1995 OLDSMOBILE AURORA Power Train Problems

TRANSMISSION WAS 'STUCK' IN 2ND GEAR DUE TO THE PLASTIC COMPONENTS IN THE SHIFT SOLENOIDS BREAKING. COST $700.00 IN REPAIR BILLS AND GM HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ADVISING THEIR LOCATIONS OF THIS PROBLEM AND STATE THAT THE REPLACEMENT GM PARTS ARE NOW METAL. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY DOING ABOUT 50-55 AND THE TRANSMISSION JUST WENT INTO 2ND GEAR SO I HAD TO DRIVE 20 MILES AT ABOUT 35 MPH. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE AROUND SO THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. AT THIS POINT IN TIME I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO FIX IT EXCEPT TO HAVE THE CODES READ BY A GM DEALER AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE SHIFT SOLENOIDS ARE BAD DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE PLASTIC BRACKET THAT HOLDS THEM IN PLACE. *JB

Mileage: 98,000

1995 OLDSMOBILE AURORA EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WHEEL.*MR...CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO PREMIER AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES , AND THEY RECOMMENDED THE REPLACEMENT OF STEERING RACK ANS PINION AND STEERING PRESSURE HOSE DUE TO LEAKING STEERING FLUID/EPAIRMENT OF TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH/ REPLACEMENT OF VALVE COVER GASKETS AND ENGINE MOUNTS/ REPAIRED COOLANT LEAK. CONSUMER PURCHASED A WYNNS USA EXTENDED WARRANTY, WHICH DID NOT NOT COVER ALL REPAIR WORK NEEDED. *AK

Mileage: 133,389

GEAR POSITION INDICATOR DOESN'T LOCK IN GEAR. THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH OF THE INDICATOR AND IT MOVES FROM THE CURRENT GEAR INTO PARK. *AK

Mileage: 120,000

RECALL 04V110000 CONCERNING FUEL RAIL TUBING: WHILE STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE FUEL FILTER AND FOUND THAT THE FUEL RAIL WAS PUNCTURED. FUEL WAS SQUIRTING OUT ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON DUE TO THE SHIFT SOLENOID AND THE SCREEN WAS BAD IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS INACCURATE AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BAD SENDING UNIT WHICH WAS ALSO REPLACED. *SC

Mileage: 110,000

ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON...RPM'S RANDOMLY GO UP AND DOWN CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND/OR STALL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ALSO, WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED ROUGHLY AND NOW WILL CAR WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR TO ACCELETRATE BEYOND 40 M.P.H. TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICE TWICE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY COMPLAINING ABOUT JERK IN TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THE FIRST, NOW 37,000 MILES LATER OUT OF WARRANTY AND COMPLETE FAILURE . COMPANY ADVERTISERS CAR WILL NOT NEED TUNEUP UNTIL 100,000 MILES, I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ONLY 60K MILES AND HAVE HAD TO HAVE IT TUNED UP TWICE AT $600+ A POP. AT THAT POINT CAR WAS STALLING NOT DELIVERING THE POWER THAT IT USUALLY DOES.*AK

Mileage: 110,900

THE SHIFT SOLENOIDS ON ALL THE 1995 AURORA AND ABOVE GO BAD WHILE DRIVING. IM MY CASE I WAS GOING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR SHIFTED IN SECOND GEAR AND WAS STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN ADDITION TO THE TERROR I WENT THRU WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THERE WAS ALSO NO WHERE TO PULL OVER AS IT HAPPENED ON THE BRIDGE. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND WRECKED.THOSE ARE 2 SHIFT SELENOIDS THAT ARE LOCATED INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION, THAT THE DEALER HAD TO REMOVE THE PAN TO GET TO IT. USUALLY ONE GOES BAD BUT THEY REPLACE BOTH SINCE THEY ALREADY HAVE THE PAN OPEN. IT TAKES ABOUT LESS THAN A HALF AN HOUR TO REPLACE. THE PARTS ARE SUPPOSEDLY MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND OLDSMOBILE IS VERY AWARE OF THIS AND THEY KNOW HOW DANGEROUS IT IS. THEY GET THOUSANDS OF AURORAS IN THEIR SHOP FOR THAT PROBLEM. I BELONG TO EDMUNDS.COM AND I MUST'VE READ AT LEAST 50+ COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS ALWAYS OCCURRS AS SOMEONE IS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR SHIFTS IN SECOND GEAR WITHOUT WARNING AND NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. A FEW PEOPLE STATED THAT THEY ALMOST WRECKED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW.*AK

Mileage: 96,661

I OWN A 1995 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. IN JANUARY 2004 I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE THE CAR SHIFTED INTO 2ND GEAR. THIS ABRUBT CHANGE IN GEARS/RPM/ENGINE NOISE NEARLY CAUSED ME TO GET IN A ACCIDENT. THE SHIFT SOLENOID INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND THE CAR DEFAULTED TO 2ND GEAR. ITS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY A DEALER UPDATE IN 96 OR 1997 FROM GM, WHO BASICALLY ADMITTED A DESIGN FLAW. THIS FLAW ALOWED A FILTER TO SLIDE IN AND OUT OF PLACE CONSTANTLY SMACKING THE SHIFT SOLENIOD WHICH EVENTUALLY CASUED IT TO SNAP. THE UPDATE WAS A L SHAPED BAR TO HOLD THE FILTER IN PLACE. THIS ALSO COST ME ABOUT $400 TO FIX. IF GM RELIEZED THIS SAFTEY FLAW IN ALL OF THERE OLDSMOBILE AURORA'S UP TO 97, AND CADILLACS I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BECOME A RECALL, THIS TYPE OF FALIURE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, SOMEONE COULD BE SERIOUSLY HURT. *AK

DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL RAIL AT 50,000 MILES/62,000 MILE'S AND AGAIN AT 66,000 MILES, BUT PROBLEM WAS STILL OCCURRING. *AK (BLADDER LEAK, GAS LEAK, FLUID LEAK, FLUID COOLANT LEAK) THERE WAS A STRONG GAS SMELL, TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, THE ENGINE HESITATION AS IF IT WERE GOING TO BACKFIRE, OVERHEATING, BANGING NOISE WHEN THE GEARS WERE SHIFTED WHICH WAS AN INTERMITTENT FAILURE PER PCM. THE REG/FILTER AND THROTTLE SEALING WAS REPLACED. *SC

Mileage: 50,000

PURCHASED AURORA USED, BUT HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE START. IT TAKES SEVERAL TRIES BEFORE STARTING UP EACH TIME; GAS PEDAL SHIMMIES AND VIBRATES BETWEEN 65 & 70 MPH; COOLANT SYSTEM FAILURE; CAR CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING; AND PAINT CHIPS OFF.

12,808 MILES (2-29-96) SEAL, LOWER CRANKCASE REPLACED. 34,603 MILES (11-25-97) DIAGNOSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS-REPLACE RADIO. 44,513 MILES (8-19-98) DIAGNOSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, REPLACE ALTERNATOR CONTROLLER, PCM/VCM (COMPUTERS) 49,098 MILES (12-30-98) DIAGNOSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, AGAIN REPLACE ALTERNATOR (ALTERNATOR IS CAUSING COMPUTERS TO FAIL) 63,420 MILES (3-1-2000)- I PURCHASE AT END OF MY PARTNER?S LEASE AND HE LEASED NEW AURORA-DEALER NEVER ADVISE HIM THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WOULD BE REOCCURRING. DEALER PREFORMED MAJOR 60,000 SERVICE AND INDICATED THE CARE WAS FINE. 65,777 MILES (7-9-2001). THE CAR BACKFIRED WHILE WIFE WAS CROSSING BUSY INTERSECTION AND WAS NOT VERY RESPONSIVE. I WAS JUST ABLE TO GET TO LOCAL GARAGE NEXT TO INTERSECTION TO TRY TO AT LEAST GET REPAIR IT ENOUGH TO DRIVE. I HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD REQUIRE MAJOR REPAIR SINCE IT HAD ONLY BEEN 2,357 SINCE IT HAD A COMPLETE MAJOR 60,000-MILE DEALER SERVICE. THE REPAIRS ($2,480) INCLUDED THE IGNITION MODULE, ECM (COMPUTER), ELECTRICAL BRAKE CONTROL MODULE (ABS SYSTEM), AND ALTERNATOR. THE DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED THE ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTION WAS DAMAGING THE ABOVE COMPONENTS. THIS IS THE THIRD ALTERNATOR IN 21,264 MILES ( AND SECOND EMC ). THERE IS A MANUFACTURE DESIGN PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURE APPEARS NOT TO BE ABLE TO FIX IT. 70.090 MILES (5-28-2003) THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE IT SLAMS INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE AND SHIFTS ROUGH DURING NORMAL DRIVING. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE ECM (COMPUTER) WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER GETTING THE COMPLETE CAR HISTORY, I FOUND THAT IT HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM THAT GM HAS NOT SOLVED. THE CURRENT DEALER WAS JUST GOING TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER UNTIL I ADVISED HIM HE NEEDS TO CHECK ALTERNATOR SINCE IT APPEARS FROM PAST EXPERIENCE IT IS INVOLVED IN TAKING OUT THE COMPUTERS.

Mileage: 70,000

EVERY FOURTH DAY TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE, AND IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT GEAR. GMC MECHANIC STATED PCM VALVE MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

EVERY FOURTH DAY TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE, AND IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT GEAR. GMC MECHANIC STATED PCM VALVE MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED ROUGHLY CAUSING DAMAGE TO ENGINE MOUNTS AND WELL AS INTERNAL TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. CAR NOW SHIFTS ABRUPTLY UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WHILE NOT SHIFTING ON SOME OCCASIONS. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME OF PRESSURE CONTROL SWITCH FAILURE REQUIRING COMPLETE OVERHAUL OR RAPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION AS WELL AS MOTOR MOUNT REPLACEMENT. ASIDE FROM THIS MOST RECENT PROBLEM, THE RADIATOR, AIR COMPRESSOR, AIR CONDITIONING HOSES AND BLOWER FAN CONTROL MODULE, ALTERNATOR, IGNITION COIL PACK AND LOWER CRANKCASE GASKET HAVE ALL FAILED WITHIN THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS. CAR CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 115,000 MILES ON IT AND PROBABLY WON'T LIVE TO ACCUMULATE MANY MORE. TOTAL PIECE OF CRAP FROM GM. (OH THAT SICK GM FEELING!). *AK

Mileage: 114,000

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT SLIPPED AND WOULD NOT SHIFT FIRST INDICATION OF THIS TAKEN TO DEALER SOLENOID IN TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACED. ALSO BACK SEAT BELTS WILL NOT GO BACK IN.. *NLM

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT; TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO GEAR; DTC #76 INDICATES A PRESSURE SOLENOID IN TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT. HAS HAPPENED SIX TIMES. ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 52,000 MILES. NO TRANSMISSION SHOP WANTS TO WORK ON IT BECAUSE IT MAY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. HAS BROKEN TWO ENGINE MOUNTS WHEN PUTTING TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE DUE TO THE HARDNESS OF THE OPERATION. ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN ENGINE (CAR) IS COLD, IS STARTED, AND PLACED INTO REVERSE. CLEAR CODE AND ALL IS NORMAL UNTILL THE NEXT TIME.*AK

WHILE DRIVING OUT OF DRIVEWAY HEARD A LOUD NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT TRANSMISSION HAD CRACKED AND COULD NOT BE FIXED. INSTEAD, NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BUT, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION, UPON CHANGING GEARS, SLIPS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. DEALER FOUND THAT CYLINOIDS WERE BAD, ALSO ,THERE WAS A VERY STRONG SMELL, AS IF SOMETHING WAS BURNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

TRANSMISSION WILL ONLY OPERATE IN REVERSE OR SECOND GEAR, DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS. *AK

ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON...RPM'S RANDOMLY GO UP AND DOWN CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND/OR STALL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ALSO, TRANS. JURKS BETWEEN 45-60MPH. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL. NOTHING CAN BE DONE.

FIVE DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE RADIATOR CRACKED, CAR OVERHEATED, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WHILE SPEAKING WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, I EXPLAINED THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON AS OF 3RD DAY AFTER PURCHASE AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS SURGING AND BACK FIRE TYPE NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD DURING ACCELERATION AND THE CAR HAD NO POWER. THE FRONT RIGHT FOG LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING THE DAY OF PURCHASE AND TO REPLACE IT, I WAS CHARGED FOR THE REPLACEMENT BULB. THERE WAS NO BUYERS GUIDE ON THIS VEHICLE ON THE DAY I TEST DROVE THE CAR NOR ON THE DAY OF PURCHASE, I PURCHASED A ONE YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP IN THE AMOUNT OF $1295.00, AND WAS TOLD IT COVERED EVERYTHING. SERVICE MANAGER WAS CONTACTED ON THE DAY I PICKED THE CAR UP AFTER THE RADIATOR REPAIR, AND WAS TOLD THE OTHER ISSUES WERE NOT CORRECTED AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE WARRANTY NOT HAVING TIME TO PROCESS. A FEW HOURS LATER, I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO REPORT THAT THE CAR WAS RUNNING HOT , SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND HE BLEW IT OFF AS COOLANT BURNOFF AND IF IT CONTINUED TO RETURN IT ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, THIS WAS ON A FRIDAY. WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT THAT SAME FRIDAY NIGHT, YET IT WAS MINOR AND I DROVE THE CAR HOME FROM THE SCENE. I DROVE TO A REPAIR FACILITY ON MONDAY, AND THERE IS WHEN I WAS INFORMED THAT THE RADIATOR REPAIR FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK WAS NOT DONE AND PICTURES WERE TAKEN AND I MET WITH THE SALES MANAGER AND SHOWED HIM THE PICTURES, YET HE STILL INSISTED THE REPAIR WAS DONE, I E-MAILED THE PHOTOS TO GM AND OLDSMOBILE WITH MY COMPLAINT. NO RESPONSE TO THIS DAY 01/29/01. *AK

TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICE TWICE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY COMPLAINING ABOUT JERK IN TRANSMISSION, DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG, NOW COMPLETE FAILURE. COMPANY ADVERTISERS CAR WILL NOT NEED TUNEUP UNTIL 100,000 MILES, THEY ARE RIGHT BECAUSE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. REVIEW OF SEVERAL INTERNET SITES INDICATE MANY OWNERS HAVE SAME PROBLEM MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR AT THEIR COST.*AK

TAKEN TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES - "EVERYTHING IS FINE" - CAR IS STILL NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY (NOT RELIABLE)

TAKEN TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES - "EVERYTHING IS FINE" - CAR IS STILL NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY (NOT RELIABLE). *AK

TAKEN TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES - "EVERYTHING IS FINE" - CAR IS STILL NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY (NOT RELIABLE). *AK *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734319

Mileage: 74,000

A FAULTY COMPUTER MODULE, CAUSING DRIVER 'S SIDE POWER WINDOW NOT TO OPERATE/ BLOWING FUSES, AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND APPOINTMENT MADE FOR INSPECTION. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

DEALER SAYS A KNOWN "CHUGGLE" IN TRANSMISSION CAUSES SKIPPING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 45-65 MPH. ESTIMATE TO FIX PROBLEM, $3000. NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD ERRATICALLY. WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO GEAR ITS JERKS VERY HARD IN A JUMP MOTION WITH THE ENGINE IDLING HIGH. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT SOLENOID WAS DESIGNED WITHOUT A BRACKET TO HOLD THE SOLENOID IN PLACE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AND NOT TO EXCEED 20 MPH. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ABS/TC DID NOT ALLOW ME TO STOP IN TIME AND I HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. NOW THE TRACTION OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATES CONSTANTLY (> 40 MPH IT ENABLES THE FAULT) AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT PAY TO HAVE THE BPMV REPLACED.*AK

VEHICAL HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED SOLELY BY DEALERSHIP, NO ONE ELSE HAS EVER WORKED ON VEHICAL INCLUDING OIL CHANGES. VEHICAL GAVE NO INDICATION OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS PRIOR TO COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

SEAT BELTS/TRANSMISSION/ABS BRAKES/ STARTER FAILED. ALSO ENGINE CONTINUOUSLY OVERHEATED.

CENTER CONSOLE SHIFT INDICATOR IS HARD TO READ DURING THE DAY AND VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO READ AT NIGHT.

VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER SIX TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK