Oldsmobile Aurora Maintenance & Repair

ohheyitsjesse

I have a 95 oldsmobile aurora with 80,000 miles on it. I've had the car for about 5-6 months now and recently have been having problems. It was idling at 1,000 rpm and would only reach up to 35 while staying at 3,000 rpm. I took it to a garage (Car Life) and he said there was a broken body valve. Recently before this I had it taken to Merchants and they told me I had a broken transmission mount. The dude at car life agreed to fix the 2 broken trans mounts for $900 all together. He got the parts from the RK dealership. I took the car home 2 days ago and the light is still coming on. I test drove it on the highway, hit 80 with no problems. After coming back on my way home the light turned on and it started to shift very roughly. It seems that the roughness and the light appearing only occurs around 30-40mph. I've been told from Autozone that it's a motion sensor, but every other place told me that's not the case. I don't want to look for another car (took me forever to find this one) and I don't want to have to pay anymore to fix something that's not going to be fixed when I get it back!

e_net_rider

That sounds exhorbitant for transmission mounts. I'd guess the one at the front of motor, passenger side, is the most common to go, and likely the most expensive. I'm sure those two lower ones are much easier and cheaper.
Your sensor description is not specific enough. Posting the code might be more helpful as well as correct description.
Does yours have OBDII? I was under impression that 95 used OBDI.
Is the engine running rough and when?
Light? Is it the SES?
I suspect you need to deal with transmission shop.

ohheyitsjesse

Yea, I thought the same when he told me how much it was. But it was the front one and a rear one (I can't read the dude's chicken scratch haha). And how can I find the sensor codes? Do I have to hook up a tester to the OBDII? And Yes, my car has OBDII (because autozone told me they can't test it, but Merchants can). The engine runs rough when in park. It seems that the SES(service engine soon I'm assuming?) light turns on between 35-40mph. Or whenever I reach 3,000rpm. On my way home from work last night, I had no problems with the light (going 50 right as I started up the car). Went down a 25mph road, fine. Then as soon as I hit 35mph the light turned on. The place Merchants(first place I took it to) reccomended to me since they don't deal with transmission problems is the place that fixed it, Car Life (they deal only with transmissions). The engine only seems to run rough when switching gears (it sortof jumps). And after hitting 40mph and 3,000 rpms it makes a huge jump/clunk. I video tapped my dash board while driving around the city (highway, main roads, and side roads) if that might help. I'm not sure if I can upload the video though.

ohheyitsjesse

i got the codes from merchants. they're codes 29, 39, and 86

e_net_rider

According to what I've found on 95 Aurora it is OBDI not II. Autozone reads OBDII. These codes are relatively easy to retrieve. You short two of the pins on the connector and read the code which is delivered in flashes of the light on dash. I suggest you learn how by google.
The down side is you don't get near as much info from OBDI which tends to narrow to circuit where OBDII can narrow the problem to a component.
Look here for your codes.
http://www.2carpros.com/articles/buick-cadillac-chevy-gmc-oldsmobile-pontiac-gm-- 1983-1995-obd1-code-definitions-and-retrieval-method

It would be nice to know the history of car. 80K is not a lot of miles and if the car is in great shape, body and interior, it might be worthwhile to spend the money necessary to revive it.
Because you have the OBDI the computer might not handle some of the safety functions built in as gracefully as OBDII. I'm referring to such things as abuse limiter, overheat, and limp home mode. The last one refers to a situation where the tranny has issues but it will allow you to drive on but not in high gear.
You seem to think engine is running rough but it sounds like it may not. Is it actually misfiring, skipping, etc? You could possibly have a weakness present which often shows up if aftermarket parts have been used. If you read through the forum you will find the engine seems to be fussy if it does not get ACDelco parts such as plugs, wires, ignition coils, sensors, fuel pressure regulator, O2 sensors, etc.
On to the tranny which might be the issue. There are some solenoids in the bottom which can be gotten to although it involves removing part of the valve body. They have a plastic body which cracks or breaks and cause bad shifting or failure to shift to upper gears. There is an update that fixes it. How is your transmission fluid? Has it ever been changed? Are you absolutely sure it has the proper fluid if changed or added to? Mileage would indicate it is time to do it.
On the other hand, this may be a bad computer issue. It would be necessary to have wiring diagrams and check the circuits associated with the codes. Generally the rule for troubleshooting is to fix the lowest numbered code first, in your case, 29 quad driver module (computer) 4th gear circuit.
Quad driver being a hint. You'd need to look at electrical diagrams for your year vehicle to determine exact function. It might just be a fancy name or it might indicate it is driving four different circuits. And it may have failed or is being overloaded by a failed device, shorted or open wire. If you are at all inclined to learn about it or try troubleshooting I highly recommend the all data subscription. The one for my 96 saved me thousands of dollars and it only costs about $30.
So maybe you will be lucky with a computer replacement. Pre 96, most GM vehicles got the same computer so the computer should be relatively cheap. The key for different vehicles is the chip inside the computer. It has to be specifically for your vehicle. I bought one a number of years back and it cost me $30. Someone had swamped the computer with a different vehicle and forgot to swap the chip so I had no cruise, no TCC, etc.
Rock Auto is a good place for GM parts. You might be interested in how much those mounts actually cost.

donnapaca

I had similar problems with rough shifting and found it was computer. I also earned an expensive lesson on making sure you are using qualified mechanic that has experience with the aurora.
I found one at a local dealership that previously handled pontiac/olds. You can not always depend on the codes as correct. My computer was giving codes showing it had a problem. The local GM dealership installed 4 different factory rebuilt computers, all gave code transmission was bad (original computer did not give that code). The mechanic was smart enough to recognize that it was an issue with the rebuilt computers, not the transmission.
They had the car for over a week working with the factory tec's and they finally send a new computer (this was over 5 years ago) and that fixed all problems, transmission shifted normally and I even got my cruze controll back.
I read a lot of postings at the time of people paying a lot for transmission overhaul and finding it did not fix the issue. The computer controlls when transmission shifts.
I would try to contact other aurora owners in your specific area to get recommendations of experienced gm and if possible aurora experienced mechanics.
In my case, by using the local gm dealer, I only paid the original quote of about $275(over 5 years ago)to replace the computer with factory rebuild. Since they warrantee their parts, it did not cost for them installing the 4 defective computers and finally the new one sent by the factory. They did not charge anything additional for the new computer.
Those probably are no longer available.
Don

ohheyitsjesse

odd, my cruise control also went out around the time my car started giving me problems. i'll mention it to the mechanic when i go back and tell him that the car wasnt fixed.

ohheyitsjesse

i must have mixed up the I and II when the employee told me. im almost positing the car is misfiring. i wish i knew the history also. other than the man we bought it from was an old man in his 60s. he let his grandson have it for a month before taking it away from him due to bad grades. im seeing the possible issues are the computer, a broken solenoid, or even a motion sensor?

e_net_rider

I would definitely mention that and since they had to jack the engine/tranny to replace mounts they may have interferred with a number of things. It would be a lot of reading, but I still recommend subscribing to the AllData which could certainly help narrow your issue.

e_net_rider

If you know the people, you might ask what services they had done. That often gives a clue. As mentioned before, this Cadillac engine does not like many aftermarket parts.
There are modes where it will cut back to four cylinders as a safety feature. One of them being overheat.
Does the problem surface from the beginning of a cold start or does it take a few minutes. It should be operating in an open loop until coolant temp warms. Once warmed the O2 sensors are used to calculate the proper fuel ratio. Also there is a thermal sensor in the transmission.
If you are totally dependant upon mechanics, then I'd recommend taking it to a larger Cadillac dealer. That has been the general recommendation as to who has the equipment and know-how since Olds went out of business. This is a Cadillac engine/tranny setup. The NorthStar/Aurora is still being used in some Cadillacs and Buick Lucernnes, although they are newer versions. Where are you located?
Does it ever puff black smoke such as startup?
Does it use oil?
Had the vehicile been well maintained?
Something as simple as a spark plug change could be disastrous if done by a shortcutting mechanic. These are aluminum heads and plugs can seize into them if anti-seize is not put on plug threads before installing. You also have to be careful about not cross-threading. Also non-AC plugs seem to fail early and it is important to not use cheap plugs, that is use something like double platium. The ignition system is distributor-less, firing two plugs simultaneously. That would wear plugs out quicker, I'd think, but the correct plugs should still last close to 100K. Many have come to the forum only 2-3K after trying to get by with non-AC parts.
I've mentioned a couple of cheaper things that you may need attention if they are not AC and might be related to misfiring that was not present earlier.
The question is, do you have multiple problems or can misfiring be tied to tranny issues somehow. The one thing that is very common to both is the computer. And I'd certainly persue resolution to the codes present.
BTW, I found the one I had ran better on Chevron than many other brands. You do know it is supposed to get premium fuel? The car I now have wants premium also, something I did not know when I bought. I find Shell to also work very well in it, something I had not tried in Aurora. Either should do well at keeping injectors and valve system clean. My new one seems to adapt well to regular grade, but it shows a loss of power because the computer calculates for it. Many with OBDII tried mid-grade without consequence other than a slight loss of power and very infrequent spark knock. The knock sensor would pick up on the cheaper fuel and retard timing to accomadate which meant it was not burning at peak efficiency. Thus lower power and usually less MPG.

ohheyitsjesse

He told me he had ordered the parts from the Chevrolet dealership down the road. I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The problem only occurs when I try to drive in the 30-40 mph range. The engine light turns on and there's a lot of noise coming from under the hood (sounds like I should be going 50-60 but im only pushing 35ish) It doesn't puff out black smoke, it does use oil, and the vehicle has been maintained from the previous owner very well (he provided us with a stack of maintenance receipts and such). I had the spark plugs changed with the guy at Merchants. He suspected that was the cause of the problem. And indeed one of the spark plugs was dead, he made sure he didn't cross thread any of them. And he was recommended to me by my uncle, who found me this car. I only put regular gas in, due to money problems (I really dont feel like paying $3.90 for it when I already have to pay $3.50 for regular). but the gas never seemed to affect the car in any negative way. I had good mpg and it seemed to have plenty of power. However, this all started when my uncle decided to completley clean the car. He decided that it would be a good idea to power wash under the hood, and when I say under the hood I mean he sprayed every damn inch under my hood. That night the engine light came on and the next day I had stalling problems. Took it to Autozone and they told me it was a motion sensor that went bad/got wet. But other places told me different. The stalling/shutting down stopped after a day or 2 (I figured it had dried out). And it worked fine for some months on in. Then the problems started again. Not sure if the hosing was part of it but I figured I should throw it in just incase. The spark plugs I bought were infact double platinum. I'm not even sure if the car's misfiring, hell I'm not even positive how to even tell if it is or not. I figured it's when the engine sortof skips a "beat"? My uncle is supposed to take the car for a test drive so he can maybe get an idea of what can be wrong. Calling him in the morning tomorrow (tuesday) and we're heading up to Car Life.

e_net_rider

Pressure wash, bad idea. You'd have to be quite carefull where you aimed it. It is possible he got water in a component he should not have or even damaged wiring. Again this makes me suspicious of that quad buffer code, that maybe something shorted and ate computer.
Does it leak oil? There is a rather common problem of the rear main seal going bad. It took GM two trys at getting a seal that would not fail. It is quite expensive to replace, so you may want to let that ride. There is also a TSB that changes the fill level from 7.5 to 7.0 qts which might be related to blowing those rear seals. This puts the full level on the stick exactly in the middle between full and low marks.
Motion sensor? Did they mean speed sensor?
Does it idle fine? Does it go faster than the speeds you mention? Watch the tachometer and compare engine speed to vehicle speed.
The spark plugs sit down in wells of the head. They could easily have filled with water during the washing. This could easily shorted the spark or even cracked a plug. Addin the issue of using aftermarket plug wires and you could easily have misfiring. And then there are the coils and the controller they sit on. That controller is quite expensive so hope it did not get hosed. There should be a heavy wire connect to the block and then to one of the bolts that holds that coil assembly in place. I replaced multiple coils on mine. They would crack with age and cause rough running. I ordered them from Rock Auto and with one known good, new, I rotated it in place of each of the existing to find the bad one. (I don't have any fancy electronic scopes, etc.)
BTW, has the fuel rail recall been done on your vehicle. It is a fire hazard if the plastic assembly starts to leak. You can tell easily because the black plastic is replaced with a U-shaped stainless steel fuel rail. (Personally I hated that fix because it complicated things, especially if you needed to pull intake.)
Skipping, shaking, loss of power, all signs of misfiring. Due to wetting, I'd pull each plug wire from the heads and see if there is any water in them. Pull plugs to make sure none got cracked. Put anti-seize on plug threads and install after inspecting. Look for signs of problems on the firing end of plugs. Put light coat of silicone grease on porcelain of plugs so the wire boots do not get stuck to the plug making near impossible to remove without damaging. It also helps seal against spark arcing.
Remove the coil pack assembly and inspect for wetting. There is a seal under each of the coils and may have leaked. Be quite careful if removing a single coil, to NOT overtighten when reattaching which can lead to cracking of coil. The spec is something quite small like maybe 8 in-lbs, slightly more than finger tight.
And another caution if work is needed on the idler pulleys of main belt. DO NOT use aftermarket. The aftermarkets use a different design and make it impossible to change the belt, if necessary, without major tear down.
I know the feeling on high priced gas. My experience with Aurora was engine damaging spark knock if I used regular. You might want to consider using at least the mid-grade. Since the addition of alcohol that would seem even more important. Small engines such as lawn tractors, chainsaws, etc. used to recommend 87 octane in part for easier starting. Since gasohol, that has changed for most of those engines because of the alcohol. Most now recommend premium to keep from ruining the engine.
It now costs me more to fill lawn mower than it did to fill 68 Mustang with premium 100 Octane.
Let me know what your uncle learns?

e_net_rider

Beware some dealers actually use parts from local suppliers once vehicle is out of warranty. Higher profitability is likely. And as I mentioned earlier, if you know what you need I'd recommend Rock Auto. Dealing with dealer, you most often have to make trip to dealer to pre-pay even if you know what you want and not in stock. And then you have to wait, and wait, and wait. If it is not at the closest GM distribution which often only delivers once a week, depending upon what day & time your order you may wait nearly two weeks. And beyond belief, I've done this several times to only go to dealer to find it was the wrong part. You wait even longer if it has to go to higher tier distribution. Even after shipping, which is fast, I save a lot, sometimes nearly half. Another place to look is GMPartsDirect, but make sure you read their shipping, supply, and return policies which I found undesireable.

lambda02750

Just yesterday, I replaced the alernator on my 98 Aurora. Two days before that, I began to hear a very annoying screeching sounds coming from under the hood. After replacing the alternator and turning the car on, the sound came back and gets louder and faster when I press on the gas. It disappeared totally after putting WD40 on it, but that lasted all of 20 seconds. My friend helping me thought that the bearings on the tension pulley were wearing down and causing that, but it was just an assumption. Any thoughts? If this is the issue, what can I expect as far as cost and replacing myself. Does anyone know how to do this?

pscheid

Mine was the idler pulley tensioner. Replaced, screech gone. Check out the a/c compressor for replacement while you have it apart if you plan on keeping the car. !!!!!!!! I replaced my compressor even though it was still working, too much slap in the bearings for my comfort.......

e_net_rider

Specifically where did you spray the lube?
Was it for the big belt or the small one?
The small is quite easy and if the tensioner is good then you only need the pulley and new belt. Get GM OE if you want it to last.
If it is the big one, a much different situation. I did it but you must have patience and time. I definitely recommend having torque wrenches and finding specs so you don't overtighten anything or leave it too loose.
And because there are two idlers on the main belt I'd get both at the same time. Again check the tensioner for wear to make sure it is running straight. The tensioner will have to be removed to replace the pulley or tensioner and pulley assembly if that is the way you have to go. The tensioner jacks price and definitely use only GM parts or you might be in for a nasty surprise down the road. I had the ability to modify the NAPA to get around that and all other aftermarket had crappy bearing seals, so bad they only warranted 30 days.
The issue is that aftermarket are of different design, shape, and sizing limits so that to change the belt you would have to go through this entire procedure rather than just snaking a new belt in. (I'd definitely only use GM or a top quality Dayco belt. Many GM are Dayco.)
The first big obstacle is you have to remove the front motor mount. To do this you have to jack the engine tranny and to do that you have to remove a bolt from the lower forward mount. I'm thinking you also have to remove the 2 or 3 bolts from coil pack assembly and roll it forward to keep from hitting firewall. Also remove alternator and get it out of way. MAKE SURE you disconnect battery so you don't short power and burn something up!!!
If I remember correctly, the main reason for forward mount is you have to jack engine enough to allow clearance for removing some of the necessary bolts on front of engine, being able to clear box rail of frame.
One person, earlier model, claimed he still was not able to remove one bolt due to length. He cut bolt after backing out as far as he could, removed the remaining stub and replaced with a shorter bolt. Not knowing the internal need of engine I was prepared to cut round hole from wheel well to R&R it. I did not need to do that.
Also if that front motor mount is bad, broken rubber, etc. you may as well replace it, but it was over $100 the last I checked.
Be cautious of over jacking with exhaust connected, checking clearance as you procede. I used large blocks of solid wood (would not split) to protect the pan and jacked away.
My AC pump bearings and clutch had no issues so I left intact. Do be cautious to not damage AC lines & associated parts or you get into a totally bigger issue.
Also you should remove the cross brace above the radiator (easy). It is not an overall easy job but expensive if done by mechanic. They also tend to shortcut things which may cause more damage. There are no special tools required as I recall, just decent set of wrenches, sockets, extensions, jack, & support. I'm thinking you may have to remove front right wheel as well and that may have been snag for me because I already had front mount out. To safely jack vehicle for wheel removal I had to put back in temporarily meaning I did that twice. After removing wheel, used safety jack stands to hold vehicle up on that corner. If you find suitable stand, you can let it back down to near wheel installed height so you are not working over the top of jacked fender. Leave a bit more height, enough so you can get under if necessary to inspect as progress goes.
I had to get up and running as fast as possible which forced me to use local parts, Savannah, GA. I was lucky I had belt on hand, ordered just in case when I ordered water pump idler pulley and belt. I could have preordered, but I wanted to inspect carefully for what I needed and the first set I picked up I discovered were crap and would likely wear out in short time. The seals on the bearings were terrible design leaving gaps.
The only GM part local was idler arm assembly at local GM distribution warehouse and that jumped price from about $15 to $70 and I did not need the idler arm/tensioner.
The NAPA were the best I could find locally and both were stamped steel pulleys. This presented a problem because they were physically wider than the plastic pulley. And it prevented being able to install belt without tearing down again. I pressed the pulley farther onto the bearing creating just enough clearance to slide belt sideways between it and block. You have to make sure you don't put pressure to hub of bearing if doing this or you will certainly damage bearing.
So I created a lot of extra work because I did not have parts on hand.
You should be able to check idler arm by removing belt and checking for play or misalignment in the arm joint, not the pulley. Also watch the arm with engine idling for any jumping of arm. It should stay smooth except for AC pump kicking on and off. But, a bad belt or idler pulleys can cause jumping as well.
If time allows, I suggest ordering from Rock Auto and you should have GM parts in about a week, or less. Also more money in your pocket and parts that will last.
Any questions, post.

e_net_rider

I did have an AC issue, but it was almost certainly the orifice screen had collected enough to restrict flow. If I put my foot in it, maybe WOT not actuating AC cut off or occurring just below that point, I would lose some freon and the system would then be low, not cooling adequately. It was apparently losing it through over-pressure valve on pump assembly. That alone meant pump was working great and had no noise either. The over-pressure valve, orifice tube, or WOT error were all serviceable without replacing AC pump. That pulley bearing was good and clutch was fine. Thus I avoided wear variance between AC pulley & crankshaft pulley & alternator. The heaviest work loads. That should mean that breaking in a new belt would match the pulleys better. Either going with aftermarket or new compressor when you have lots of miles would certainly induce pulley groove and depth variances. Not friendly toward belt and could easily induce some slippage on at least one pulley. Could take a good AC system and make it marginal under high heat conditions.
If you go with new pump, your existing pulleys that do work will have some wear. A remanufactured is typically sand blasted and would have more wear than your existing.

ohheyitsjesse

Ok so my uncle took it for a drive and confirmed that it wasn't shifting at all. We took it back up to Car Life and he found frayed wiring that goes to the computer. He replaced the wiring(it was pretty bad, not to mention another $350! woohoo!) and said he test drove it 3 different times and had his son (it's a family owned business) drove it also and said it shifted gears perfectly and to bring it back in a week because he hadn't wrapped the wiring back up, just incase it acted up. I took it home and on the main roads, ran fine. Decided to try the highway and there it goes! Got up to 60mph, shifting fine up to then, then it downshifted pretty hard and the Engine Service light reappeared. From the highway back home it had no shift. Running at 3,000 rpm doing 20 down the road. Restarted it, shifted fine, etc. He also told me that if it still isn't fixed then he'd probably have to replace the computer. So...I guess I should start looking for a computer? I tried Rock Auto and don't even know where to look for it. I'm starting to hate this damn car!

go_goldie_go

My 95 aurora will not start. I just brought a new battery because the battery was not keeping charge. However, when I try to crank my car it does not turn over, no sound at all is made. Someone came over to help me and they were able to crank the car from under the hood but not with the key. Can anyone tell me what this can possible be?

spiders1

I had that problem.Did not do any thing with key.Dash responded but didnt crank. Had to take to dealer and found was ignition switch. Sounds like same thing. Cost me 800.00

e_net_rider

$800, no way for just an ignition switch even with passkey.
My best suggestion is to subscribe to alldata and go over electrical diagrams. 95 is OBDI, so you have a rare bird in the family. The smaller computer may not even spit out a "clean key" message.
There are a number of interlocks that can prevent the start signal from key to get to starter. That is why you need the diagrams, checking to make sure signal is routed all the way.
It could have something to do with anti-theft, tranny not being detected as in park or neutral, a failed relay, etc. Maybe even the computer and that might cost $800 when done at shop. I think there is a separate computer box for the anti-theft and it may not be detecting key, failed, lost power (blown fuse) and thus not passing the start signal on. There are just too many possibilities to work without diagrams.
Sure, a knowledgeable mechanic might try a few common things such as checking the park/neutral switch for continuity but if he does not know how it is tied into system he could easily miss the whole of the situation. It could be as simple as a broken wire to repair but time consuming to find.

ohheyitsjesse

Ok now I have a new problem. I still havent got the shifting fixed (the engine service soon light only comes on at around 60mph, then i cant shift at all) but now my car's stuck at the mall. i got out of my car, locked the doors from the door lock, went in and out. tried unlocking it with my remote, didn't work. so i unlocked the door with my key, went to start the car and the alarm goes off. i've ran into this problem before at my local walmart, however, i have forgotten how i fixed it on the spot. i have figured out that the only way to disarm my alarm is to use the unlock key on my remote. i tried getting new batteries for BOTH of my remotes and that didn't help (i had 4 pairs of batteries and tried almost every single combination) the battery store tested my batteries and said they worked fine. my remote was working perfectly not even an hour before this happened. i'm going to rk cheverolet with my Goodwrench Vehicle Security system and asking if they can figure out the problem tomorrow morning. Any ideas though?

e_net_rider

Again, you have OBDI system. If it were 96 and up, one of the normal turn off of alarm is to start vehicle. Remote also. If something was wrong with passkey system detecting the proper key, you'd get a no start condition and a clean key, wait 3 minutes message. On the later vehicles, you also have modules associated with remote and passkey/alarm system.
Also a number of relays, some under the back seat.
Alldata has electrical charts and troubleshooting charts for specific areas such as these. You'd need to eliminate the remote system as being involved then move on to the security system. Certainly verifying that power and ground are present when needed.
You could have something as simple as a blown fuse not getting power to remote system and it thus not feeding info to security that the car was unlocked with the proper remote. However when you start, an alternate path for power is activated and since it did not see the previous info, the alarm sounds.
Did you know the anti-theft is tied to the trunk? If someone busts your trunk open, the alarm should go off.
Your other issue, at 60MPH, is an important clue. It might be related to engine RPM at that speed, or simply related to actual speed.
The computer sometimes uses info from different sensors simultaneously so you have to check multiple items. But if related to speed specifically, there are two sensors. One is external and located near the output of tranny, under motor. The other is internal and located under side cover. The signal from this one will tell the system to engage the TCC (torque convertor clutch). This would feel like an additional shift accompanied by engine RPM drop.
Back to square one. You have codes. One of the prerequisites of them is check for issues such as low fluids, disconnected or damaged parts such as pinched or disconnected vacuum hoses. The order is to work on the lowest numbered code first.
Because the Aurora is rather rare and distinct, it is possible that GM used one of the sensors in the computer to do a different job than what was common among GM vehicles. If engine/tranny related, they might have used it in the Cadillac with same engine/tranny family. The code is only a number so to properly interpret it you must have the code chart for this vehicle and possibly a Cadillac.
Again I encourage you to use Alldata.com. The subscription is very cheap compared to spending $500-$1000 for troubleshooting at $100/hour. And then R&R + cost of defective component.
I don't know your life conditions. Can you find a little spare time? The cost of subscription is quite small and available for multiple years, deeply discounted. The digital VOM (volt ohm meter) is a valuable tool for many things and I picked mine up at harbor freight for under $3. You'd want one that reads both AC & DC voltage. And of course an abundance of caution. When engine is running there are dangerous moving parts to keep hands, clothing, long hair, or anything loose away from. Even if not running, you might find sharp edges, hot parts, electrified parts.
If you feel up to the challenge of doing a little troubleshooting, even the simplist in shop find would bill an hour, ~$100. If it takes you 4 hours to find the same through the charts, you are paying yourself $25/hour, after-tax. But again, caution and safe practices, don't want you sticking your finger in a light socket.

tootertater

had same problem with entries lock doors try to open alarm blare. drivers door had faulted. try unlocking from passengers side. works for me. told had to have drivers key entries replaced. dont have the money after all other repairs have to put into this car so ill us passenger side to unlock until it faults.

aldre01

The key is stuck in the lock position and the steering wheel is stuck too. Has anyone had this problem with the Aurora. I did leave my keys in the ignition when I went into a friends house right before this happened.

e_net_rider

This can happen to almost any vehicle that locks the wheel when shut off. The solution almost always is: Turn the wheel hard, trying each direction, to relieve the pressure on lock. Simultaneously attempt turning the key.

01aurora1

I have an '01 Aurora with a 3.5 V6. I have recently lost the ability to open the trunk or gas door from the buttons on the inside of the driver's door, or the key fob (trunk). I looked in the manual, and both functions are run on two different Mini Relays. How likely is it that both relays went bad at the same time?? Are the rear window motors also controlled by separate relays than the front ones?? It seems that an electrical "ghost" has moved into my car!! Yikes!! Any help would be appreciated, as I know chasing down electrical shorts can be a real nightmare!!

e_net_rider

The 01 w/3.5L is likely a very different animal than the classic body. I know the sheet metal on fenders & doors is much lighter guage. A very different engine & likely a smaller tranny. How much of the wiring was changed? I'd bet quite a bit and I'm certain mini-relays were not used 95-99. Much of the wiring practices used during those years was like aircraft wiring prior to widespread use of solid-state devices. And it seems, from complaints of wire breakage at pivot points, its design errored on the weak side.
Just taking a stab at situation, as I recall the Classics had a toggle switch by other driver window switches for locking out rear windows. Your issue could be related to that circuit. Also it seemed issues popped up because of the ability for fine debris to get into switch due to orientation. Carefully cleaning with contact cleaner and safe solvents should take care of switch problems unless they are actually broken.
As mentioned, a fairly common issue across many vehicles is wires breaking because of flexing with opening and closing of doors. Detroit for sure did not have guts enough to take a nickel from every worker to buy the better wire.
I highly recommend getting the AllData subscription and looking through wiring diagrams. If at all like earlier models, there are just tooo many possibilites for guessing.
An example, earlier models had shift selector position indicator that would lock and unlock doors according to whether in park/neutral or a gear. Shifting from neutral to reverse locked the doors. Shifting from reverse to drive without pausing in neutral would not unlock and relock. This pretty much indicates there is some sort of timer in the circuit and knowing the era type of wiring design used, I'd guess it was controlled by a time delay relay of about 1 second. On the classic, it might have been one of the relays underr hood or under back seat or one placed elsewhere, even inside a module. If that circuit stopped functioning it could interrupt the lock/unlock power to the doors. The classic also had many fuses splitting some circuits up, so you could be looking for several possible fuses leading to malfunction. It is definitely time to break out wiring diagrams.

aurora317

So, I did a big mess up and I test drove a car, loved it to death and bought it....then I got all the way home, tried to back into my driveway and found out it did not have reverse...yeah that guy gotta big WIN on that deal!
The car drives perfectly in drive and 1 2 and 3. it seems to rev a tid bit high before shifting but it doesn't seem of concern.
I was just wondering what the reverse problem could be? would those shift solenoids have anything to do with reverse?
I have checked the transmission fluid when I changed the scavenger filters..I didnt really know what to look for to see if the solenoids were bad but I do have some to replace the old ones.

I just don't feel like this is a huge issue, I can use every other gear perfectly, but reverse...you click it into reverse, the mirrors drop down but the car doesnt lower in rpms or jolt like its shifting gears and it just acts like N and R are the same gear almost...?
the car has 20" wheels with bigger tires on the back than on the front btw...potential speed sensor problem?

Well, anyway...the car runs great, other than a misfire in the #7 cylinder and the overheating problem I just fixed. I lucked out and got a free radiator from a 96 cadillac deville my neighbor didnt want anymore. Didn't have enough time to get the tranny as well. But I did get a BUNCH of sensors and switches, ignition coils,plugs/wires,injectors and things that I can use in case something else goes bad.

Also, the only light on is the ABS light...

brody3

i have experienced door lock and exterior handle problems with my aurora, both drivers and passenger doors. currently i cannot open the drivers door from the inside or the outside. seems like the linkage or the senioid is not allowing the manual door lock rocker to disengage all the way. does anyone have a suggestion how to open the door? i have tried the fob, exterior key lock, interior electric switch and manually operating the rocker lock repeatedly.
i have learned that many buick riviera parts will work, door handles linkage and the like.

brinwood

I had the same problem with my 97 aurora. A mechanic opened it in seconds with a "slim jim".
Then the inside panel had to be removed and the mechanism replaced.
Parts online for about $40.00 each door. Dealer gets $100. for part.

brody3

do you know what needed to be replaced inside the door? i have not tried the "slim jim" yet. thanks for the reply.

chipf1

sounds like the fuel pump... in the trunk... right side... under the rear window... good luck...

sillygirl1

brody3, did you ever find out what needed to be replaced in the door latch. here is my problem, my older brother replaced the drivers door latch, because the door would not unlock using any method, (fob, key, or manual). the new one worked for about a day, then it went back to the same problem, wtf. any idea's what my brother can do.

sillygirl1

can anyone help sillygirl. i am very desperate for a cheap fix. thanks.

brinwood

Like I said, you have to replace the door handle on the outside. remove the inside door panel. they cost about 35$ online. $100 from a dealer.

sillygirl1

so the issue is the door handle, and not the latch itself...??????

brinwood

my experience has been my 2 front doors. replaced the door handles; fixed. your problem may be something different. my door handle moving parts had rusted and only solution was to replace them.
good luck.

brody3

i fixed the problem by pulling up on the linkage rods inside the door. did it with a coat hanger. if the window is in the down position, you can look down inside the door between the weatherstrip at the rear edge of the door. use a small flashlight, the kind with a lazer pointer built in. the light should fit inside or between the weatherstrip.there are two linkage rods. one leads from the key lock cylinder and the other leads from the door handle. pulling up on these rods will get the door to operate. but the real problem is inside the door and the door panel will ultimately need to be removed. there are several linkage rods connections electronic switches and plastic junk that can go wrong, but the latch itself does not seem to be the problem.

sillygirl1

Thanks, I,m gonna have my brother replace the door handles, and hopefully that will do the trick. I doubt the dealership will take back the door latch. Thanks for your help, Sillygirl.

yyc77371

I have a 1995 aurora can you give me a list of tools needed and step-by-step instructions to change front wheel bearings my email is yyc77371@yaho.com

cpilotti

Thermostat - feel upper radiator hose after car warms up, is it hot or warm. if warm replace thermostat. Coolant fans should kick on in high speed when engine gets close to 240 regardless. The PCM will switch the fans on. replace thermostat

blk97aurora

Fans should turn on at low speed if coolant is low (pull connector at bottom of surge tank to mimic this condition), if a/c is on, or if temp hits 228 degrees.

Mr_Shiftright

I'd recommend that for such details as that you join ALLDATA DIY for $26 a year---they'll have diagrams, list of special tools, and step by step instructions for just about any job on your car, for the entire year. It's a good deal. (www.alldatadiy.com)

If you don't want to do that, try your public library for either a Chilton's or an online database.

e_net_rider

Likely a must for getting the needed info for a 95. Although there were plenty of later changes, 96 had the big change of going to OBDII computer.
Thus 95 and any mid-year changes make it quite unique.
They have wonderfully complete trouble shooting steps and diagrams, at least for the 96 I had.
Also it will give you the details of what fan speed applies when. Some even turn off fans when a certain speed is reached so you can see lots of different possibilities if yours are not operating properly.

frenty

NO POWER TO CLIMATE CONTROL or CD PLAYER blower stuck on can some one tell me what i need to do in order to get the lights back on

rlo221

HAVE THE SAME PROB. DID YOU FIND A SOULTION..........THANKS RICK

ohheyitsjesse

***Refer to my first post (#4397) if you're confused.*** Well I finally managed to have some time to take my 95 olds up to the chevy dealership. Ran me $99 for them to inspect it. They're telling me the ignition coils #4 and #6 need replacing. And it'll cost me roughly $250. I could go to my other mechanic and have him do it (probably $60) but they didn't guarantee it would fix the problem(i know you can't guarantee stuff like that but i'm tired of wasting money). So does it sound like a good idea / solution? Or should I just save up for a newer car?

e_net_rider

The price is likely not high for dealer. Many have found that using aftermarket parts on this engine is bad news. They often don't last and the problem returns.
Check Rock Auto online for price of GM coils. $42 each. Note, they show a second coil for your year, but suspect that is wrong. From the picture it appears the location of the second hold down screw is wrong. Mine used the D555 and the second screw is located between the two ignition cable towers, opposite the one shown in picture.
They are not hard to change. Probably easiest to remove the two or three bolts holding the aluminum bracket to engine and roll forward. Then remove the two screws for each coil. Be very careful not to drop bolts as they can be hard to find. If yours have never been changed, you will note that the cylinder numbers are stamped on them. They likely will not be on replacements or they may be for a 6 cylinder. I marked my new ones with the correct numbers using permanent marker. Reassemble making sure you put wires in correct position and your trouble of missing may be gone.
The dealer will charge you retail which is likely about $90 each and some labor. And they may use aftermarket.
Looking a little closer, I see a Delphi brand listed and from pictures, it appears they may actually be making for AC Delco. That would save you a few dollars, but in my experience, definitley stay away from Wells brand.

ohheyitsjesse

Well I am by far able to work on cars, so could I just order the parts and bring them to the dealer? If not should I just bring them to my other mechanic and have him do it for me? Or just get it over and done quickly and have the dealer do it. The money is not an issue (I began to save for a new car just incase this one decides to crap out down the road) so I have no problem taking it to either place. I could also go up and ask them if they would be replacing them with after market coils or not.