U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Oldsmobile AURORA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

119 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

69,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 65 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 119 complaints (14.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	31	26.1%
Braking behavior	26	21.8%
Engine operation	10	8.4%
Transmission and shifting	7	5.9%
Electrical and battery issues	7	5.9%
Fuel system concerns	2	1.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering

Electrical System

Engine

Vehicle Speed Control

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Steering	17
Electrical System	16
Engine	10
Vehicle Speed Control	8
Engine And Engine Cooling	7
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	7
Exterior Lighting:Headlights	7
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	7

Steering: 17; Electrical System: 16; Engine: 10; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 7; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 7; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 7

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 6

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 54 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2021

2000: 5; 2001: 10; 2002: 13; 2003: 9; 2004: 12; 2005: 9; 2006: 7; 2007: 8; 2008: 6; 2009: 3; 2010: 8; 2011: 1; 2012: 5; 2013: 1; 2014: 9; 2015: 2; 2016: 3; 2017: 3; 2018: 3; 2019: 1; 2021: 1

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 31 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10041098 · 2003-10-02 (October 2, 2003)

STEERING CONTINUES TO LOCK AT SLOW SPEED AFTER STEERING RACK HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE BY DEALER. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041098 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049153 · 2003-12-03 (December 3, 2003)

THE STEERING SYSTEM GRINDS WHEN TURNING, CAN FILL EVERY LITTE BUMP IN STEERING WHEEL, HAD THE TIRES AND STEERING REPLACED. FIXED PROMBLEM ONLY MOMENTARILY. WHEN THERE ARE COLD TEMPERATURES THE PROMBLEM IS WORSE. LIGHTS HAVE ALWAYS FLICKERED. HAVE HAD MANY QUALITY REPAIRS ON CAR. CAR AS DIED TWICE WHILE DRIVING.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049153 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10011388 · 2003-03-11 (March 11, 2003)

WHEN CONSUMER BRAKED FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE SECOND TIME THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IT HAD MORE COMPRESSION. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011388 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056981 · 2004-02-11 (February 11, 2004)

ENGINE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING STALLS DURING IDLE OR WHILE UNDERWAY. BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES. CAR TYPICALLY RE-STARTS WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. ENGINE AT NORMAL RUNNING TEMPERATURE. ALSO NOTICE INTERMITTENT ENGINE RPM INSTABILITY, POSSIBLY RELATED. (SEE POTENTIALLY RELEVANT NHTSA ITEM #'S 636450 AND 634706). THIS IS POTENTIALLY A DANGEROUS CONDITION AS ENGINE, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES ARE LOST DURING STALL CONDITION AND SINCE PROBLEM MAY OCCUR DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND IN HEAVY TRAF…

Owner-reported narrative. 13,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056981 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10010372 · 2003-03-12 (March 12, 2003)

COOLANT LEAK HAS BEEN SERVICED ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN TIMES. MY AURORA IS CURRENTLY IN THE ROUND ROCK, TEXAS CLASSIC GM DEALERSHIP FOR ANOTHER TRY. ALSO, THE CAR IS BEING OUTFITTED WITH A DEVICE WHICH WILL TAKE A PICTURE OF THE ENGINE /ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE WHY THE ENGINE QUITS WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED ABOUT 5 TIMES AND I WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ENTERING A FREEWAY WHEN I LOST ALL POWER. I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PRESS AN INSTALLED BUTTON THE NEXT TIME THE ENGINE STALLS. I OFTEN GET A HARD SHIFT WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRI…

Owner-reported narrative. 21,856 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010372 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10055540 · 2004-01-05 (January 5, 2004)

VEHICLE WOULD STALL/STUMBLE ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR VERY SLOW SPEED. *PH THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. *SC

Owner-reported narrative. 24,326 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055540 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008791 · 2002-05-05 (May 5, 2002)

GRINDING NOISE IN TRANSMISSION AND DOES NOT SHIFT WITHOUT JERKING. *TS ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761548

Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008791 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088028 · 2004-08-17 (August 17, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH TRANSMISSION FAILED. AS A RESULT, DRIVER ENGAGED THE VEHICLE INTO THIRD GEAR AND COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 51,013 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088028 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10119622 · 2005-05-03 (May 3, 2005)

WE PURCHASED A USED 2001 OLDS AURORA IN MARCH 2003. WE ALSO PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFERED BY THE DEALER. SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WE NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FLUCUATING WILDLY (AS IF WE WERE TURNING OFF THE HEADLIGHTS) ALONG WITH THE VOLTAGE. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS "NORMAL". IT GOT SO BAD MY HUSBAND REFUSED TO LET ME DRIVE THE CAR, EVEN DURING THE DAY IN THE EVENT THE CAR SHUT OFF. WE TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER OLDS DEALER WHO, AT OUR REQUEST, REPLACED THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR, TO NO EFFECT. THIS HAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10119622 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10053569 · 2004-01-07 (January 7, 2004)

CONSUMER HAD TO TURN KEY IN THE IGNITION SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT TURNED OVER. ALSO, GAS GAUGE FAILED TO READ THE CORRECT LEVEL OF FUEL IN THE GAS TANK. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A CLANKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT NO FAILURE CODES APPEARED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS, BUT ALL THREE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10053569 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10909413 · 2016-09-23 (September 23, 2016)

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE GAS TANK. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR PUT GAS IN THE CAR PARKED THE CAR AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE MEN SAID THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE GAS SYSTEM.. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN PRIVATE PARKING LOT RUNNING.

Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10909413 at NHTSA ↗