Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Oldsmobile Alero owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Just a couple of days after the purchase of the vehicle the brakes were making a bad scrubbing noise, and I had no turn signal at all I noticed a clicking sound coming from the hazard warning light .during the clicking sound the turn signal would work at times and I would smell something like a burning smell. While the car was park and no one around it the lights would come on inside and out by their self and this causes my battery to go dead and I have to boost it off. I have contacted the car dealer that I purchased it from and they were very rude and hateful and told me it was my problem and that there is nothing they can do about it. That they sold it to me at a good deal and they could not help me.
My tensor pulley is going out and my safety sensors like anti lock, trac off and now service engine soon keep coming on had it in shop and found nothing wrong. Now its making loud noises.it happens when im stopped and moving
It was a on sept 2 2006, my 17 yr daughter was driving on the highway a hour and half a way from home and noticed failure in her brakes. They where not working good when she got closer to her destination she lost all brakes control. This could have been a fatality if this would have been on the highway but all brake function was lost at her approaching destination. The cause was a brake line plastic clip was busted which caused the line to rub against the crankshaft and rubbed a hole in the line causing the fluid to run out, it cost 175.00 to fix, that including the towing. I feel if this hose was held by a metal clip this would not have happened, I think this should be a recall because this could have been a very serious after come, not to mention this was my 17 year old child.
Dt*: the contact stated while depressing the brake pedal at 15mph, a grinding noise was coming from the front and rear brakes. The noise was compared to metal on metal sound. The vehicle was taken to the local dealership for inspection. The dealer determined the rotors and pads were worn and needed replaced. The rotors and pads were replaced seven times previously for the same problem. On average, the brakes and pads were replaced every 20,000 miles. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact the reason the rotors and pads were being replaced so often was, asbestos was no longer used in the materials when manufacturing the parts. This would lead to replacement of the parts more often which would be considered normal basic maintenance of the vehicle.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Oldsmobile Alero. While driving approximately 35 MPH she heard a noise and the service, low traction and anti lock brake lights illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the anti lock sensor on the driver's side of the vehicle. A couple of months later the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken again to the dealer who replaced the front passenger anti lock sensor. Six months later, the failure happened again. The contact stated that the failure occurred numerous times. The vehicle was not repaired for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000. The current mileage was 121,000.
Brake complaint: front and rear brake problems continue including abnormal accelerated wear, brake noises and rotor corrosion. Front and rear rotors have been replaced twice, turned on numerous occasions and the front and rear pads have been replaced several times in less than 32,000 miles. In total, more than $1,000 has been spent in out of pocket repairs plus warranty work to date. It is now necessary to have the brakes checked every 3,000-5,000 to insure that brake operation is safe and that the front and rear pads and rotors are in good working order. Corrosion of the rotors remains a problem and accelerates the wear of the pads.
Speeed sensor repestly needs to be replaced. If this not vital to the vehicle's safety and is only a f eature that is reassuring the driver. Three kights go on, chimes ring, and it appears that something is changing how the car drives- hard. There is caabin noise resulting from the apparently change in shifting. This will be the third time in four years that speed sensors need to be replaced is it not the speed sensors, and another part= like electrical and the codes are the same? Are the sensors themselves faulty?
Tl contact owns a 2002 Oldsmobile Alero. The contact has been experiencing failures with her vehicle ever since it was purchased. The speedometer displayed inaccurate readings and the braking system was locked twice due to a defective wheel bearing. The ignition switch was replaced twice and recently failed again. She is unable to remove the key from the ignition because it locked in place. The contact will take the vehicle in for repair. The failure mileage was 24,500 and current mileage was 92,273.
Consumer stated brake lining separated from the bonding......the inside front brake pad linings separated from backing plate, left pad wore out more than right. Dealer would do nothing. They claime dit was a worn out part not a defect. Called Oldsmobile customer assistance canter. A factory representative came to dealer and claimed if this would hav ehappened at 24,000 miles it would have been a factory defect. An independent parts dealer said that the bonding should never fail, nomatter of mileage.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Oldsmobile Alero. The contact stated that the while driving at various speeds, the check engine and ABS warning lights illuminated. The contact mentioned that when the brake pedal was depressed excessive force was required to stop the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the steering wheel was loose. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Brake complaints in other Alero years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the brakes of the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero, 7% of the model year's 279 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Oldsmobile Alero brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Oldsmobile Alero brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 33,000 miles, and 33% 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.