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Oldsmobile Aurora Maintenance & Repair

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  • donnapacadonnapaca Member Posts: 26
    I had similar symptoms. Turned out that it was the main computer not the transmission. I found that you need to have mechanic that has aurora tech knowledge. I tried non dealer, and found I wasted money.
    The dealer who also is gmc-pontiac dealer actually was a better at fixing the problem. They replaced the computer with a factory rebuilt (three were defective-but they did not charge me for multiple replacements since they guarantee their work). Finally got it fixed, at about $190. The tech had to make multiple calls to GM tech dept. to get help with some codes that were being generated that were not correct.
    The computer controls the pressure and shift points. I have read where a lot of people were told by transmission shops they needed a rebuild, only to find out the rebuild did not fix the problem, they had to replace the computer.
    You need to make sure the dealer has aurora experience (cad's have north star engine and transmission setup also I believe)
    Don
  • johnnieboyjohnnieboy Member Posts: 16
    You have my sympathy. I have a 1998 Aurora that is fabulous. The only problem I've had is the tranny "blew" at about 80.000 KMS. I now have about 175,000 KMS and the car works like a charm. I have not costs other than normal wear and tear. I have not yet had to replace the battery. I love the Aurora. Every time I begin to look at a new vehicle, it does not take long for me to decide that the new cars do not have anything on my 1998 Aurora which has all the features, speed, handling, looks, etc I need. Good luck to you with yours!

    John
  • nalleynalley Member Posts: 1
    I am not sure of the transmission problem but as far as the passenger rear window working intermittently or not at all. We had this problem and was told to was switches and window drive motor. None of that fixed it - a local machanic found a broken wire in the door hinge area and replaced a bout a foot of wire - that fixed it.
  • magickkmagickk Member Posts: 2
    u might come out better buying a use tranny i bought one for $650 and my mech installed it for $250
  • steeler1steeler1 Member Posts: 2
    I drive a 2002 aurora 3.5L, has anyone had this problem and what is it normally? I cannot seem to find info on it and I did check all fuses.
  • akwebb81akwebb81 Member Posts: 15
    If you need to have the car pass a state inspection, you will need to have this fixed (or code cleared), but it is not a component that will affect your car AT ALL. It's strictly for GM to make money on a part that is extremely faulty and ads no value to the performance/functionality/emissions/you name it, of the car. Most common problem is a faulty air diverter valve, which usually cost around $250 replaced. Hope this helps and go check this website out! For this and any other issues you run into on this car, this website: http://www.aurorah.proboards47.com/ is THE best resource for info on the car. Everyone there is extremely knowledgeable on the car and other things as well.
  • akwebb81akwebb81 Member Posts: 15
    It seems to be a very common condition of these vehicles. I will bet money that is not the blend door, but that you are low on freon. Have them check it and see if you have a leak, and recharge the system. $100, says you will have cold air on the drivers side again (for how long, depends on if you have a big leak). Also, if your a/c system drops below a certain pressure it will not turn your compressor on, which in turn many people think that it is bad, nope just out of freon. Go to http://www.aurorah.proboards47.com/ for all things Aurora.
  • akwebb81akwebb81 Member Posts: 15
    hope this helps. I bet it's the starter. Mine did it intermittenly for 3 months. It seems if I drove it for 30mins, turned it off for 20-30 mins, and tried to turn it back on, I would get the same exact thing (won't start). The starter would heat up and expand and not until it cooled down would it reengage. Hope it's not the ecm (doubtful it is). Check out http://www.aurorah.proboards47.com/
  • steeler1steeler1 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks alot, that sight has a lot of great info on it.
  • lilly129lilly129 Member Posts: 1
    It may be your crankshaft sensors. I was having the same problem and kept calling roadside assistance for a jump start (which helps but will cause another problem--a prompt to check your charge system and illumination of the battery light on dash). It was estimated $380 to repair.
  • ladydelight200ladydelight200 Member Posts: 8
    please help me with windows repairs one window works properly others are stuck in up position...help if you can
  • ramouramou Member Posts: 84
    When I start the car, the idle goes to 3000 RPM then continues to 5000 RPM and I have to shut off the engine or it will explode. I changed the ISC (Idle Speed Control motor) which has been ticking for a year after I shut off the engine (I heard it was a common problem on Aurora's)but it still idles very high. I don't think it's the TPS since I don't get the Check engine light like it did before I changed it a while back...could it be the computer..? I know it's going bad since my transmission also has been slamming in reverse occasionally for the past 2 years...can anyone advise...I tried the idle relearn process with no luck....thanks
  • mdub1666mdub1666 Member Posts: 1
    Have you received any feedback on this issue? i have a 2001, 3.5 as well that does the exact same thing and i haven't figured it out yet.
  • blk97aurorablk97aurora Member Posts: 573
    You have asked about this problem before. Have you checked for broken wires between the body and doors? Which window works? Since the wiring for all windows is routed from the driver's door into the body, I would look there first. Also, the driver's door is opened and closed more often than the others causing more flexing of the wiring. Problem could be motors, switches or circuit breakers, but I would bet on broken wires.

    Les
  • xxxkenjonesxxxxxxkenjonesxxx Member Posts: 3
    I was curious to know if anyone else has had any problems with their Aurora in this regard. I had a bad lower radiator hose, which I believed to be causing the car to overheat. When replacing the hose I lost all coolant that was inside the car. After replacing the hose I purchased some 50/50 coolant to refill the radiator back up, but the car still drastically overheats to the point where the car wants to turn off. I wonder if the car is overheating due to low coolant, even though I am constantly putting coolant into the car. I dont know how many gallons it takes to fill the car up, but I have gone through three gallons in one day. Someone please help me out with this. The car is a '96.
  • blk97aurorablk97aurora Member Posts: 573
    xxx,

    Other than overheating, what led you to change the lower radiator hose? The capacity of the cooling system is 13 quarts = 3.25 gallons. The system would not have been completely drained when changing the lower radiator hose as some coolant would have remained in the block. How high does the temp gauge go? What do you mean by "drastically overheats to the point where the car wants to turn off." What messages do you see in the Driver Information Center (DIC)? Three gallons in one day -- is that a one-day experience or continuous? Do you see any leaks? If you are adding mucho coolant and see no leaks, then it is going out the exhaust which means blown head gasket.

    How many miles on your Classic? Original water pump? How's the drive belt?

    Les
  • exchefexchef Member Posts: 5
    Hello all,I am new to this site and was wandering if I could get some help with a couple items,I just got a 98 Aurora in a box,well two trips with a wrecker.I am just replacing the motor but the original had already been pulled.I basically need the tighting specs. for the flywheel and converter......for now? then maybe a photo of what it should look like when it is installed.
    any help at all will be greatly appreciated.
  • 99dodge99dodge Member Posts: 15
    Notes Engine Flywheel Bolt First Pass 11 ft.lb
    Final Pass +50 degrees
    Flywheel Housing Cover Bolt 80 in
    Torque Converter to Engine Flywheel Bolt 35 ft.lb
  • tousemantouseman Member Posts: 1
    Razzi ground effects for sale in Flint michigan Brand New, they've been sitting in my garage for a few years, just never got around to putting them on. They are still packaged in the original box. email me touseman@hotmail.com $325.00 calls will be returned in order of who responds the earliest. Scott
  • xxxkenjonesxxxxxxkenjonesxxx Member Posts: 3
    I Changed the lower radiator hose, because when I opened up the hood to take a look at the car, I saw that the lower radiator hose was in pretty bad shape, and it wasnt completely round. The temp gauge normally stays right on 200, but lately it will go all the way into the red zone if I constantly drive on it. When the temp gets to be at the 240 mark, the DIC will say "Engine Hot A/C turned off" or something to that extent, and if i dont pull over it will say "Engine Hot, Turn Off Car". After changing the lower radiator hose, I dont see any leaks when the car is running, but once it gets into that red zone and the car is turned off I will see fluid coming out from the bottom of the car. The car has about 90,000 miles on it, and yes it is the original water pump, and I'm not sure as the drive belt, as I dont know where its at or what it looks like.
  • exchefexchef Member Posts: 5
    hey 99dodge,
    Thanks for the info.I stuck the motorandtrans in the car together and ain't had a chance to hook it all up yet but it is gonna be a B...octh,trans bolt hung on what appears to be the antilock brake dist.valve???etc.Had to go get y pipe from junkyard because this motor has dif. size crossover. anyways thanks
  • 99dodge99dodge Member Posts: 15
    REMOVAL PROCEDURE

    Tools Required
    J 38816 - 1A Water Pump Remover/Installer



    Drain the cooling system.
    Remove the air cleaner intake duct.
    Remove the water pump belt cover.
    Remove the water pump drive belt.
    Remove the bypass hose.



    Remove the lower radiator hose from the thermostat housing.



    Remove the bolts from the water pump cover.
    Remove the water pump cover.



    Remove the water pump, the pump seal, and the gasket from the housing using the J 38816 - IA. Turn the tool clockwise in order to remove the water pump.
    Remove the water pump from the vehicle.
    Clean the water pump and the pump cover sealing surfaces.
    INSTALLATION PROCEDURE

    Tools Required
    J 38816-1A Water Pump Remover/Installer
    Notice: Refer to Fastener Notice in Service Precautions.




    Install the water pump using J 38816-1A. Turn the tool counterclockwise in order to install the pump.
    Tighten the water pump to 100 Nm (74 ft. lbs.).



    Install the water pump housing cover and the bolts.
    Tighten the water pump housing cover bolts to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).



    Install the lower radiator hose to the thermostat housing.



    Install the thermostat bypass hose.
    Install the water pump drive belt.
    Install the water pump belt cover.
    Install the air cleaner intake duct.
    Refill the cooling system.

    Also remember to make sure your fan is working and check your thermostat to make sure it is not the problem
  • blk97aurorablk97aurora Member Posts: 573
    For the Aurora classic, about 80,000 to 100,000 miles unless the rear air shocks develop air leak or the front struts develop fluid leak. If the car has been driven hard, expect less. The 2001+ Auroras are probably similar.

    Les
  • jaydensmomjaydensmom Member Posts: 2
    Ok! my husband just bought our 2001 Aurora on July 23 of this year. Today I was driving it, and when i came to the stop sign..it died on me! The battery light came on ( after it was dead). I restarted it and it drove fine. After I left my mothers house, 2 hours later....it died again at the stop sign. I started it back up, and then proceeded to drive down the street. It started sputtering acting like it wanted to die on me...then the rpms jumped up into the red. All the lights came on in the car: check engine, seatbelt..ect. i didnt even have my foot on the gas. i had to turn my flashers on and roll the rest of the way home. ( i live around the corner)
    oF course we bought it as is! It only has 67000 miles on it. Does anyone possibly know what the heck is going on? Since we bought it as is..do we have any rights to return the car? Its very sad, ive heard so many good things about this car, and we havent even had it a month yet, and its already giving me the lemon sign!! help guys! :cry:
  • akwebb81akwebb81 Member Posts: 15
    Sorry to here your problems, I know how it feels to bring this car home and immediately start having problems. More than likely it is a crankshaft position sensor "CKP". If you take it to an Autozone, O'reilly's, advanced auto... they should be able to scan it for free to see what type of code was thrown. It will continue to do this until it is fixed and probably get worse, ie more sputtering and stalling. I will suggest for a more detailed description go to this website for more advice http://www.aurorah.proboards47.com/
    While I do enjoy the look of this car, it's not the most reliable. I would definetly recommend getting a warranty for it. Price some out b/c at $1500-$2000, they seem expensive, but they will pay for themselves with this car. One of the unfortunate things and the reasons why the depreciation is so great on a relatively new car is the fact that the maintenance of it will probably be very high. Not saying it will be for you, but from my experience and others I've talked to, it is up there.
  • xxxkenjonesxxxxxxkenjonesxxx Member Posts: 3
    Coo....I Appreciate The Lookout On How To Remove The Water Pump, But Honestly I Dont Know What I'm Doin', So Removin' It Myself Prolly Wont Happen, But I Checked The Thermostat And It Looked Terrible, So I Changed It Out, And That Seems To Have Fixed The Problem, It Still Overheats A Little Bit, But I Was Thinkin' That It Might Be Because I Have Alot Of Water Runnin' Through It, So I'm Goin' To Get The Radiator Flushed, And Hopefully All Will Be Good.
  • jaydensmomjaydensmom Member Posts: 2
    Thanks so much for all your help! I just got back from auto zone, and sure enough..it was the crank shaft sensor. their price is 80.00. I know I shouldnt skimp on the price, but I might have to go that route. The dealer where I bought the car told me that he can get a great price on parts if i order from him. Maybe I should do that, considering the quality of the part might be better.
    Anyways...I was wondering if you know anything about installing that part? I heard it was fairly easy, but I might need some direction. Can you help?

    Again thanks..you really pointed me in the right direction. Lord knows I didnt want to start with a mechanic and pay a hefty price! :P
  • blackaurorablackaurora Member Posts: 3
    I can set my climate control anywhere from 60 to 90, but the temperature coming out of the vents won't change. No a/c or heat change. The a/c pump runs and the tubing entering the heater core from the a/c is cold and from the engine water is hot, but it will not adjust when I ask it to. I think there must be a control valve under the dash, up in the heater core area that is stuck or is not functioning correctly. all of the fuses are in good order. the blower works fine can anyone help? have you had this problem?
  • dmoroziukdmoroziuk Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2002 Aurora 3.5L with the same problem. It happens only on a cold engine. First it downshifts quickly and then the tachometer reads redline. Turning off the car and back on again fixes the problem. The fix appears to be resetting the computer. What part needs to be replaced?
  • exchefexchef Member Posts: 5
    I am in the middle of the long hard process of putting a '94 engine in a '97 car and I was wandering if I could just change the plug/wire connector,on the cruise control servo,someone brought me this car in a box and sofar it has been a nightmare but the cruise won't connect to the older servo.I have changed a bunch of stuff but can;t find the original servo but there is one on the motor they brought to replace the blown-up one. Do any of you know if everything but the plug itself is the same in the cruise control system?
  • cheeba118cheeba118 Member Posts: 3
    Did you ever find out what was wrong with the Chime under your seat. I am having the same problem and can not find an answer anywhere. I used a tech 2 and replicated all of the chimes the car is supposed to make and I could not even replicate the problem. please help.
  • coreyg1coreyg1 Member Posts: 34
    I have a 98 aurora, the issue that I has been happening is the turn signal / blinker will blink then sometimes blink sketchy then sometimes no blink at all. Also occasionaly I will hear the click of the turn signal as I am driving. I searched here and found that it sounded like the multifunction switch??? I went through the steps of cleaning the switch out. No Results... Is there any other option on what or how to fix this problem. Other than the fact that I may make other drivers angry, because of the lack of a turn signal. I dont want to spend 500 on fixing the multifunction switch, if that is even the culprit.

    Thanks in advance,
    Corey
  • coreyg1coreyg1 Member Posts: 34
    I have a 98 aurora, the issue that I has been happening is the turn signal / blinker will blink then sometimes blink sketchy then sometimes no blink at all. Also occasionaly I will hear the click of the turn signal as I am driving. I searched here and found that it sounded like the multifunction switch??? I went through the steps of cleaning the switch out. No Results... Is there any other option on what or how to fix this problem. Other than the fact that I may make other drivers angry, because of the lack of a turn signal. I dont want to spend 500 on fixing the multifunction switch, if that is even the culprit.

    Thanks in advance,
    Corey
  • blackaurorablackaurora Member Posts: 3
    Can someone look at my post #3818 and help me out? Thanks
  • coreyg1coreyg1 Member Posts: 34
    1998 olds Aurora, I am having an issue with my turn signals. They work off and on, both l and r. Also i occasionally hear the noise of the signal clicking under the dash. I thought it may be the multifunction switch, so i cleaned that out. Did not solve the problem. Could this maybe just be the turn signal flasher??? ANy help/ advice is greatly appreciated.

    Corey
  • dmoroziukdmoroziuk Member Posts: 2
    Searching the internet for Technical Service Bulletins (TSB), I found TSB#108102 which describes the problem. There was one element which I failed to mention in the original post: "a 4-3 downshift bump under acceleration".

    What could fix the problem?

    Component Name: 103000 POwer Train: Automatic Transmission
    NHTSA# 629705
    TSB# 108102
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Does anyone know if there has been a TSB or recall regarding oil leaks in the Aurora's V8 engine? My sister's car has been repaired once for a very high price and is now leaking once again.

    Also, if you know of any common, catastrophic type failures this particular model year is known for (other than the numerous nuisance issues) please let me know as well. She's trying to decide whether or not to invest in repairs or just bite the bullet and move on to a different car.

    Thanks in advance for any information you may provide.
  • elizthomselizthoms Member Posts: 2
    Our '97 Aurora was famous for a non-stop oil leak issue. The repair was going to cost over $1,000. We have never completed the repair as there is nothing about the oil leak that has ever caused damage to the car. The only downside was having to change/replace the oil more often than "normal".

    If there's a recall on the oil leak - I would love to know about that!
  • blk97aurorablk97aurora Member Posts: 573
    Where was the leak that was "repaired?" Where is the current leak? Any chance of compensation from whomever did the first work? How serious is the leak (miles per quart)?

    Blown head gaskets were a problem with early Classics, but not so much by 1999.

    Les
  • northernlivingnorthernliving Member Posts: 6
    I have a 99 Aurora and the same thing happened. It was a $2 turn solenoid.
  • northernlivingnorthernliving Member Posts: 6
    I had leak on my 99 Aurora at about 40k miles. It was pervasive. I had it in to the dealer and they wanted $3k to 'reseal' the engine. This is apparently a problem with the Northstar engines. There are many service bulletins, but no recalls. On some notes conference someone mentioned the same problem was remedied by BAR Stopleak ($1.97 from Wal-Mart). I used that along with SEALLUBE that I purchased off ebay. Seallube was developed by an ex GM engineer in Michigan. I talked to him on phone and he claims to have fixed many leaky Northstar V8 engines. At 120k miles, I haven't leaked a drop since I added these products. I'm not sure which one cured it, so you may want to try both.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SEALLUBE-GUARANTEED-TO-STOP-OIL-LEAK-IN-RUBBER-SE- ALS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ34202QQihZ008QQitemZ180152470863QQrdZ1QQsspagenam- eZWDVW

    Good luck!
  • coreyg1coreyg1 Member Posts: 34
    Thanks for the response, are you refering to the turn signal flasher(small silver cannister under the dash), because I did replace that. That did not resolve the issue. Also this morning it was doing the same deal with the blinker only working 40% of the time, also the clicking sound of the blinker went on for 5-10 minutes. Any additional input on this would be great. As I don't want to spend $650 to fix the multifunction switch if that is not the culprit.

    Thanks
  • coreyg1coreyg1 Member Posts: 34
    Regarding this issue that i am having with my turn signals and the clicking noise under the dash. If it does turn out to be the multifunction switch, does anyone have instructions or photos on how to replace it. I did have the steering column apart to clean the switch.
  • coreyg1coreyg1 Member Posts: 34
    I am going to attempt to replace the multifunction switch on my 98 aurora. I am unable to locate a repair manual. The only one I found was on Ebay though it is kinda pricy. If anyone out there has one and is willing to share(scan/photocopy)that specific section. I would appreciate that a lot.
    C
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Thanks to all who chimed in on the oil leak and the other failure issue. The head gasket failure was the one I was referring to but didn't want to show my hand so I'm glad to hear it was a past problem and doesn't affect the '99 model year. ;)

    Her car is leaking about a quart every two weeks but I'm not sure how many miles that equates to. She drives mostly in town with a little state highway mixed in but the mess in the driveway and garage is terrible. Also, aside from the leak, I just learned her AC has also stopped working. She's on a tight budget so costly repairs on a car that may just turn around and fail again are not an option. She does love her Aurora, though, and would love to keep it as long as it performs for her.

    I will have her try the two stop leak products, in succession, to see if we can determine which, if either, works out. I will report back if we have any success.

    Thanks again to all of you for your help and I hope the other leakers out there have benefitted as well! :)
  • quietproquietpro Member Posts: 702
    Where was the leak that was "repaired?" Where is the current leak? Any chance of compensation from whomever did the first work? How serious is the leak (miles per quart)?

    Unfortunately I don't know where the first leak was or where the current leak is. I don't live in the same state anymore. I do know that she has visited the shop and, of course, the leak is not in the same place nor is it under warranty from the first repair...OF COURSE. I know this doesn't add much to the discussion but I hate to leave questions unacknowledged. :) I do know that they had to remove the engine to repair the first leak but I think that may be true with just about all maintenance on this vehicle. :(
  • slantdawgslantdawg Member Posts: 2
    My wifes car is having the same problem on an 01' Auora. Just like you, I thought it could have been the temperature mixture door, since these cars have dual climate control (even though my wifes car does not have dual climate control, the duct worj for the passenger vents is different from the driver vents) Anyways, I called 5 different GM dealers and they ALL told me that this was because I was low on freon (r134a).

    So I added some r134a and suprisingly this takes care of the problem. Before adding the freon, the temp was 60 on the passenegr side and 80 on the driver side. Now, when we are driving, they are both close to 45. I hope this helps.
  • slantdawgslantdawg Member Posts: 2
    My wifes car is having the same problem on an 01' Auora. Just like you, I thought it could have been the temperature mixture door, since these cars have dual climate control (even though my wifes car does not have dual climate control, the duct work for the passenger vents is different from the driver vents) Anyways, I called 5 different GM dealers and they ALL told me that this was because I was low on freon (r134a).

    So I added some r134a and suprisingly this takes care of the problem. Before adding the freon, the temp was 60 on the passenegr side and 80 on the driver side. Now, when we are driving, they are both close to 45. I hope this helps.
  • blackaurorablackaurora Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the reply. Unfortunatly, I have already gone to the freon route. the climate does not change on eidther side. It won't get hot or cold, but the climate control let,s me set dthe temp, it just doesn't change. No heat, no cool.
  • 98autobahn98autobahn Member Posts: 4
    http://www.howardm.net/dred98/switchfix.php
    This is for the malfunctioning switch,sorry so late.
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