i recently bought a 2002 Olds Alero, used. i noticed last week when i got into the car and started it the security light came on (and stayed on). i made a mental note of it. i got where i had to go. when i returned to the car to go back to work the security light was off. (still kept in the back of my mind) The light did not come back on for 2 days. i got in the vehicle and the light was back on, but the next time i got in it was off again. ( then i really started to think i was going crazy and seeing things) Monday i drop my son off at school and i go to work, everything is fine, right? WRONG! i get in the car after a VERY stressful day at work, and oh, it is a Monday on top of it all. the car won't start. and like many of you, my first thought was the battery, i asked my boss to jump me, he did and nothing. i called Carmax and told them i was stranded, they sent a tow truck to my office and towed it to carmax. The rep at Carmax just called to tell me that they are sending the car to the dealership, that the security system has malfunctioned.

I bought the car in 2005 - had it for a year and it wouldn't start one day. Cost $650 and a week of hell. Then one year later, same thing, in the Walmart parking lot. Had it towed and they had to replace the computer. Cost almost $800 with the tow. Not even one month later and now, on this night, May 25th, it won't start again. THREE TIMES!!!! I'm trying the key in the ignition trick until the security light stops flashing. We'll see if it works or not..... well the light finally stopped blinking... but it wouldn't start. I'm ready to get online and look for a new car......&#$)#&)*%)#$

I purchased a used 2002 Alero in January 2006. The car seemed to be working fine for the first couple of months and then the problems began. In April, when I went to start the car, there was nothing...so I had it towed to a garage. They said the problem was with the battery and replaced the battery at a cost of over $300. A few weeks later, the same thing happened again...this time they replaced the ignition switch....at a cost of over $500. The problem was still not fixed and the garage told me about leaving the car in the on position for 10 minutes and then turning it over. Bingo...it starts...I tell the garage that I was really quite ticked since I had already paid over $800 and the problem is still not resolved. This problem has become more and more frequent, with as many as three occurances in five starts. There is a lot of wasted time and now I'm afraid to take my car to a garage, as what happens if they don't fix the problem yet again and I fork out even more money for something that will not fix the problem?

After a 39 hour shift, I came home and found out from my roommate that my girl friends car was flooded. Being as it was a fuel injected 4 cylinder, I found it odd that she would have flooded it if she hadn't pumped the gas peddle. Later that night we went to get something to eat and figured we would try and start her car. Long story short, the car tried to turn over... and it failed. I noticed that the security light was on so as a network administrator I decided to check some forms and came across this site and tried the 10 min wait fix and it worked. Try this first and then attempt some of the other fixes.

THANK GOD I FOUND THIS SITE! I was so afraid I was going crazy, though this issue definately has me going INSANE.

Same issue as everyone else. Go to start my car and nothing. No cranking, no stuttering, no grinding, and definately no starting. I've owned this crap car for almost two years, I can totally see why it was traded into the dealer. It was a nice and cute little car, perfect for a first time car owner, when I first bought it. Six months after my intial purchase I go to start I get nothing. Not only from my crap car, but from the crap machanics as well. My sister and I thought "Hmm well...even tho all the lights and radio come one, perhaps its the battery." We try to jump it and no. But I'm new to this so I leave the possibility that we just didn't try to jump it right open. No biggie. Call the mechanics at my dealership and let them know what happened and that it's more than likely not the batter since we tried to jump it. After describing what the cars doing when I turn the key, the guy tells "sounds like it's the battery! lets get it towed over" Whatever...battery fine. Tow truck guy comes and the first words out of his mouth, I swear to God are, "I hear you've got a dead battery!" Oi...so I tell him "we tried to jump it last night, still wouldn't start, but by all means go ahead and work your magic." Tow guy can't jump it and states "must not be the battery" (yeah no $#!~). Get a call from the dealership next day, again they state "well its not the battery" (omg ok I get IT). They have to ship it off to the other dealership that handles electrical issues with Oldsmobile, tow charge number 2. That dealership calls to state, onces again, "we attempted to jump it, so it's not the battery" (someones gonna die) "but we won't be able to look at it for a couple days. FINE whatever just FIX IT. Two days later, "your car starts. it was just the (what?) BATTERY...it just needed to sit for two days to charge." Are you kidding me? But whatever they've had it for almost a week now, I want my car back and fine it starts. This time all it needs it 3 months...I figured screw having it towed, if it just needs to sit and "charge" let it. Two days later, still wouldn't start. Stranded number 2. Have it towed, as soon as it arrives, the stupid car STARTS...no problems. I'm totally thinking I'm insane by now, get on the bus and go get it (luckly my mechanic (not from the dealership) is cool and real sweetheart) no charge. Stranded number 3: 1 month later. OUT OF TOWN. Luckily visiting my mom, had it towed to her house, this time after 2 days let it "charge" for almost a week and was able to get home. But not for long...next day wouldn't start. Had it towed to another mechanic (not from the dealer) due to mine being closed that day. They keep for a week and a half to what? Replace the battery because the security system (oh yeah here it starts) is draining the battery. Fine, replace it. There goes 360 something. 1 week later. Stranded at 4 in the morning at a park. Have it towed back to the same place (as once again my mechanic was closed). This time its gone for a month and 2 weeks. Has to be towed to the dealership to run some internal computer anaylsis BS (run around much?). Fine, they replace the ignition switch. I finally get it back. After a week, I think, ok fine. They actually replaced something this time. I can roll with this. It ran for a total of 2 weeks. I get off work late last Friday, ready to go home and relax and guess who's stranded....AGAIN. I wish I could say I was done. But the dealership won't help me get out of this crap car unless I have 2-3000 to put down. This is all addition to the transmission issue I had with it making my car jerk as I excellorated, but my trusty mechanic got that fixed up (after getting more run around and more bills from other transmission "experts").

After reading these complaints, I have some ideas for quick "fixes" and thats awesome. But I agree, this crap, and it should recalled. This is impacting REAL people's life REAL bad.

I'm about to go out and try the 10 min quick "fix". Wish me luck!

I have had the Alero for 5 years now, this has only begun happening within the last 2 months. It seems to have started after the fuel filter was replaced and also the dealer "worked on" the issue with the rear-end turn signals. Judging by others comments here and on other websites, it appears that the cost to fix is upwards of $600, but even those who have replaced the ignition switch and other are still having issues. I have also heard that this is a problem with the Passlock system, does anyone know if this can be disconnected and avoided all together?

I'm having problems with my security system were my security light keeps flashing and the car won't start. need to reset for ten mins before it will start again. some times it happens twice in a row then it starts fine again for like about ten key cycles then it happen again and it always happen at the dam gas station were people blowing the horn to get the hell out the way. so i can put gas. this problem is starting to blow my mind. I took the car to the dealer four times for the same problem and the problem never got fixed. they replaced the ignition switch assembly w/module, the ignition switch, the body control module and now they want to replaced the wire harness for the security system. then i said the hell with this the car doesn't worth cost for labor a parts. can some one out there please please help me. some one told me to call gm customer service center will that help. please respond ASAP.

When this happened there was no other issue. I just could not start my car. After getting it towed, and after it had been messed with so much, the battery was damaged. So a new battery was put in and for a month it worked. Until yesterday, and it all started again. only this time, it wasn't touched. They found that the anti-theft unit malfunctioned and would not allow the car to be started. so now $450 and another tow later it was fixed. Both issues the same. I am very upset. I have called the manufacturer, and I'm sure they will not stand by this even though it is not an uncommon issue!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was the second time this happened. It happened a month ago and because there was no other symptom, by the time it was towed in and looked at and had been messed with, the battery was dead. Once the battery was taken out and replaced it worked ok..... for about a month. That time cost my $250 to get it towed in, etc., etc., etc. This time, it was $450 to get the anti theft module replaced. This manufacturer needs to step up and stand behind this issue........ the place that fixed it has dealt with this on many occasions, not only on my vehicle, but many with this anti-theft system! When it malfunctions, it basically thinks you are stealing your own car and will not start!

I left a previous complaint under car won't start. Check it out for the number to GM customer service. I have been having the same problems with my car not started as posted. I supposedly had the ignition changed last year and it did work for a while. I have begun having problems with the car not starting again recently. I had it towed to the dealership twice. After they claimed that the problem (the computer not recognizing my key) was resolved, I picked up the car. about a day or two later, the car started shutting off on me and then it would occasionally start up again after the engine turns with no success.

This car is a piece of junk!!!

Got into car after church (2/11/07) and car would not start - engine not turning over - just complete silence - even though everything else in the car worked fine (lights, radio, dash, interior lights, etc...). Same thing occurred during early Fall when car under warranty and was "magically" corrected by dealer. This time, car not under warranty, problem is described as being due to "Anti-Theft Module" and will cost $1,000.00 to fix - or can "reset module (?)" and car will run - but not know for how long says the dealer. Of course, chose the later and am looking for either dealer fix module this time at no cost (as should have when car under warranty) or some sort of class action litigation.

I have had this car now for about 3 1/2 years. So far, (knock on wood) it has been a great car. It's been my first since I graduated college. But this last Monday, I've had a bad experience and don't know what to do about it. Sunday night, I got in my car, drove it for a half hour (like normal) to my apartment and let it sit, in the cold, overnight. Next morning, the engine turned over but wouldn't start. I tryed it over and over and thought that the fuel line had frozen overnight. So I bought a bottle of HEET and that didn't work. It still turned over but wouldn't start. Now, all the lights, radio & heater would turn on, so I didn't suspect the battery. My dad said it sounded like the fuel pump went out. So I had it towed to a TiresPlus to have it worked on. The next day, they said the battery was dead and replaced it. They said they got the car to start right up and it ran fine. After walking 3 miles to get there, to my amazement, my car turned over, but would NOT start! I paid $200 for a new battery that didn't work! So they kept it again overnight and the next day, said the computer in my car was not allowing it to start. They re-set the computer and now it starts alright, but they want me to replace the computer ($600.00 bill) I want to know if anyone else has had this problem and have had it fixed? I've read plenty about security issues and computer issues with this car and I want to know if I REALLY have to replace this computer?! I will see, now, how long my car will go until this happens again. I stress the fact that I have NEVER had this problem until now. Any advise or comments would be helpful! Thankyou.

Our 2002 Alero had been a great car for the 6 months since we purchased it. However, the other night I ran out to quickly move it out of the way ... with mittens on my hands slipped on the key while I was turning it on... it started but quickly turned itself off. After this it wouldn't start again. At first we thought we flooded it. Then we figured a fuel pump problem, my husband checked the fuel pump and heard it working. He then checked the pressure port and found that gas was definitely being pumped up to the engine. We searched online to see what could be causing the problem and stumbled upon this site. After reading MANY of the complaints we started to get worried. Came across one that mentioned a security problem. We then noticed that our security light was flashing each time we turned on the key. Turning the key on then off and on then off then trying to start the car brought sometimes a bit of a fire but not enough. This all happening on a weekend we had my husbands brother come with his obsII tester which showed nothing wrong. We really could think of nothing else to try and so waited until monday morning. We called our local GM dealer and he suggested we turn on our key and leave it for at least 10 minutes or so until the security light stopped flashing. He said that should solve the problem for now and it should fire up... we tried it and IT WORKED! We then were able to save a costly tow to town and drove it into the shop ourselves. They put it on the diagnostic computer and found nothing wrong ???? We assume that when I started it too quickly and tried to drive away, the computer in the car sense it was being stolen and shut her down... a PAIN IN THE ASS for sure... but nice to have a bit of a solution for now anyway. We'll have to see how long it goes before, if and when it happens again.