Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue problems

Owners filed 115 complaints about the 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue with NHTSA between Mar 2001 and Aug 2020. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (41).

Complaints
115
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
1
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. Exterior lighting41
  2. Electrical system38
  3. Power train16
  4. Engine and engine cooling15
  5. Steering12
  6. Engine5
  7. Air bags5
  8. Suspension5
  9. Interior lighting5
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  11. Structure3
  12. Visibility3
  13. Tires3
  14. Equipment3

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 Oct 30, 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
20014
200219
200315
200415
200510
20069
20077
20088
20093
20102
20110
20120
20132
201410
20156
20162
20171
20180
20191
20201

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

Exterior lighting

41 reports1 crash
“TAKATA RECALL WHILE DRIVING MY LIGHTS WERE DIMMING WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR CUT OFF ON ME TWICE. THE FIRST TIME IT CUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE SECOND TIME IT CUT OFF WHILE I WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. SOMETIME THE CAR WON'T START. AFTER THE THIRD OR FORTH ATTEMPT THE CAR WILL START. MY GAS PEDAL IS STICKING NOW THIS JUST START HAPPENING. SOMETIMES I HAVE A TIME TRYING TO PUT THE WINDOWS DOWN. I HAVE TO JIGGLE WITH THE SWITCH A FEW TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE WINDOW ON DRIVER SIDE TO GO DOWN. I HAD TWO CRANK SENSORS AND ONE CAM SENSOR PUT ON MY VEHICLE. I AM STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE THOROUGHLY CHECKED BY A MECHANIC AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 3, 2016Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10853134

Electrical system

38 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TAKATA RECALL- WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION IT WILL SIMPLY STOP, NOTHING WILL WORK. IT MUST BE RESTARTED TO RESUME AND CONTINUE. IT MAY NOT DRIVE FOR LONG THOUGH. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS .AT TIMES THE POWER WILL SHUT OFF MOMENTARILY BUT THE CAR WILL CONTINUE DRIVING. THE LIGHTS WILL DIM WHILE DRIVING, ALSO. ON ONE OCCASION THE CAR WOULD NOT START UNTIL THE THIRD CRANK OF THE KEY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BUSY STREETS WITH MY NEW 17 YEAR OLD DRIVER AT THE WHEEL. I WILL BE CALLING A DEALER SOON. THEY HAVE TO FEEL SOME RESPONSIBILITY. I PRAY NO ONE GETS HURT DUE TO THIS ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 2, 2015Electrical systemODI 10808024

Power train

16 reports
“AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 4T65-E HAD TO BE REBUILT WITH ONLY 70K MILES IN 14 YEARS OF VERY MODERATE DRIVING, WHICH AVERAGES OUT 5000 MILES PER YEAR. COST OF REBUILD WAS $1500.00.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2016Suspension, Power train, EngineODI 10860429

Engine and engine cooling

15 reports
“WE HAVE AND OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE 2001 WAS PURCHASED IN 2002. IT WAS ONLY USED AS DEALER CAR. SINCE BUYING IT WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH DIMMING HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENT, TURN SIGNALS WORK WHEN THEY WANT, BRAKES THAT GRIND AND PULSATE, VIBRATION FROM RIGHT FRONT SIDE. WE HAVE HAD ROTORS REPLACED, TIE RODS, BRAKE PADS, STILL NOTHING WORKS THE DEALER TELLS ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THESE ITEMS. WE ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP WE REPLACED IT NOT A FEW WEEKS LATER IT WENT OUT AGAIN. WE HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS WITH THIS CARS PROBLEMS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2009Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10284146

Steering

12 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE KEY HAD TO BE PUSHED INTO THE IGNITION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE KEY WAS NOT FULLY SECURED INTO THE IGNITION AND WAS ALSO DIFFICULT TO INSERT. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHAKE AND APPLY FORCE IN ORDER TO PUSH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE SERVICE ENGINE SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE A MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 15, 2014Steering, Electrical systemODI 10582824

Engine

5 reports1 fire
“FRAUDULENT VEHICLE INSPECTION & EMISSIONS DONE ON A REGARDING 2001 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, PURCHASE DATE, MARCH 17, 2014. I HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEIR APPROVED SHOPS AND MY USUAL MECHANIC TAKING AN EXCESSIVE TIME FROM WORK TO TRY TO GET THE REPAIRS DONE. THE CAR WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL DISTRIBUTION, THE FRONT TURN SIGNALS AREN'T FIRING WHICH WILL REQUIRE A REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, AND I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE GAS GAUGE SENSOR MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE OIL LIGHT & CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE ALSO ON. ALL THESE THINGS I WAS ASSURED WOULD BE REPAIRED BY [XXX], THE SALESPERSON. HE STATED THE INSPECTION FACILITY, PA STATION ID#[XXX], HAS BEEN SENDING THE VEHICLES TO THEM PARTIALLY INSPECTED AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THIS VEHICLE "INSPECTION" WAS ON 3/4/14,AND I BELIEVE THIS SHOP, AND OTHERS LIKE IT, ARE KNOWINGLY DEFRAUDING CONSUMERS OF THIS ESTABLISHMENT. 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 15, 2014Exterior lighting, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10583000
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

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