2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Engine Problems

THE ENGINE RANDOMLY DIES OR STALLS WHILE IN TRAFFIC AT RANDOM TIMES AND WILL NOT TURN BACK ON FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION WHEN THE STALLING OCCURS AND THANKFULLY ONLY ON CITY STREETS. CODES HAVE NOT BEEN PRESENT BUT THE STALLING AND IDLE LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT IS FAULTY CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE STEERING COLUMN MAKES AN AUDIBLE CLICK NOISE WHEN TURNING PAST THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION ANYTIME THE STEERING WHEEL IS CRANKED, IT DOES NOT HAPPEN SOMETIMES, IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME. THIS IS MOST LIKELY DO TO POOR LUBRICATION OF A BEARING OR JOINT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND VEHICLE CHIMES AS WELL BUT THE ESC WORKS AS IT SHOULD, NO MATTER THE DRIVING CONDITIONS IT COMES ON, MOST LIKELY A FAULTY CIRCUIT BOARD.

NHTSA ID

11221621

Incident

Mar 20, 2019

Mileage

108,000 mi

CUSTOMERS CAR CAME IN WITH A FAILED STARTER ON THE 4.0L ENGINE. UPON REMOVING THE INTAKE, IT WAS FOUND THAT OIL HAD FILLED THE ENGINE VALLEY AND SHORTED THE STARTER OUT. THE OIL WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKETS, BOTH SIDES.

NHTSA ID

10915349

Incident

Oct 9, 2016

Mileage

92,281 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN OF THE REPAIRS THAT WERE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10767538

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ONCE I PUT IT INTO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE, THE ENGINE LOCKED UP AND THE STEERING, BRAKES, GAS DIDN'T WORK. I HAD TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND RESTART IT. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT I'VE HAD THIS ISSUE WITHIN THE LAST 3 MONTHS AND THE PREVIOUS 2 INSTANCES OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ACTUALLY MOVING AND ACCELERATING. I HAVE HAD SOME EXTREMELY CLOSE CALLS THAT COULD HAVE ENDED VERY DANGEROUSLY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I USE MY CAR KEYS WITHOUT ANY OTHER KEYS ATTACHED, SO THAT IT'S AS LIGHTWEIGHT AS POSSIBLE. IN THE PAST YEAR, THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE HAS HAPPENED 8 TIMES AND IS BEGINNING TO OCCUR MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE SOME RECOGNITION OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10667302

Incident

Dec 19, 2014

Mileage

121,000 mi

WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO ACCOMMODATE ANOTHER CAR, MY VEHICLE BEGAN UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND THEN I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES HAD LOCKED UP AS WELL. I HAD TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE CAR AND RESTART IT FOR IT TO WORK AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10660376

Incident

Nov 22, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

WHILE SLOWING MY SPEED TO GET ONTO THE RAMP TO THE EXPRESSWAY, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED COMPLETELY AND WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO TURN. ADDITIONALLY MY PEDALS STOPPED WORKING AND MY CAR CAME TO A STOP. I HAD TO TURN THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF AND RESTART IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641145

Incident

Oct 2, 2014

Mileage

120,800 mi

I WAS SLOWING DOWN AT A STOPLIGHT, DECREASING MY SPEED, ALTERNATELY USING THE BRAKE AND COASTING. THE STEERING WHEEL THEN LOCKED UP AND THE PEDALS STOPPED WORKING AND THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED. I HAD TO TURN THE ENGINE TOTALLY OFF AND RESTART IT FOR IT TO WORK AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641136

Incident

May 29, 2014

Mileage

119,000 mi

WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A STOPLIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED UP AND THE PEDALS LOCKED. THE ENGINE STOPPED. I HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN START IT AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641133

Incident

Feb 20, 2014

Mileage

118,000 mi

DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SPUTTER OR SHUT OFF, EVEN IN A CURVE. IT FINALLY FRIGHTENED ME SO MUCH THAT I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER ON 2/12/2009. THE DEALER CHARGED ME $463 PLUS TAX TO REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR ENGINE CRANKSHAFT SENSORS. THIS MALFUNCTION IS VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE TO IGNITION FAILURE AND COULD EASILY LEAD TO INJURY. MY CAR IS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE AURORA WITH THE 4.0 V-8 ENGINE. IT HAD 48,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE WORKED AS I NOW HAVE 123,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE PROBLEM NO LONGER OCCURS. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND 20 OTHER OWNERS WHO REPORTED THE SAME ISSUES AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE: HTTP://REPAIRPAL.COM/STALLING-DUE-TO-IGNITION-MODULE-OR-CRANKSHAFT-POSITION-SENSOR-FAILURE-144 I BELIEVE THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED AT MINIMUM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10608345

Incident

Feb 9, 2009

Mileage

47,900 mi

WHILE DRIVING CAR CUTS OUT, ENGINE STOPS. NO POWER. AFTER OVER 3 WEEKS OF RETURNING CAR TO DEALER 3 TIMES, THE DEALER FINALLY REPLACED A CYLINDER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. TOTAL COST TO ME: $1,200.00. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604476

Incident

Apr 21, 2008

Mileage

53,986 mi

WHERE TO EVEN BEGIN WITH THIS 2001 OLDSMOBILE AURORA V8 SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. RIGHT NOW IT SMELLS LIKE IT'S ON FIRE. I SEE WHERE GM HAD A RECALL LAST YR BUT THE AURORA IS NOT INCLUDED, AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT ALSO LUNGES FORWARD WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT , IT ALSO DIES WHEN DRIVING IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10319383

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

PURCHASED USED OLDS AURORA 2001 V-8 HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, 3 MO AFTER HAVING IT, USED SUNROOF FOR FIRST TIME, HEARD LOUD POP, HAD TO REPLACE WHOLE SUNROOF, NOT COVERED OF COURSE. NOW WHENEVER IT RAINS, THE MATERIAL IS WET AND HANGS DOWN. BUT THAT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO ALL OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. THE CAR WHEN AT STOP LIGHT WILL LUNGE FORWARD AND ALMOST DIE, IF I COAST FORWARD A LITTLE IT STOPS FOR A MIN. IF I WANT TO SIT IN MY CAR TO WARM IT UP, IT WILL DIE AFTER A MIN OR SO. A DEALER SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE..NOT CHEAP BUT REPLACED, IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING. THE CAR ALSO DIES WHILE DRIVING IT. THE CAR SMELLS LIKE IT IS ON FIRE, STRONGER THAN BURNING OIL SMELL TOO. LEAVES GET INTO AIR VENTS OR SOMEPLACE AND THEN WHEN TRYING TO RUN AIR OR HEAT, IT SOUNDS LIKE A JET FAN IS GOING TO BLOW UP. I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT THIS CAR IS NOT SAVE FOR ANYONE TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10308642

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT WITH MY VEHICLE RUNNING. SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING FLAMES CAME OUT OF MY DASHBOARD BURNING MY HANDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278526

Incident

Jul 13, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2001 AURORA'S ARE NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000; HOWEVER, HER VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURES. SHE WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER TO ADD THE AURORAS TO THE RECALL AND RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 85,167. UPDATED 05/07/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED OIL WAS LEKAING FROM THE VALVE COVER. UPDATED 05/07/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10265604

Incident

Jan 26, 2009

Mileage

85,167 mi

AFTER REVIEWING THE COMPLAINTS OF THE OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2001 I AM HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS REGARDING CHECK ENGINE WHEN GOING INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE SERVICE THEY STILL STATE THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WHEN I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212070

Incident

Jun 21, 2007

OUR 2001 OLDSMOBILE AURORA WAS BROUGHT IN SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS BECAUSE THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT KEPT GOING ON. EACH TIME THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS RELATED TO THE "SECONDARY AIR INJECTION PUMP". TWO NIGHTS AGO WE CAME HOME AND PARKED OUR CAR IN OUR GARAGE, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO OUR HOUSE. A COUPLE HOURS LATER WE WERE AWOKE BY A SMELL, WHICH FINALLY LED US TO OUR GARAGE. WE OPENED THE DOOR TO OUR GARAGE AND IT WAS FULL OF SMOKE! WE HEARD A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR, AND OPENED THE HOOD. FLAMES WERE COMING UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, WHERE THE PUMP WAS LOCATED. MY WIFE AND I PUSHED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND DOSED THE ENGINE WITH WATER, AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THEY SAID WE WERE LUCKY WE CAUGHT IT WHEN WE DID AND PUSHED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE. IF WE WEREN'T AWAKE, OUR HOUSE COULD HAVE BEEN ENGULFED, AND WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! WHEN WE WENT BACK TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY, THE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS A "KNOWN" PROBLEM, BY THEM AND OLDSMOBILE/GM!! WE CAN NO LONGER TRUST THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN FIXING THIS PROBLEM AND DO NOT THINK THE VEHICLE IS SAFE! CAN YOU HELP US AND WHAT SHOULD WE DO? *NM

NHTSA ID

10171419

Incident

Oct 18, 2006

Mileage

43,000 mi

I BOUGHT A 2001 OLDSMOBILE AURORA IN 2003 BEING A SINGLE MOTHER OF 2 CHILDREN I WANTED A SAFE CAR WITH LOW REPAIR I WAS TOLD THE 5 STAR ENGINE IS THE BEST AND LOW MAINTANCE I PAID 15.900 CASH FOR THE CAR ON THE WAY HOME IT WAS ACTING FUN LIGHTS FLICKERING GAS PEDAL STICKS AND YOU CAN'T PUSH IT DOWN, THEN THE GAS GAUGE QUIT WORKING OIL WAS LEAKING ALL OVER HUB IN THE FRONT OF CAR WENT BAD I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND IT NEEDED A OIL SENDING UNIT,FUEL SENDING UNIT FRONT HUB JOB, AFTER ANOTHER 1.700 IN REPAIRS NOW I AM HOLD THE HEAD GASKET IS READY TO BLOW AND THE GAGE SAYS LOW OIL PRESSURE I HAD IT BACK TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG.THEN I WS REAR ENDED AT A STOP AND GO LIGHT DUE TO MY HEAD LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF. MY ONSTAR DON'T WORK 3/4 OF THE TIME DUE TO MY GAS GAUGE NOT WORKING I RAN OUT OF GAS AND THEN THE ONSTAR DIDN'T WORK EITHER ONLY IF THE CAR IS RUNNING.NOW IT ALSO SAYS DEFECTED AIRBAGS ON THE DASH. PLEASE GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS ALSO THERE WAS A CHIP IN THE WINDSHILD I ASKED IS THAT A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THE SALESMAN SAID OH NO IT IS NOT WHEN I GOT IT HOME IT WAS A CRACK ITN IT I CALLED AND THEY TOLD ME YOU DROVE IT OFF THE LOT THERE IS NO WARRANTY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10154775

Incident

Apr 6, 2006

DT: THE CONTACT STATED CAR HAS 57,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN SHE BOUGHT THE CAR IT HAD 37,000 MILES ON IT. THE CONTACT HAD THE EMISSION AIR PUMP AND THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SOLENOID FIXED WHEN SHE BOUGHT THE CAR. SHE WAS TOLD THOSE THINGS SHOULD NEVER GO BAD AGAIN. NOW, THE SAME TWO PROBLEMS RECURRED. ON 8-30-05 SHE HAD TO HAVE THE EMISSION AIR PUMP REPLACED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DEALERSHIPS. THEY TOLD HER THAT THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED , ESPECIALLY TWICE. ON 9-20-05 SHE HAD TO HAVE THE PASSENGER REAR TIE-ROD END REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10137211

Incident

Sep 20, 2005

Mileage

37,600 mi

MY 2001 AROURA WAS PURCHASED IN NOV. OF 2002 AND WAS PUT IN THE SHOP ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER WE PURCHASED IT. LEXUS OF TULSA SOLD US THE CAR. THE VEHICLE HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND IT WAS ALREADY BLOWN WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR. 2YEARS LATER THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN AGAIN. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE GASKET WAS GOING TO KEEP BLOWING UNTIL WE GET ANOTHER MOTOR AND THAT THE MOTOR HAS SOME INTERNAL DAMAGE THAT CAME FROM THE FACTORY WHERE THE MOTOR WAS BUILT IN. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE VALVE HAD SOME COMBULSTION BUILT UP IN THERE AND WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FACTORY. THE CAR WOULD JUST START RUNNING HOT AND ALSO IT WOULD SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE PANEL LIGHTS WOULD SAY STOP ENGINE. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE AT ALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10086603

Incident

Dec 1, 2002

Mileage

47,656 mi

ENGINE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING STALLS DURING IDLE OR WHILE UNDERWAY. BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES. CAR TYPICALLY RE-STARTS WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. ENGINE AT NORMAL RUNNING TEMPERATURE. ALSO NOTICE INTERMITTENT ENGINE RPM INSTABILITY, POSSIBLY RELATED. (SEE POTENTIALLY RELEVANT NHTSA ITEM #'S 636450 AND 634706). THIS IS POTENTIALLY A DANGEROUS CONDITION AS ENGINE, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES ARE LOST DURING STALL CONDITION AND SINCE PROBLEM MAY OCCUR DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. DEALER PREVIOUSLY REPLACED ENGINE CRANK SENSORS ON 1/6/04, WHICH DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. CONDITION HAS EXISTED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, FIRST NOTICED AROUND 11K MILES. USUALLY STALLS AT IDLE, 2/10 FIRST TIME STALL OCCURED WHILE UNDERWAY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056981

Incident

Feb 10, 2004

Mileage

13,300 mi

VEHICLE WOULD STALL/STUMBLE ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR VERY SLOW SPEED. *PH THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. *SC

NHTSA ID

10055540

Mileage

24,326 mi

COOLANT LEAK HAS BEEN SERVICED ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN TIMES. MY AURORA IS CURRENTLY IN THE ROUND ROCK, TEXAS CLASSIC GM DEALERSHIP FOR ANOTHER TRY. ALSO, THE CAR IS BEING OUTFITTED WITH A DEVICE WHICH WILL TAKE A PICTURE OF THE ENGINE /ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE WHY THE ENGINE QUITS WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED ABOUT 5 TIMES AND I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ENTERING A FREEWAY WHEN I LOST ALL POWER. I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PRESS AN INSTALLED BUTTON THE NEXT TIME THE ENGINE STALLS. I OFTEN GET A HARD SHIFT WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. ABOUT 20% OF THE TIME. TOLD THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED BY DEALER.*JB

NHTSA ID

10010372

Incident

Jan 9, 2001

Mileage

21,856 mi

MY 2001 OLDS 3.5L AURORA SWALLOWED A VALVE

NHTSA ID

10002924

Incident

Nov 1, 2002

Mileage

48,100 mi

WHILE MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF LEAVING THE POWER OFF. VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. *JG

NHTSA ID

8020272

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

ENGINE BLOCK CASTING PROBLEM FROM THE FACTORY. ENGINE LEAKED AND USED COOLANT. ENGINE REPLACED @ 8000 MILES. SINCE REPLACEMENT CAR HAS NEVER RUN CORRECTLY, STALLS, ENGINE LIGHT ON, MULITPLE ERROR CODES IN COMPUTER.

NHTSA ID

761767

Incident

Apr 1, 2002