Dash light on defroster button

The little light on my defroster button works only intermittently. The defroster itself seems to work fine, but when I press the button, I'd like to know if it's on or not. Should I forget it and just be glad it works?

I'd say you should be glad it works. It could be worse. It sounds like flaky contacts in the rear defogger switch/lamp. Or possibly the defogger relay located in the engine compartment fusebox, mini-relay #9. When it energizes it sends a ground back to turn on the lamp.

The Alero is prone to defogger problems where it doesn't work or causes radio static due to a flaky RF filter.

You got that right, had a moduel(sp) go bad on me a few months ago. $150 fix.