14 of the 702 complaints about the 1999 Oldsmobile Alero are about the airbag system — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 82,000 miles.
14
Complaints
6
Crashes
1
Fires
5
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
AIR BAGS
WHEN I GOT ACCIDENT NOVEMBER 3 2004 AND AIRBAG NOT COME BLOW YET. I GOT INJURY HEAD AND BROKE LEG ON RIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #11053690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR BUT IT HAS RECALLS I WOULD LIKE TO GET FIXED
NHTSA complaint #10918720 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS A RECURRING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS CAUSING THE FANS, FUEL GAUGE, AND AIR BAGS TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10733043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH OVER A BUMP, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER AND A CONCUSSION, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
NHTSA complaint #10658797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HERNIATED DISK TO THE NECK AND INJURIES TO THE LOWER BACK AND HIP, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10633171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN HIS 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO AT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MPH WHEN HE RAN INTO THE BACK OF A PARKED OLDER VEHICLE WHICH HAD A STEEL BUMPER. MY SON'S 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO SUFFERED MAJOR DAMAGE AND MY SON HIT HIS HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10187141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO. THE CONTACT STATES THAT SHE HIT A POT HOLE AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG WAS POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT DID NOT COMPLETELY DEPLOY, THE AIR BAG ON THE RIGHT SIDE EJECTED AND IT BENT OPEN. IT LOOKED AS IF TISSUE WAS COMING OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT COMPLETELY DEPLOY. THIS OCCURRED 34 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO ABOUT VEHICLE AND URGED HER TO CONTACT THE INSURANCE COMPANY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. ALSO, A BAD ODOR COME FROM THE AIR BAG. THIS CRACKED THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DASH BOARD. IT OCCURRED ALMOST A YEAR AGO. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ON PRIOR TO THE DEPLOYMENT.
NHTSA complaint #10136351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10094328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DEAR SIRS, CONTACTING YOU TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH A CERTAIN MODEL OF CAR. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE VINYL DASH OF THIS CAR WILL PEEL BACK AND OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ONLY GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE. I THEN ASKED THE DEALERSHIP WHY WAS THIS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN DUE THE FACT THAT THE AIRBAG WAS OBVIOUSLY DAMAGED. THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE COULD MAKE THE AIRBAG DEPLOY FOR NO REASON A INJURE THE PASSENGER OR EVEN WORSE, NOT DEPLOY UPON A FRONTAL COLLISION. AGAIN I WAS NOT GIVEN AN ANSWER ON WHY THIS WAS NOT A CONCERN. I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND WAS CONCERNED THAT WHAT IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN NOT NEEDED AND THERE WAS A CHILD IN THE SEAT. EVEN IF THE CHILD WAS OLD ENOUGH TO BE IN THE FRONT AND WAS IN THERE SEAT BELT, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE DRIVER COULD NOT ANYTHING TO STOP ANY INJURY TO THE CHILD.
NHTSA complaint #10082950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING 35-45 MPH DOWN ROAD. GM PULLED DATA FROM COMPUTER AND HAS NOW SAID THAT THE CAR MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS, POTHOLE, BUSH, STICK OR SOMETHING. THEY HOWEVER WON'T HELP IN THE MATTER BECAUSE SOMETHING CAUSED THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY, WELL I COULD HAVE TOLD THEM THAT BECAUSE NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT A REASON. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE YET I AM STILL TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED.
NHTSA complaint #10081098 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY IN FRONT END COLLISION. CAR TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10021342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A CAR LOT AT 5MPH BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #863732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, VEHICLE SKIDDED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A FRONTAL IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THIS CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #853445 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 7 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'SER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.
NHTSA complaint #849825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.