Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 49 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora, most frequently naming the engine, brakes and electrical categories. 56 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 1998 | 1 | 1 |
| Jan 1999 | 2 | 3 |
| Feb 1999 | 5 | 8 |
| Jul 1999 | 1 | 9 |
| Dec 1999 | 1 | 10 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 11 |
| May 2000 | 1 | 12 |
| Jul 2000 | 1 | 13 |
| Sep 2000 | 2 | 15 |
| Nov 2000 | 1 | 16 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 17 |
| Jul 2001 | 1 | 18 |
| Aug 2001 | 1 | 19 |
| Dec 2001 | 1 | 20 |
| Jul 2002 | 1 | 21 |
| Aug 2002 | 1 | 22 |
| Oct 2002 | 2 | 24 |
| Nov 2002 | 1 | 25 |
| May 2003 | 1 | 26 |
| Jul 2003 | 2 | 28 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 29 |
| Jan 2004 | 1 | 30 |
| Feb 2004 | 2 | 32 |
| Mar 2004 | 1 | 33 |
| Sep 2004 | 1 | 34 |
| Mar 2005 | 2 | 36 |
| Jul 2005 | 2 | 38 |
| Sep 2005 | 2 | 40 |
| Feb 2006 | 1 | 41 |
| Mar 2006 | 1 | 42 |
| Aug 2006 | 1 | 43 |
| Mar 2008 | 1 | 44 |
| Dec 2008 | 1 | 45 |
| Jan 2010 | 2 | 47 |
| Feb 2012 | 1 | 48 |
| Jul 2014 | 1 | 49 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
VEHICLE RUNNING IN NORMAL TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET, KEY SWITCH JUST SUDDENLY TURNED BACK AND VEHICLE SHUT OFF. NO BRAKING, AND NO STEERING. HAD TO TRY AND STEER OFF TO A SAFE PLACE. ONGOING ISSUE AS THE IGNITION SWITCH IS STILL IN THIS CONDITION ENDANGERING MY LIFE, MY FAMILY'S LIFE, AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE ENGINE POWER AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND RESUME IN OPERATION. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WOULD OVERHEAT WITH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF COOLANT LEAKAGE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWENTY TIMES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE MONTHS AFTER THE SECOND REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE AND HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
I WAS MOVING THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD,AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WE GRABBED FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT IT OUT,I CHECK ONLINE FOR RECALL AND FOUND OUT THIS CAR HAD A RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM WHICH WAS A RUPTURE IN THE FUEL INJECTION NYLON LINE THE YEAR PRIOR AFTER NOTIFYING GM OH THE PROBLEM I WAS MOVED FROM PERSON TOO PERSON FOR 4 WEEKS ONLY BE TOLD THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TOO TAKE CAR TOO A DEALER BECAUSE I CANT AFFORD IT,THIS PROBLEM COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF LIFE AND NEED BE ADDRESSED QUICKLY THANK YOU. *TR
FUEL RAIL SPLIT CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO MOTOR. *TR
I HAVE A 1998 AURORA AS WHEEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF CAR SHUTTING DOWN. FIRST I HAD THE MODULE REPLACED AND IT STILL DID IT. AND THEN I WAS TOLD TO GET MY FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED AND I KEPT INJECTOR CLEANER IN MY CAR WHEN I FILLED UP AND THE I FINALLY GOT A FULL TUNE UP AND AFTER THAT NO PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BAD SPARK PLUG WIRES WILL CAUSE THIS AS WELL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. WHEN SHE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER SHE SHIFTED GEARS TO PARK AND THEN DRIVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS PRESENT. THREE MECHANICS PERFORMED TEST TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND CORRECTING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD NO COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 104,800. UPDATED 04-02-08 *BF
LIGHTS COME ON AND FLICKER BY THEMSELVES EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS OFF. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS OFF AND THE KEYS ARE NOT IN THE IGNITION. ALSO, THERE IS THE SMELL OF BURNED RUBBER PRESENT SOME OF THE TIMES. *JB
I OWN A 1998 AURORA. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENTIRE FRONT LEFT TIRE ASSEMBLY (WHEEL, BRAKE SYSTEM, STRUTS, ETC) SEPARATED FROM THE CAR, CAUSING THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY AND DESTROYING THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR. THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION IS UNKNOWN. THE CAR DID NOT HIT OR RUN OVER ANY FOREIGN OBJECT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE TIRE WAS RECOVERED WITH THE STRUT? AND BRACKET ASSEMBLIES? STILL ATTACHED TO THE TIRE. I'M FILING A COMPLAINT TO DETERMINE IF ANY OTHER INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN HOPES OF PREVENTING ANY OTHER AURORA OWNERS FROM EXPERIENCING SUCH A LIFE THREATENING INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY IN HOPES OF DETERMINING A CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. *NM
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT
This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. E version update is to add administrative details.
EQUIPMENT
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.
EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.