AI Damage1999 Oldsmobile Aurora: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora filed 33 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 33
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 24% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 12% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 5 Equipment 9% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (24% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (12% of all).
- Steering: 4 complaints (12% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 3 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 33 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 oldsmobile aurora. The contact stated while depressing the brake pedal at various speeds the vehicle began to sway. Nhtsa recall campaign number: 99v081000 (service brakes, hydraulic) could have been related to the failure.
After engaging cruise control on the highway, vehicle would not disengage from cruise control and/or continued with the accelerator stuck. The vehicle came to a stop after hitting another vehicle and being turned off. When trying to turn the vehicle on again (in park) the accelerator raced and could not be driven.
Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at 30 mph. Upon impact, airbags did not deploy, resulting in minor injuries.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 oldsmobile aurora. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the air bag deployed inadvertently without warning. The contact sustained facial injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
On 5/11/2012 my 1999 oldsmobile aurora was parked at my house at approximately 6:00 pm and apparently overnight the passenger side seat caught on fire. The fire was limited to the base of the passenger seat and center console but caused severe damage throughout the car, including smoke damage throughout the entire…
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 oldsmobile aurora. The contact stated that when the vehicle would drive over a puddle of water, the vehicle would loose traction causing the contact to momentarily lose control of the vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 oldsmobile aurora. While driving approximately 10 mph, the front driver side airbag abruptly deployed without any impact to the vehicle. There was no personal injury. The contact scheduled an appointment with the dealer for the vehicle to be diagnosed for the airbag malfunction.
Dear sir: I have a 1999 oldsmobile aurora that I purchased new, with a delivery date of 09/22/1999. The car is used primarily by my wife with approximately 78,000 miles on the odometer. We have kept the car up and now find a very expensive repair that we feel is neither of our doing nor a normal ware item.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,523 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Aurora has 72 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 33, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, steering. Total complaints: 33. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (15%), smoke, burning smell, fire (12%), headlights and tail lights (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.