1997 Oldsmobile Aurora

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK A LONG TIME AND HE NOTICED A POTENT GASOLINE SCENT. WHEN HE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, HE SMELLED A STRONG GASOLINE SCENT AGAIN. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. HE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V110000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,937.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. WHEN HE LIFTED THE HOOD, HE NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINE AND ONTO THE MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 04V110000 (FUEL SYSTEM) AT 111,000 MILES. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 113,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 04V110000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE DEALER WAS WILLING TO REPLACE THE FUEL RAIL, BUT NOT THE FUEL LINE. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE RECALL WAS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION AND NOT FULLY BY THE MANUFACTURER. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE REPAIR AGREEMENT ONLY COVERED REPLACING THE FUEL RAIL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, BLACK SMOKE EMANATED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. WITHIN 8 SECONDS OF THE CONTACT EXITING THE VEHICLE, FLAMES WERE OBSERVED COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT WHEEL WELLS, AND FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE HOOD MELTED, THE ENGINE WAS BURNED COMPLETELY, THE FRONT AXLE MELTED TO THE POINT OF PREVENTING ANY MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT WHEELS, AND THE ENTIRE DASH WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. POLICE AND FIRE REPORTS WERE TAKEN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #04V110000 WHICH PERTAINS TO THE PIPINGS AND FITTINGS TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE NOTICED STRONG GASOLINE ODOR. WITH ENGINE RUNNING A FINE MIST OF GASOLINE WAS SHOOTING ACROSS ENGINE COMPARTMENT FROM A PINHOLE IN A PLASTIC FUEL DELIVERY LINE (HIGH PRESSURE?) NEAR THE FITTING CONNECTING IT TO THE METAL FUEL RAIL LINE. (FUEL RAIL WAS REPLACED 6/05 UNDER RECALL #04014) NEITHER THE LEAK NOR THE PINHOLE IS VISIBLE WHEN ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING. EXTREME FIRE HAZARD! VEHICLE CURRENTLY AT GM DEALERSHIP FOR REPLACEMENT OF FUEL LINES (LINES MARKED NON-REPAIRABLE) (REPAIR ESTIMATE APPROX $500). WEB SEARCH REVEALED NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. CONTACTED OLDS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. APPEARS TO BE A HIGH-HAZARD SITUATION THAT COULD EASILY RESULT IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, INJURY AND/OR DEATH. *NM

I WAS BEGINNING A SUNDAY MORNING DRIVE TODAY IN MY 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. IT WAS A FEW HOURS AGO WITH MY FAMILY ON THE EXPRESSWAY ON I-480 WEST ENROUTE TO OUR VACATION. AFTER I HIT MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL TO CHANGE LANES SO I CAN GET OFF AT OUR EXIT. THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER WAS STUCK. THERE WAS AN INTENSE BURNING SMELL AND SECONDS LATER SMOKE START STEAMING FROM MY STEERING. I PULLED THE 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA OVER AND PRESSED DOWN ON THE HAZARD BUTTON TO RELEASE IT AND NOTICE THAT THE HAZARD BUTTON WAS STUCK TOO. FINALLY, I TURNED THE KEY TO THE IGNITION OFF AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE SMOKE STOPPED. SOON AS I STARTED UP THE CAR THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER WAS UNSTUCK HOWEVER THE HAZARD BUTTON WAS STILL STUCK AS SMOKE BEGAN SEEPING FROM BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL AGAIN. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND STARTED UP THE CAR AGAIN, EACH TIME THERE WAS THE SAME OUTCOME, STUCK HAZARD BUTTON, BURNING SMELL, AND SMOKE. MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT I GOT THE CAR TOWED HOME AND WAS TOLD FROM THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER THAT IT PROBABLY WAS SOME ELECTRICAL WIRING BURNING BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS FORTUNATELY THAT IT DIDN'T CAUSE THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM SINCE GM AUTO REPAIR SHOPS ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAY. *JB