Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Oldsmobile Aurora problems

Owners filed 103 complaints about the 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora with NHTSA between May 1996 and Jul 2013. The most-cited component is fuel system, gasoline (44).

Complaints
103
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
9
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Fuel system, gasoline44
  2. Electrical system18
  3. Engine and engine cooling16
  4. Steering7
  5. Vehicle speed control6
  6. Exterior lighting5
  7. Equipment4
  8. Seats3
  9. Suspension3
  10. Interior lighting3
  11. Power train2
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  13. Fuel system, other2
  14. Structure2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19964
19974
19987
19996
20007
20017
20027
200314
200428
20056
20063
20072
20082
20093
20100
20110
20122
20131

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Fuel system, gasoline

44 reports4 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT GASOLINE FUEL WOULD LEAK ONTO THE FUEL LINES ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V110000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER OFFERED TO ASSIST THE CONTACT WITH REPAIRING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2012Fuel system, gasolineODI 10450875

Electrical system

18 reports1 crash5 fires1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS STORED IN A GARAGE DURING THE WINTER. HE HOOKED UP A BATTERY CHARGER TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY AND NOTICED SMOKE INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. HE OPENED THE DOOR AND OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AREA. AS HE WAS EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. HE WAS AT A COMMERCIAL BUILDING AT THE TIME AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HELPED HIM EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OBSERVED A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 06/09/09. *LJ UPDATED 06/09/09. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 6, 2009Electrical system, SeatsFire reportedODI 10267829

Engine and engine cooling

16 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DASH BOARD INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, CHIMED AND RINGED. AS A RESULT OF THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, NONE OF THE DASH BOARD SENSORS WORKED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL 95V204000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ALSO THE VEHICLE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR AIR RIDE SENSOR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN THE SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL WELL TO BECOME 6 INCHES HIGHER THAN NORMAL. IT WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR WHERE BOTH REAR AIR RIDE SENSORS WERE REPLACED. ONE YEAR LATER THE LEFT REAR AIR RIDE SENSOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURS ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED HOWEVER; THIS DID NOT FIX THE STALLING PROBLEMS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2006Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10160918

Steering

7 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35MPH IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE STEERING COLUMN. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, THE STEERING WHEEL FELL OFF OF THE STEERING COLUMN INTO THE CONTACT'S LAP. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND PUSHED OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING OPERATED NORMALLY AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE. HOWEVER, THE BRAKES VIBRATE AND PULSATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THIS PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2006Steering, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10150718

Vehicle speed control

6 reports
“WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND STILL VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, SURGING FORWARD. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO HELP CONSUMER TO STOP AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY INCIDENTS.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 18, 2004Vehicle speed controlODI 10079458

Exterior lighting

5 reports
“DT: 1996 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. TAIL LIGHTS/ HEADLIGHTS, AND INSIDE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON, THE ONLY LIGHTS WORKING ARE THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS HOT AIR, AND THE DOOR AJAR INDICATOR STAYS ON EVEN IF THE KEYS ARE NOT IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPENED, THE PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTS NOT WORKING IS INCLUDED IN A RECALL, BUT THE MANUFACTURER SAYS THAT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2005Exterior lighting, Interior lighting, EquipmentODI 10126691
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.