List of Issues with my Alero.

[h3hl33t]

I am new to this board and this is my first post. I am looking for a little help with the issues I am having. I have a 2001 Alero. It is a 4-cylinder automatic. I bought this car new, and have driven it ever since then. It currently has approximately 88k miles on it. Here is a list of issues that I am having with the car:

- AC doesn't seem to kick in until I move the knob to the third position.
- Rear defroster doesn't seem to work anymore.
- My turn signals go crazy (I call it machine gun turn signals) and sometimes do not work at all. This only happens sometimes. Never really consistent.
- Sometimes when I am backing up, the lights on my dash come on (abs off, trac off, service vehicle soon). I can turn off the car and restart it and they will disappear.
- Lately, my car has been idling rather low. It seems to be off and on. When I start the car and leave it in park, it idles at approx. 1000 rpm's. Then sometimes when I am driving and come to a stop at a light or sign, it may go down and idle at 500 rpm's. When I proceed to take off from the light it seems to be a little sluggish and then jerks and pops into gear. I changed the air filter last night, thinking that maybe not enough air was getting to the engine, but it seems to still be happening.
- My radio gets horrible signal. I hardly get any stations. When I use the seek function, it finds nothing.
- My service engine soon light comes on from time to time. I took it by Advanced Auto Parts and they ran the handheld on it and said it was a "Pedal Position Sensor: Bad Input"....not sure exactly what the heck this means.

If anyone has any input that would be great. I am going to start to try to fix these little issues. All have been happening for a year or so, besides the idling problem which is rather recent. Thanks for the help!

[Bad99Olds]

mk. ur machine gun turn signals could be related to the recall on the hazard switch, but i dont know the specifics, someone will correct me im sure. or use the search button.

replace the radio. lol. stock radio ftl.

and the dash lights i have no idea. the lights u listed suggest wheel hub bearing, but u said it only happens in reverse and doesnt stay on?

also, welcome and enjoy.

[h3hl33t]

Yeah they only seem to come on when I put the car in reverse and then turn the wheel to get out of parking spot or something. But, as soon as I turn the car off and then on again, they are not on. Weird huh?

[Bad99Olds]

yea. any hum coming from the front wheels?

[cherrington17]

rear defroster might have a broken link in one of the elements, or the defroster itself. check the connections on the back window with a voltmeter. (unless you can see a visible break)

radio, your power antenna might be shot. its pretty common for some. that'll be behind one of the C pillars (the pillar between the rear side windows and the back window)

[Noseminer]

Your idle sounds like the same thing that I had with my Alero. I went to a pick a part and found a new coil. I replaced that and the rough idle went away.

[h3hl33t]

No hums that I can tell coming from the wheels. Seems like my drivers side front wheel squeaks a little, has done that since I just got new tires. Sounds like squeak, squeak, squeak. Can only really notice it if I am driving next to another car and the sound waves bounce off that car and back at mine. The only hum that I did have was when I was turning, that was easily fixed by adding more power steering fluid. How loud of a hum are we talking about with the hub? Is it very noticeable?

[Bad99Olds]

couldnt tell you. never had the problem. someone on here knows i gaurantee it.

[h3hl33t]

Forgot to mention that I also have a dime jammed in between my steering wheel and cruise control button to keep the button pushed in. Used to be able to just push the button and it would stay on, now it needs to be held down. 10 cent fix literally, but why would it just quit working.

[cherrington17]

button broke, spring broke, circuit board broke? you'd have to crack the case open and take a look at it to find out.

[kniedelm9490]

Originally Posted by h3hl33t

Forgot to mention that I also have a dime jammed in between my steering wheel and cruise control button to keep the button pushed in. Used to be able to just push the button and it would stay on, now it needs to be held down. 10 cent fix literally, but why would it just quit working.

i had this problem t00 the buttons on cars break man lol what can u say but i rarely use cruise ne more since it broke when i do need it i used tape

[Bad99Olds]

i broke mine too. lol. gotta get around to fixint that eventually.

[[ion] C2]

Originally Posted by h3hl33t

- Lately, my car has been idling rather low. It seems to be off and on. When I start the car and leave it in park, it idles at approx. 1000 rpm's. Then sometimes when I am driving and come to a stop at a light or sign, it may go down and idle at 500 rpm's. When I proceed to take off from the light it seems to be a little sluggish and then jerks and pops into gear.

Mine does this too. I believe it's just the torque converter. Car doesn't really go until it hits a certain RPM. RPMs look fine. Should upon first startup, idle around 900-1000, then drop down as it's warmed up and at temperature.

[h3hl33t]

Okay, say I am in park after driving the car for a bit and the RPMs are at around 500-600. Just for sh*ts and giggles, I hit the gas and it went to 2000 RPMs and then let off abruptly and the car dies. What the heck?

[Vinalero]

Ok those are all Alero recurent problems:

Originally Posted by h3hl33t

- AC doesn't seem to kick in until I move the knob to the third position. Blower motor resistor is going bad

- Rear defroster doesn't seem to work anymore. Rear defrost resistor plug probly melted in the module (that controls both the radio antenna and the rear defroster) to solve the problem look for the module behind the trim btw the rear window and the back passenger side window. You'll probly have to swap for a new module and solder a new wire with the connector in there.

- My turn signals go crazy (I call it machine gun turn signals) and sometimes do not work at all. This only happens sometimes. Never really consistent. Hazard switch recall at GM

- Sometimes when I am backing up, the lights on my dash come on (abs off, trac off, service vehicle soon). I can turn off the car and restart it and they will disappear. Sounds like a bad wheel bearing or speed sensor, in the bearing

- Lately, my car has been idling rather low. It seems to be off and on. When I start the car and leave it in park, it idles at approx. 1000 rpm's. Then sometimes when I am driving and come to a stop at a light or sign, it may go down and idle at 500 rpm's. When I proceed to take off from the light it seems to be a little sluggish and then jerks and pops into gear. I changed the air filter last night, thinking that maybe not enough air was getting to the engine, but it seems to still be happening. Seems normal for an automatic

- My radio gets horrible signal. I hardly get any stations. When I use the seek function, it finds nothing. Probly related with the rear defroster not working, since the radio antenna is actually the rear defroster in the back glass in our cars, and that the module is probly shot like a lot does after a while, thats why you have a bad signal.

- My service engine soon light comes on from time to time. I took it by Advanced Auto Parts and they ran the handheld on it and said it was a "Pedal Position Sensor: Bad Input"....not sure exactly what the heck this means. I dont know, do you have cruise control? I dont know about this, but logically the only thing that really needs a pedal position sensor is the cruise control in my opinion

[Nate's Alero]

throttle postition sensor is bad.....it thinks the gas is lower than it is and when it does that the sudden starvation of gas to the motor causes it to die....replace the TPS

[h3hl33t]

Thanks to everyone for the awesome input. I am off on a journey now to get the parts and fix the car! Or, I might just take it to a shop. Who knows.

[[ion] C2]

Originally Posted by h3hl33t

Okay, say I am in park after driving the car for a bit and the RPMs are at around 500-600. Just for sh*ts and giggles, I hit the gas and it went to 2000 RPMs and then let off abruptly and the car dies. What the heck?

probably TPS

[Redog]

Just had my TPS replaced. $61 plus labor.

Mine was telling the car the throttle was 50% open at all times

[TheMeaningOfLife]

Hey gld you made it on here! I just found your thread!