Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Oldsmobile Alero owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
I bought my car with 14 miles on it. In the first year, I had to have the molding on the doors replaced because they leaked. The drivers side window fell into the door. I've been told that it is my regulator that needs to be replaced. I also found a broken clip just sitting inside my door. You can't buy just a regulator or clips so I will need to buy those parts plus the motor which will cost at least $280. My rotors also needed to be shaved down because they were warped and my brakes needed to be replaced and now, only 5 months later, they need to be totally replaced because they are warped again and my brakes will have to be replaced as well. This is the worst car I've ever owned! My first and last experience I will ever have with GM!! I realize things happen to cars, but I would expect Oldsmobile to acknowledge these re-occurring problems and be held accountable to fix them.
Both the driver and the passenger windows fell off the tracks, so I had a friend pry them up and he got the windows to stay up, but you could not use either window. I did not have the money to get the windows fixed for a while until I was finally able to afford to get the driver's window fixed in May 2008 which cost $385.00. They replaced the regulator. On 12/4/2008, it happened yet again to the driver's side window and the warranty was only good for 60 days labor/30days parts, so I am yet again not able to use either window. I was told by quite a few people that this is a very common problem and that if I got it fixed yet again, it would probably happen yet again. I did not see this defect listed on the recall list however.
Have had the heater resister replaced twice and the blower motor once. When going to a professional mechanic to have a third resister installed (less than a month after the second and 13 months after the first replacement), he said that water was leaking down through the windshield into the blower motor, melted a 30 amp fuse and shorted out the resistor. The mechanic said this could have caused a fire under the dashboard of the car. The blower motor encasement was drenched with water.
I bought this vehicle new in florida...from day 1 there has been excessive wind noise coming from the driver side of the vehicle. It sounds like a window is left open. Took to various service dealership to complain of this problem...various things have been done by the service dept., but the problem still persist. Vehicle is now out of manufacture warranty...have contacted manufacture with this problem, but no help offered.
I bought the car new at a florida dealership on 11/1998. Less than two years later the material on the door panels was coming off...detaching...the vinyl lifted off the upper door panel. Took the vehicle in for service to replace on 09/2002 under manufacture warranty. Material on door panel is now coming off the door panel again. Manufacture warranty has expired and refused any assistance in fixing this problem.
In the last six months three out of 4 windows on my vehicle are now held up with duct tape so that they don't fall into the channel and I can't get them up. Luckily, only one of them managed to do that and a friend managed to get it back up for me. That occurred at the end of January 2006. I could understand one- maybe- but three!!! No. This is definitely a safety issue. I suspect the only reason that my one working window, the back passenger side, is still working is because I haven't tried to put it down- or the result would be the same. I am sure that is going to be expensive to repair, so I guess I'll go with the duct tape for a while. I have also had a problem with the intake manifold, the gaskets on that were replaced in January, 2006. I was losing antifreeze from the overflow tank, and having to fill it every day. …
The car has had five complaints issued to the dealer in the past 11 months, regarding driver's side door lock, automatic trunk latch, power failures. The dealer has been very good about attempting repairs, finding in the last two complaints that water is leaking into the fuse panel. The previous complaint resulted in a new fuse box, and computer. The last complaint resulted in another new fuse box. While I do like the car, and my dealer, I am losing faith quickly in the car itself. I am uncomfortable going long distance with it due to its apparent regular power failures. It is a nuisance to have it towed and to be without it for days at a time. I am also concerned about shorts and fires since the electrical system is involved. I am not sure what the next step is, but the car is not reliable to me.
Within my 36,000 of driving from 50,222 to 86,119 my intake gaskets have been replaced twice. My rack has been replaced twice and will need to be replaced a third time. I am also aware that the rack was replaced while the previous owner had the car. Recently I realized why water was getting into my passenger side of the vehicle. The window seal is shifted causing the window to leak if the car is parked at certain inclines. This repair is not covered by my pre-owned vehicle warranty. All major repairs have been covered by my warranty and any additional costs have bee quote "eaten" by repair facilities.
While driving at about 40 MPH passenger side door came ajar, not able to close and latch properly. Repetetive problems with rear defroster. Low tire pressure warning light inaccurate.et. There were two incident of cracked radiator cap. There were three incidents of interior trunk release button failure. Gas guage malfunctioned.
Related recalls
Structure › Body
Vehicle description: these vehicles do not comply with the occupant protection requirements of FMVSS no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." the console cover on these vehicles does not stay closed when a specified vertical load is applied.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the console latch mechanism.
Body complaints in other Alero years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the body & structure of the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero, 6% of the model year's 462 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Oldsmobile Alero body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-140 (body, May 18, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Oldsmobile Alero body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.