Faults:

Three out of four windows motors had to be replaced. These motors are rather expensive. This was the most annoying problem. Common problem with this style car.

Front brake rotors at 60000 miles. Turns out the GM rotors are made of a cheaper material that wears out faster. Replace them with non-GM parts and they last a lot longer.

Heater/AC fan works only at high speed. This happened twice. Once around 40000 miles and at 67000 miles. It can be easily corrector, turns out there a resister that blows out under the glove compartment and is easily and very cheap to replace.

Gas gauge is erratic. Started happening around 65000 miles. It's a bad gas tank sending unit in the gas tank. About $200 bucks to fix. Common problem.

Front leather seat lumbar support is inadequate for turns. You slide around in them.

General Comments:

Alero GLS with handling package handles very well. You can make some crazy turns and handles like a sports car.

Six cylinder engine is quick and responsive.

Not bad on gas if you use cruise control. I went on a 300 mile trip using cruise control and got 30 miles per gallon. Without cruise, I average 18 city/23 highway.

Very reliable.

I spent around $1500 total on non-standard maintenance item. Mostly because of those expensive window motors. Sounds like a lot, but the car was relatively cheap when I bought it. The closest thing with the same options was at least five thousand dollars more. I still think it was a great buy.

My wife and I both like it's looks and the way it drives six years later.

Faults:

Front tire constantly low on pressure, even after buying new tires.

Leaks coolant, even after replacing water pump.

Moulding on doors has come off.

Rear view Mirror fell off.

Dashboard leather peeled off from heat.

Car currently simply won't start.

General Comments:

I hated this car two months after my wife bought it. It's uncomfortable for a man over 6 feet tall. My head hits the ceiling when I'm driving and there's no room for my legs. My knee is always in the council. CD player doesn't play burned discs, cup holder is in a terrible place (in front of shifter) and car has had constant mechanical problems.

Faults:

As with almost all 3.4's, the lower intake manifold gasket, and the right rear speed sensor. Also had too replace the fuel level sender.

General Comments:

We really like this car, very sporty looking, has good get up and go factor. Love the all leather of the GLS. The factory stereo system sucked, but with a top of the line Clarion in the dash, Infinity Kappa speakers powered by a Phoenix Gold amp, and a Kicker L7 subwoofer powered by a MMATS amp, it sounds great in there now. Doesn't get the best MPG's in town, but out on the interstate, it does a lot better. Over all, we are very happy with out 2000 Oldsmobile GLS coupe (2-door)

Faults:

I have spent the last two hours reading the complaints on this website and I can’t believe it!!! I bought my Alero used with 35,000 miles on it. Here is what I have experienced so far.

1. Warning lights randomly coming on for no reason.

2. Both the passenger and driver side floors are filled with water when it rains. One morning I got in the car to take my son to school and there was three inches of water on the floor. He thought it was hilarious.

3. The blower is broken so I can’t defrost my windshield.

4. The AC makes a horrible noise.

5. The rear defrost is broken.

6. The rear speakers don’t work.

7. The trunk and the hood do not line up properly. I had a dealer friend check the history of the car and there is no record of an accident.

Here is the big thing. The car vibrates like crazy. I took it to two different mechanics who looked at it and told me that they wouldn’t work on it. They wanted me to take it to a dealer. They had suggestions that it could be a fly wheel, harmonic balance or a crank shaft.

The dealer had the car for two days and told me that at first they were baffled, but after doing some research discovered that Alero’s have had a problem with vibrating. I have zero knowledge of cars and their engines so bear with me while I try to describe what I think he told me. He said that I would need to have the engine rebuilt. He described it as three rods encased in a cylinder and they are out of balance? Does that make sense to anyone? The dealer suggested that I get rid of the car. He said that I would have a very hard time selling it on the private market (obviously), so I would have to trade it in and because of the problem I wouldn’t get much. This is a really big issue for me. I have three kids in college and a fourth starting next year. I can’t afford to buy a new car right now.