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2001 Oldsmobile Alero

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Alero.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2001 Oldsmobile Alero is a passenger car from the model's 1998–2004 run, specified with a 4.5-quart engine oil capacity and 10W-30 API viscosity. Those service figures sit alongside five recalls and an electrical-system complaint lead as the practical reference points for this year. With 376 owner complaints, the 2001 model lands below the 2000 peak of 581 but well above the 1998 low of 2, placing it in the middle of the Alero's documented reliability range rather than at either extreme.

Model year2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731172. Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnTAILOEM · verified

Tire sizeP215-60R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731172 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	25161977
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	19301811 alt 19301810
Front wiper blades	22711468 discontinued · alt 22711469
Serpentine belt	88984195 alt 12588408
Thermostat	24577288 alt 24507563

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	186.6 in
Overall width	70.1 in
Overall height	54.3 in
Wheelbase	107.1 in
Curb weight	2959 lb
Track (front / rear)	59.1 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	76 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	9.2 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Upper: 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	12 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	41-942
Spark Plug Gap	0.050 in
Spark Plug Torque	13.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	41-940
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.35 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	75

Service checks

Pressure Test	15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	58.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	52-58
RPM	42-55 @ Idle rpm
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	55.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	48-55

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket	81 ft-lbs / 85 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	85 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.0015 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.433 in / 1.031 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

129 ft. lbs., step 2: 90

129 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	44 ft. lbs.	44 ft. lbs
2	95 degrees.	95 degrees

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	Bolts 1-8	40 ft. lbs
2	Bolts 9-10	30 ft.lbs
3	90 degrees.	90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 12,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 12,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2001 Oldsmobile Alero sits in the middle of a clear downward trend in consumer complaints that began after the 2000 peak of 581 complaints, falling to 376 in 2001 and continuing to drop to 280 in 2002 and 187 in 2003. Recall activity remained steady at five campaigns in both 2000 and 2001 before declining to two in 2002, while investigations fell from five in 2000 to three in 2001 and then to one in 2002. Technical service bulletins continued to rise through the period, reaching 407 in 2001, indicating ongoing manufacturer‑issued guidance despite the complaint reduction. The top complaint areas for 2001 were Electrical System (63), Exterior Lighting (45), Engine & Engine Cooling (29), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (26), with 20 crash‑related and five fire‑related complaints recorded. Given the declining complaint trajectory and stable recall count, the 2001 model year represents a comparatively better choice among used Aleros than the earlier 1999‑2000 years.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

407

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

376

Owner complaints

20 involved a crash · 5 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’98 ’99 ’00’01’02 ’03 ’04

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 376 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System63

Exterior Lighting45

Engine & Engine Cooling29

Service Brakes, Hydraulic26

Visibility20

Electrical System,Exterior Lighting11

Air Bags11

Suspension11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V400000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 03/07/2014

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on…

00V372000Power Train:Manual TransmissionReported 13/11/2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSAXLES (RPO M86) FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." WHEN A DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT FROM 5TH GEAR TO… Remedy: DEALERS WILL DISABLE THE 5TH/REVERSE INHIBITOR BY REMOVING A RETAINING PIN AND REPLACE THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 407 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIP5358D	2025-02-19	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4723J	2024-10-25	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIT5099H	2024-09-12	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5099H	2024-09-12	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Alero. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 75 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731172 Engine air filter 25161977 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 19301811

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2001 Alero take?

4.5 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2001 Alero have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.