FaultScore

Oldsmobile Alero vs Toyota Highlander

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Oldsmobile Alero Toyota Highlander
Complaints on file 2,939 7,124
Model years covered 1998–2004 1997–2026
Worst model year 2000 2019
Best model year 2002 2025
Crashes reported 126 701
Fires reported 43 86
Injuries reported 90 381
Deaths reported 7 10
Most complained-about part Electrical System Transmission & Drivetrain
Share of complaints involving harm 9.1% 16.5%

Oldsmobile Alero by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Electrical System 630 21.4%
Lights 427 14.5%
Brakes 412 14.0%
Engine & Cooling 335 11.4%
Suspension 112 3.8%
Airbags 103 3.5%

Toyota Highlander by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks