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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Steering29
  2. Electrical system20
  3. Engine and engine cooling17
  4. Exterior lighting13
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic12
  6. Power train12
  7. Visibility11
  8. Engine10
  9. Vehicle speed control10
  10. Suspension7
  11. Service brakes6
  12. Electronic stability control (esc)5
  13. Equipment4
  14. 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
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
20005
200110
200213
20039
200413
200512
20067
20079
20088
20093
20108
20111
20125
20131
20149
20152
20163
20173
20183
20191
20200
20211

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

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 21, 2019Steering, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 11221621

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2018Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11060904

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 13, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlODI 10319383

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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 2, 2012Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 10463989

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10384808

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2010Power trainODI 10329455
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.