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Exterior lightingPart report

2002 Oldsmobile Alero Exterior lighting Problems

Complaints
78about this part
Share
28%of 279 total for the year
Median mileage
71,165miles
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 78 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero, 28% of the 279 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 71,165 miles.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“While driving turn signal will work intermittently at times causing me to be on the road/ highway and in traffic without a working turn signal. Gm will not cover repair under the special policy even though my vehicle is one of the cars covered under the special policy due to my car being 1 year over the 10 year cap. I was never aware of this defect until now.”

NHTSA complaint #10542964, filed 2013-09, 47,000 miles

“There is a problem with the signals not working.. They may come on and blink or not...I've almost had to accidents this week 9/30/2014 because they fail to work...I have taken my car to see if the bulbs are blown or wiring and nothing comes back as to why they stop and start...I have gotten 2 warnings from a police officer about the failure to work, it can get me tickets or killed.”

NHTSA complaint #10640184, filed 2014-09, 232,550 miles

“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. …”

NHTSA complaint #10669781, filed 2015-01, 157,000 miles

“The turn signal / hazard switch went out on my 2002 Oldsmobile Alero. This caused the turn signals not to operate and nearly caused me to be rear ended on a highly traveled road with a child in the car. The failure was corrected by having the part replaced. The old part is no longer available due to shop throwing it out.”

NHTSA complaint #10138700, filed 2005-10, 40,900 miles

“My signal lights on my 2002 olds Alero or dysfucntional!! Sometimes they work sometimes they don't and I really fear for my safety, when my signal lights or not working. I was almost rear ended several time do to faulty signal lights.”

NHTSA complaint #10317296, filed 2010-03, 122 miles

Related service bulletins

Exterior lighting: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
20042119%
2003158%
20027828%
20016819%
200013124%
1999439%

Other parts of the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero

Electrical system
133 complaints
Engine cooling
28 complaints
Brakes
20 complaints
Fuel system
18 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
15 complaints
Other or unknown
14 complaints
Engine
13 complaints
Steering
11 complaints
Suspension
10 complaints
Air bags
9 complaints
Body and structure
9 complaints
Electronic stability control
6 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2002 Oldsmobile Alero

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology