RoadVitals

1993 Oldsmobile Achieva

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
38
Latest Jun 6, 2005
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Sep 14, 1993
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
7
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 38 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1993 Oldsmobile Achieva, most frequently naming the brakes, engine and electrical categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 22 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes1324.1%
  • Engine814.8%
  • Electrical611.1%
  • Visibility47.4%
  • Fuel system35.6%
  • Interior & seats35.6%
  • Steering35.6%
  • Transmission35.6%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
93V153000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

Sep 14, 1993
1,103 units potentially affected
The defect: THE NEUTRAL START SAFETY SWITCH COULD HAVE BEEN FRACTURED DURING INSTALLATION.
The risk: A FRACTURED SWITCH CAN RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION.ALSO, A VEHICLE WITH A FRACTURED SWITCH CAN BE STARTED IN GEAR, CAUSING THEVEHICLE TO MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
The remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE NEUTRAL START SWITCH. THE MANUAL SWITCH OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF AN OVERSIZED CONDITION EXISTS.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 38
Brakes
Filed Jun 6, 2005
Crash reported

DT: CONSUMER PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY AND APPLIED BRAKES AND HAD NO BRAKES, AND HIT A CORNER OF A HOUSE. HAD NO FLUID IN MASTER CYLINDER, AND THERE WAS A SMALL PUDDLE UNDER THE WHEEL. CONSUMER PUT FLUID IN THE CAR AND THEN VEHICLE HIT A TREE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10124287
Incident
Jun 3, 2005
Mileage
109,000 mi
BrakesFuel systemPowertrain (other)+4 more
Filed Jan 15, 2004

MY SEATBELTS DON'T LOCK, MY BACK WINDOW WON'T GO DOWN,THE ROOF IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CLOSE,MY SPRING BROKE, MY BRAKES HAVE WENT NUMEROUS TIMES, MY STEERING LINE SPLIT. MY REAL CONCERN IS MY SEATBELTS DON'T WORK I WOULD LIKE TO GET THEM FIXED I NEED INFO ON HOW MY DOOR HANDLE ALSO SNAPPED AND THE ENGINE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK ON.

NHTSA ID
10069810
Incident
Jan 15, 2003
Visibility
Filed May 3, 2001

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW KEEPS FALLIING OFF THE TRACK , CONSUMER HAS REPLACED WINDOW 5 TIMES WITHIN 4 YEARS. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID
887332
Electrical
Filed Apr 12, 2001

NEUTRAL START SAFETY SWITCH FRACTURED, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START.VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 93V153000. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
885745
Engine
Filed Jan 5, 2001

CAR DOES NOT HEAT DUE TO COOLANT LOSS CAUSED BY CRACKED HEAD.I HAVE LEARNED THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE QUAD 4 ENGINE IN GM "N" CARS SUCH AS THE ACHIEVA.*AK

NHTSA ID
738833
EngineFuel systemVisibility
Filed Jul 27, 2000

REPEATED INCIDENTS OF OVERHEATING; HEATER CORE REPLACED TWICE; INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET; RADIATOR CORED OUT TWICE; WATER PUMP REPLACED TWICE; PROBLEM PERSISTS

NHTSA ID
726134
Steering
Filed May 31, 2000

WHILE DRIVING HEARD NOISES COMING FROM STEERING, SOUNDED LIKE METAL ON METAL. TOOK TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC SAID THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING SEPARATED FROM THE FIREWALL, AND THAT IT WAS PROBABLY NOT REPARABLE. THERE WAS A STRUCTURAL FLAW, AND CAR WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
862787
Incident
May 23, 2000
Engine
Filed Apr 4, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
720990
Incident
Feb 1, 1999

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

04152004

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR

VEHICLES MAY SET ANYONE OR A COMBINATION OF FRONT-WHEEL SPEED SENSOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM CODES AS INTERMITTENT OR HARD FAILURES. GM VOICEMAIL EXPRESS. *TT

00966B

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR

ABS FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT

00966

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR

ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) FRONT WHEEL SPEED CODES - JUMPER HARNESS. *TT

990730030A

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN STANDING IN PARK ON A HILL OR SLOPE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT APPLIED. *TT

000524001

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Oldsmobile Achieva by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2000300—
1998403050.0
1997634051.5
1996876055.1
1995701151.3
1994622158.2
1993Viewing381045.6
1992530039.1

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.