The 2004 Oldsmobile Alero primarily used a four-speed automatic transmission. A five-speed manual option existed only on select configurations involving the base inline-four engine.
In its final year, the Alero was offered with two engines: a 2.2-liter inline-four and a 3.4-liter V6. Transmission choices varied by engine and trim level, with the automatic being the common setup and manual transmission appearing in limited, niche configurations.
Transmission options
Below is a breakdown of the transmissions GM offered for the 2004 Alero, organized by engine pairing.
- 4-speed automatic transmission (GM 4T40-E) — most 2.2L inline-four configurations used this transmission.
- 4-speed automatic transmission (GM 4T60-E) — the 3.4L V6 configurations typically used this larger automatic.
- 5-speed manual transmission — available only on a limited subset of 2.2L inline-four configurations in some trims/markets; not common in the 2004 model year.
In practice, most 2004 Alero owners encountered the four-speed automatic, with the manual option scarce and generally associated with specific, limited builds.
Manual transmission availability
If you own a 2004 Alero and need to verify which transmission your car has, check the transmission code stamped on the transmission housing or refer to the vehicle’s build sheet/owner’s manual. The presence of a 5-speed manual is a strong clue to a limited-trim or early-production configuration; otherwise, the car is likely equipped with one of the four-speed automatics.
Summary
For the 2004 Oldsmobile Alero, the standard and most common setup was a four-speed automatic transmission, with a rare five-speed manual option available only on certain 2.2L inline-four configurations. Transmission choice varied by engine and trim, so verifying the exact type for a specific vehicle is best done via the VIN, door jamb label, or the original paperwork.