Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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. …
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.
Sometimes on start up the engine shakes and smells of fumes are very strong and the service engine light comes on but after maybe a couple of days of off and on cycling the car returns to normal operation and after a while it will do the same thing over.
Bolts holding the engine in place were drilled to deep at the assembly line, causing engine coolint leakage, resulting in a possible fire hazard. Consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced parts. Please provide any further details.
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.
Tl 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
I own a 1997 Oldsmobile Aurora, on 4/25/2009 while traveling on the highway the underneath of my car burst into flames. I pulled over and luckily my mother was following and she had extinguisher in her vehicle. I took vehicle to repair shop and was told that fire was caused by rear main seal leaking oil directly onto exhaust pipe and that this vehicle is known for that and that GM is aware of the defect in that seal that's why there is a service bulletin on it. It turns out after much research that there are thousands of people who had the same problem. Why is the manufacture allowed to put a defect part in the vehicle that puts consumers at risk and not be responsible to fix it. I had my 2 yr old son and my 4 mo old daughter in the car. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Oldsmobile Aurora. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly stall. In addition, while attempting to start the vehicle a mist was present coming from the engine compartment and the engine would not start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the number 8 cylinder failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Frequently asked questions
Which Oldsmobile Aurora years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (41), 2001 (26), 1997 (19), 1996 (17) and 1998 (10) model years. Engine complaints make up 13% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Oldsmobile Aurora engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Oldsmobile Aurora model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Oldsmobile Aurora engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles; 28% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine › gasoline (35 mentions), followed by the engine (23).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.