Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 Oldsmobile Aurora problems
Owners filed 126 complaints about the 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora with NHTSA between Sep 2000 and May 2021. The most-cited component is steering (29).
Complaints
126
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Steering29
- Electrical system20
- Engine and engine cooling17
- Exterior lighting13
- Service brakes, hydraulic12
- Power train12
- Visibility11
- Engine10
- Vehicle speed control10
- Suspension7
- Service brakes6
- Electronic stability control (esc)5
- Equipment4
- Structure3
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
10
13
9
13
12
7
9
8
3
8
1
5
1
9
2
3
3
3
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 10 |
| 2002 | 13 |
| 2003 | 9 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 12 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 9 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Steering
29 reports3 crashes
“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.”
Electrical system
20 reports1 crash2 fires
“I BOUGHT THIS 2001 AURORA USED IN 2015. THE CHECK ENGINE WAS ON AND WHEN I QUESTIONED PREVIOUS OWNER HE STATED IT WAS A SENSOR THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS PUT ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND THERE WEREN'T ANY FAILURES, ALERTS OR FAULTY SENSORS DETECTED. JUNE OF 2016 MY DASH BOARD SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. I CAN'T SEE MY ODOMETER THE GAS HAND DOESN'T WORK AND IT HAS LOST ALL ILLUMINATION. I'VE HAD FUSES CHECKED, REPLACED ETC. IN OCTOBER 2016 MY AIR CONDITIONING UNIT STOPPED WORKING. REPLACED COMPRESSOR, TO NO AVAIL. THE HEATER ONLY BLOWS WARM AIR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. OCCASIONALLY I GET A LOW FUEL WARNING WHEN I'M JUST IDLING EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS. HAVE HAD A LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING SINCE I'VE BOUGHT IT, AND REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH BRAND NEW ONES, BEEN TO 5 TIRE SHOPS TO SEE IF THEY CAN RESET SENSOR. MOST MY PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE ELECTRICAL. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT OR WILL NOT GIVE ME INFORMATION. I LOVE MY CAR, AND WANT TO KEEP IT. HELP PLEASE.”
Engine and engine cooling
17 reports1 crash2 fires
“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”
Exterior lighting
13 reports1 crash
“WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON 9/2007 WITH 65,327 MILES. THE 1ST YEAR OR SO, IT WAS OK, EXCEPT FOR THE EMMISIONS SYSTEM WHICH THEY REPAIRED. OVER THE NEXT YEARS, WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES, ROTORS CONSTANTLY! THEN THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT KEPT COMING ON WARNING OF THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEM. THEN, MY LIGHTS STARTING GOING OUT IN THE CAR, DASH, COMPUTER SYSTEM WARNING AREA, AND HEAD LIGHTS FLICKERING. THE CAR SHAKES EXCESSIVELY WHEN I TRY TO STOP AND GO OVER 55 MILES AN HOUR ON HIGHWAY TO THE POINT I THINK THE FRONT END IS GOING TO FALL OFF! IN THE SUMMER (AS NOW) MY GAS PEDAL STICKS! I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT GM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY TOLD ME ALTHOUGH A RECALL ON ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THIS CAR IS HAVING WAS DONE, MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED! IT'S THE SAME YEAR, MODEL AND PROBLEMS..AND STILL THEY WOULD NOT HELP US. I WAS TOLD TO HAVE A COMPLETE DIAGNOSTIC DONE ON IT AT MY EXPENSIVE TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE--SERIOUSLY GM? I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS I HAVE PUT INTO THIS CAR ALREADY AND STILL CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED OR HAVE GM OWN UP TO THESE PROBLEMS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS CAR AND YEAR EXTENSIVELY AND HAVE…”
Service brakes, hydraulic
12 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE DOES NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER 30MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES. THE BRAKE SENSOR AND THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE BRAKE CONTINUES TO FAIL TO ENGAGE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED RECALL 00V114000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108.000. LI”
Power train
12 reports
“THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VIOLENTLY AT TIMES, THE SHIFT RANGES FROM A SLIGHT BUMP TO A BUMP THAT FEELS LIKE THE CAR HAS BEEN REAR-ENDED. THIS IS MOST COMMON IN TRAFFIC/CITY AREAS AND IS RESOLVED BY SHUTTING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. A GM DEALER MADE A $1544.00 REPAIR TO THE TRANSMISSION BUT IT STILL IS NOT FIXED. OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS SOMETIMES FOLLOWED BY A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. *TR”
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.