1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA Complaints

DT:06/23/04 HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY EVEN WHEN CAR IS NOT RUNNING. HEADLIGHTS SEEM TO FLASH ONLY IN HOT WEATHER. DEALER REPORTS THE SWITCH'S MALFUNCTION IS HEAT RELATED. DEALER REPORTS THAT THE CAR IS JUST OLD AND NEEDS A $525 REPLACEMENT. *NM *NM

PURCHASED A 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA NEW IN AUGUST OF 1997. CAR WAS/IS FULLY LOADED AND MAROON IN COLOR. OVER THE YEARS, STARTING ABOUT 2001, THE PAINT BEGAN TO FADE AND PEEL. DISCUSSIONS WITH LOCAL DEALER WENT NOWHERE. NOW, MAY 2005, CAR HAS ABOUT 70,000 MILES AND LOOKS LIKE A PEELING SUNBURNIED VICTIM. DEALER STILL SAYS THER IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND THAT OLDSMOBILE WON'T WARRANTY THE PAINT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A POOR PAINT JOB FROM DAY ONE. ESTIMATES BY BODY SHOPS TO REPAINT VERY HIGH AS THEY QUOTE THE NEED FOR AN "ACID WASH" TO FULLY REMOVE ALL THE UNDERLYING CONTAMINATION AND PROPERLY PREPARE THE SURFACE TO RETAIN PAINT.

WHEN I TRY TO START MY VEHICLE I AM FORCED AT TIMES TO SIT AND WAIT 3 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WILL START DUE TO THE PASS-KEY THEFT-DETERRENT SYSTEM. I HAVE REPLACED MY KEY AND CLEANED THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH ELECTRONIC CONTACT CLEANER. NOTHING HELPED. SOME DAYS / WEEKS / MONTHS ARE BETTER THEN OTHERS. THE MAX TIME I HAD TO SIT AND WAIT WAS 12 MINUTES. HEAVEN FORBID I HAVE TO DRIVE AWAY IN A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING THE CONSUMER STARTED TO SMELL GAS, THEN THE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE DEALER STATES THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THERE IS OIL SLUDGE. *NM

WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. WHEN INVESTIGATED IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE DUE TO THE FUEL RAIL. *NM

RECALL 04V110000 CONCERNING FUEL RAIL TUBING. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, AND HAD THE RECALL NOTICE TOO. DEALER STILL CHARGED CONSUMER $423.63 FOR REPAIRS, BUT HAD GIVEN CONSUMER A REIMBURSEMENT FORM TO SEND TO THE MANUFACTURER. CONSUMER MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS GETTING NO WHERE TO BE REIMBURSED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING SMELLED SMELLED GAS FUMES COMING IN FROM THE VENTS. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER, LIFTED UP THE HOOD, AND NOTICED GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE HOLE. WAS DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED THAT LIQUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER COULD NOT START UP THE VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT DEALER AND MANUFACTURER DID NOT DECIDE WHO WOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V110000 FOR THE FUEL RAIL TUBING; BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED AT A GAS STATION. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY AN OLDSMOBILE SERVICE MANAGER,WHO INSISTED THAT THE FIRE WAS RELATED TO THE FUEL RAIL, BUT CLAIMED MINIMUM RESPONSIBILITY.*AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS ON THE CHASSIS FUEL RETURN LINE LEAKING. BUT HAD NOT SEEN ANY FUEL IN THE DRIVEWAY OR GROUND. HE WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON FUEL RAIL.HE STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT REPAIR ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER, AND HE DID NOT HAVE A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE OTHER. THIS COST $500.00 TO REPAIR.*AK