
<PAGE>   1
 
                                                                      EXHIBIT 24
 
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
     The undersigned directors of Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc. (the
"Corporation"), hereby appoint John F. Fiedler, Laurene H. Horiszny and Gaspare
G. Ruggirello as their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, with full power for
and on their behalf to execute, in their names and capacities as directors of
the Corporation, and to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
behalf of the Corporation under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, any and
all Registration Statements (including any and all amendments or post-effective
amendments thereto) relating to the request from certain shareholders for
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to that
certain Registration Rights Agreement dated as of January 27, 1993.
 
     This Power of Attorney automatically ends upon the termination of Mr.
Fiedler's, Ms. Horiszny's and Mr. Ruggirello's service with the Corporation.
 
     In witness whereof, the undersigned have executed this Power of Attorney on
this 14th day of June, 1996.
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                          <C>
     /s/ JOHN F. FIEDLER                    /s/ DONALD C. TRAUSCHT
        (JOHN F. FIEDLER)                      (DONALD C. TRAUSCHT)

    /s/ ALEXIS P. MICHAS                   /s/  ALBERT J. FITZGIBBONS, III
       (ALEXIS P. MICHAS)                      (ALBERT J. FITZGIBBONS, III)
                                                   
   /s/ MATTHIAS B. BOWMAN                  /s/  JAMES J. KERLEY
      (MATTHIAS B. BOWMAN)                     (JAMES J. KERLEY)
                            
  /s/   IVAN W  GORR                      /s/   PAUL E. GLASKE                                            
       (IVAN W. GORR)                          (PAUL E. GLASKE)
</TABLE>





<PAGE>   2
 
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
     The undersigned officer of Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc. (the
"Corporation"), hereby appoints John F. Fiedler, Laurene H. Horiszny and Gaspare
G. Ruggirello as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, with full power for and
on his behalf to execute, in his name and capacity as an officer of the
Corporation, and to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf
of the Corporation under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, any and all
Registration Statements (including any and all amendments or post-effective
amendments thereto) relating to the request from certain shareholders for
registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to that certain
Registration Rights Agreement dated as of January 27, 1993.
 
     This Power of Attorney automatically ends upon the termination of Mr.
Fiedler's, Ms. Horiszny's and Mr. Ruggirello's service with the Corporation.
 
     In witness whereof, the undersigned has executed this Power of Attorney on
this 14th day of June, 1996.
 
/s/ ROBIN J. ADAMS
Robin J. Adams
Vice President and Treasurer
<PAGE>   3
 
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
     The undersigned officer of Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc. (the
"Corporation"), hereby appoints John F. Fiedler, Laurene H. Horiszny and Gaspare
G. Ruggirello as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, with full power for and
on his behalf to execute, in his name and capacity as an officer of the
Corporation, and to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf
of the Corporation under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, any and all
Registration Statements (including any and all amendments or post-effective
amendments thereto) relating to the request from certain shareholders for
registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to that certain
Registration Rights Agreement dated as of January 27, 1993.
 
     This Power of Attorney automatically ends upon the termination of Mr.
Fiedler's, Ms. Horiszny's and Mr. Ruggirello's service with the Corporation.
 
     In witness whereof, the undersigned has executed this Power of Attorney on
this 14th day of June, 1996.
 
/s/ WILLIAM C. CLINE
William C. Cline
Vice President and Controller
