, SO WE WOULD HAVE TRANSPORTATION SHOULD ONE OF OUR NEWER VEHICLE HAVE PROBLEMS. I GAVE $2000 FOR IT AND HAVE SPENT JUST AS MUCH ON REPAIRS. THE TURN SIGNALS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY THOUGH EVERY FUSE IN IT HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE ANTI-LOCK BREAK LIGHT ON THE DASH STAYS ON. THE FRONT PASSENGER STRUT BROKE AND BLEW OUT THE TIRE IN THE PROCESS. I WAS FORTUNATE I WASN'T KILLED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. AND NOW THE HEATER BLOWER HAS STARTED MAKING AN AWFUL NOISE, SO IT WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE REPLACED SOON. IN ADDITION THE CHANGE OIL LIGHT STAYS ON, I HAVE HAD IT TO NUMEROUS SHOPS AND NO ONE CAN DETERMINE WHY IT WON'T RESET. THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH FROM ALL OF THIS ARE A CONSIDERABLE DISTRACTION AS WELL AS ALL THE PROBLEMS THEY POINT TO. I AM APPALLED THAT IN THE USA WE PUT A STAMP OF APPROVAL ON SUCH A HORRIBLE VEHICLE. IN MY OPINION THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH ONE THAT RUNS PROPERLY. IT IS ABSURD AND DANGEROUS. I AM FORTUNATE I WAS NOT GOING A HIGH SPEED WHEN EITHER STRUT BROKE...OH NEARLY FORGOT TO MENTION THAT THE REAR DRIVER-SIDE STRUT ALSO…”
“I HAVE HAD AN 99' OLDSMOBILE ALERO FOR 7 YEARS. IT HAS HAD ALMOST EVERY PROBLEM LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE. IT HAS HAD AN OVER HEATING PROBLEM EVERY YEAR SINCE I GOT IT AND I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS IN REPAIRS FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM, FUEL PUMP, POOR INTERIOR MANUFACTURER, AC/HEATER BLOWER MOTOR SETTINGS FAILURE, FUEL GAUGE FAILURE, TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE, POOR SPRINGS/STRUTS, GEAR SLIPPING, HARD STARTING, WATER LEAKING IN FROM RAIN UNDER GLOVE COMPARTMENT, OFF ALIGNMENT (SET THREE TIMES IN YEAR), POOR GAS MILEAGE, OVERHEATING OR RUNNING ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURE AND SUDDEN OVERHEATING WITHOUT NOTICE OF GAUGE LIGHTS OR SOUNDS. HAS HAD FRONT RIGHT CALIPER FAILURE LOCKING BRAKE PADS DOWN AGAINST ROTOR CAUSING BURNOUT OF PADS,ROTOR WARPING, CALIPER CYLINDER DAMAGE. HAS HAD POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKAGE. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND GM SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH SELLING UNSAFE, WORTHLESS VEHICLES. THE ONLY REASON I STILL HAVE MINE RUNNING IS BECAUSE I HAVE PUT A LOT OF PERSONAL AS WELL AS PAID LABOR INTO ITS UPKEEP OVER THE YEARS DUE TO THAT I CANT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR. *JB”
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE ABS AND LOW TRACK LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS WHERE THE SENSORS IN THE FRONT HUBS WERE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.”
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THERE WAS A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAME INOPERABLE, A BURNING SMELL APPEARED AND THE VEHICLE WAS LOOSING WATER. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY, WIRING, SPARK PLUG WIRING AND A BELT WERE REPLACED. THE WATER PUMP AND WINDOW SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE BLOWER MOTOR NEEDED TO CLEANED OUT. THE BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE UPDATED 05/01/06.*JB”
“1999 OLDS ALERO GLS, BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY,2004 WITH 23,000 MILES ON IT. FROM DAY 1 I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT MOSTLY BRAKES, CAR HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY ON IT. THE ROTORS GRIND, PULSATE, SQUEAK, THE CALIPERS MAKE CRACKING NOISES SOMETIMES BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR SAYS IT WILL NOT DO IT FOR THE MECHANIC, WHEN I DROP IT OFF I ALLOWED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO HEAR IT HE ALSO VERIFIED THE SOUND, ONLY TO GET THE CAR BACK BEING TOLD IT WON'T DO IT. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4X THE BRAKES 3X THE CALIPERS 2X, I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. CD PLAYER WILL NOT WORK TOLD BY DEALERSHIP IT IS THE HUMIDITY DOING IT WHICH I LIVE IN PHILADELPHIA AND IT IS WINTER THERE IS NO HUMIDITY. TOLD DEALERSHIP ABOUT A SQUEEZING NOISE UNDER HOOD GOT CAR BACK AND TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT, I GET HOME AND POP THE HOOD AND FIND A GREASE LIKE RESIDUE ON THE SERPENTINE BELT, I LATER FIND THE WATER PUMP LEAKING. CAR LOSES POWER AND A METAL BANGING NOISE OCCURS FROM UNDER THE HOOD UNDER ACCELERATION, DEALERSHIP SAYS CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TELL THEM ABOUT THE BRAKES AND WATER PUMP, THE…”
Showing 6 of 107 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.