2004 Oldsmobile Alero Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Alero years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 6th of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 109 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Oldsmobile Alero. That ranks 6th out of 7 Alero model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (57 complaints, 52%), typically at around 97,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 2 fires, 7 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 109owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 Oldsmobile Alero problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 57 | 52% | 97,000 | “ignition switch” (32%) | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 21 | 19% | 96,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 13 | 12% | 142,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 13 | 12% | 132,106 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 6% | 92,670 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 6% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 6% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 5% | 95,562 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 5% | 107,650 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 5% | 48,300 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 5% | 49,867 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 4% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 4% | 136,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 3% | 82,785 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | 39,650 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 136,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 200,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 105,200 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Oldsmobile Alero recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition
Problem: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2004 Oldsmobile Alero. The contact stated that while turning the key the vehicle failed to start. The blinkers were inoperable at times. There was an abnormal grinding sound detected while turning the ignition. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to…
Lo que debes resaltar en el reporte: Kilometraje: 60,000 millas (especifica que el daño grave se notó a las 40,000). Componente: "Structure: Frame and Members" (Estructura: Chasis y travesaños). Riesgo: "Complete structural failure" (Fallo estructural completo
I have exhaust coming into the car through the vent when thermostat is in use, my back seats are not in the clip and flip up with no problem and I have a 8 year old son who sits back there, my break pedal will lock and I cannot apply pressure, my dash lights just stopped working I believe the ECM…
Airbag no deployment Loss of power steering Brakes to floor Car died Recall ignored prior and still today after set up now off their schedule Friendly Chevrolet rich Gardner
Friendly Chevrolet 62704 has refused the open recall on my vehicle after being on schedule for tommrow 8a.m Service Manager Sir Richard said it's a waste of time and not my issue.
Other Oldsmobile Alero years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 109 | 1 |
| 2003 Alero | 184 | 2 |
| 2002 Alero | 279 | 1 |
| 2001 Alero | 364 | 4 |
| 2000 Alero | 557 | 4 |
| 1999 Alero | 462 | 3 |
| 1998 Alero | 2 | 0 |
See all Oldsmobile Alero problems by year, every Oldsmobile model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Oldsmobile models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Oldsmobile Alero?
Owners most often report electrical system, exterior lighting, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 57 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Oldsmobile Alero?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 Oldsmobile Alero a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Alero model years, the 2004 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.