Car was running fine, have had only a couple occasions where the car was hard starting, then it quit, at the gas station. After a lot of digging and research, and nothing working, I found a comment here about a similar no start that had a different solution. They said, bang on the fuel tank cause the fuel pump can stick. I said, "I thought of that," but wasn't angry enough to get down on the wet ground to do that. Today, the garage floor is dry, and shazam! a couple of whacks with a rubber hammer, and it's running like an old lady. Looks like a fuel pump in in the near future.

Update from Sep 13, 2013: Replaced the fuel pump and filter and all has been excellent since.

First off...Let me say thank you to everyone who has posted on here. I only wish I had found this and other websites (Edmunds) sooner. I bought my Alero in July of 2004 as a program car, from a dealership, and from a family member who assured me it had been well taken care of. I hadn't had any problems until April of 2009, which as I can see from many others comments I should be very grateful for. Last April I began to have problems with it starting and my Service Engine Soon light would come on. I was stranded in another town and replaced the battery not knowing it was something minor. Four weeks later it happened again. I took it to a local mechanic and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. Left the mechanics, got one block away, and it died at stoplight. This continued for through July. In July took it to another mechanic, who said he could find nothing wrong either. It's been fine since then, I swore last summer I would get something else as soon as I could, but with economy sucking, jobs being few and far between, and this piece of .... car being paid off....I just haven't been ready to make another car payment. August of '09 I moved into a newer gated community and occasionally my car will die when I hit the gate opener that's on my key ring. I read on Edmunds that this could be due to magnetic issue with passlock (which now totally makes since).Then it happened again....Monday, the first warm day of Spring and again today (which was when it started last year...coincidence I think not)...I travel for work and graduate school and therefore I have to have a reliable vehicle...I want to get rid of it, but don't want to give the problem to someone else. I hope by trying some of the suggestions listed they will work. I also found on Edmunds that a manufacturer's recall had been put out by GM for the O-Ring regulator. Needless to say I'm calling dealership tomorrow. Doesn't sound like this is my problem, but I'm definitely going to have it checked out.