RoadVitals

1983 Oldsmobile Ciera

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
0
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 Oct 13, 1983
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.
5
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.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1983 Oldsmobile Ciera. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 5 NHTSA investigations name it.

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

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

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE

Oct 13, 1983
352,036 units potentially affected
The defect: THE BRAKE PROPORTIONER VALVES MAY BREAK AND SEPARATE FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER. THIS WOULD ALLOW BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK AND WOULD RESULT IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM.
The remedy: THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE ALL SUSPECT VALVES.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA87006ClosedEngineering Analysis

POWER ST. ASSIST

Opened Dec 16, 1986
Closed Sep 19, 1988

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER:GM HAS DEVELOPED A SPLITRING FIELD REPAIR KIT AND IS EXTENDING THE WARRANRY ON ALL 1982-84 A,J, AND X, BODY CARS AND 1985 C,BODY CARS.THE WARRANTY APPLIES TO CARSTHAT ARE FOR 50,000 MILES OR 5 YRS.IT INCLUDES REIMBURSEMENT FOR PREVIOUSREPAIRS.ANALYSIS:WEARING OF THE RACK AND PINION HOUSING AND LOW AMBIENT TEMPCAN CAUSE TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER ASSIST.TEFLON O RINGS FAIL TO SEALOFF INTERNAL PRESSURE.STATUS:EVALUATING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFER BY GM.======

STEERING
DP86018ClosedDefect Petition

POWER STEERING FAILURE

Opened Sep 5, 1986
Closed Dec 19, 1986

POWER STEERING FAILURE

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
EA85046ClosedEngineering Analysis

POWER BRAKE ASSIST

Opened Aug 30, 1985
Closed Jul 24, 1987

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER: IN ANALYZING THIS MATTER GMIDENTIFIED THREE PRIMARY SOURCES FOR THE COMPLAINTS.THE FIRST INVOLVESA GRADUAL DETERIORATION IN PERFORMANCE OF BELT DRIVEN VACUUM PUMPS.AC-CORDING TO GM, VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH VACUUM PUMPS ARE ALSO EQUIPPED WITHA LOW VACUUM WARNING LIGHT, WHICH IS ILLUMINATED WHEN BOOSTER VACUUMFALLS BELOW 10 IN. HG.THIS SIGNALS THE DRIVER THAT MAINTENANCE IS NEED-ED.THE SECOND SOURCE OF COMPLAINTS WAS TRACED TO A QUALITY CONTROL PROB-LEM ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER DIAPHRAGM SUPPLIERS. USE OFPARTS FROM THIS SUPPLIER WAS DISCONTINUED IN SEPTEMBER 1984.THE THIRDCOMPLAINT SOURCE IDENTIFIED BY GM IS THE LOW VACUUM WARNING LIGHT IN 1982MODELS. ACCORDING TO GM, THE LIGHT INDICATED LOW VACUUM WHEN THERE WAS NOPROBLEM OR A LEAK IN THE SWITCH RESULTED IN REDUCED VACUUM AND ILLUMINA-TION OF THE LIGHT.THIS WAS ALSO TRACED TO A GM SUPPLIER THAT WAS DIS-CONTINUED IN 1982.GM ISSUED FIELD SERVICE INFORMATION COVERING SWITCHREPLACEMENT IN LATE 1982.ANALYSIS: GM HAS IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC VEHICLE COMPONENTS RESPONSIBLE FORREDUCED POWER BRAKE VACUUM ASSIST AMONG THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE NUMBERAND NATURE OF THE ODI AND GM COMPLAINTS RECEIVED ALONG WITH THE ALLEGEDACCIDENTS REPORTED INDICATE A POTENTIAL VEHICLE SAFETY PROBLEM.STATUS:THE FINAL REPORT CONCERNING THE OWNER SURVEY FROM THEAUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WAS RECEIVED ON 6/10/87.===

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
C85007ClosedInvestigation

REAR BRAKE LOCKUP

Opened Jun 19, 1985
Closed May 18, 1989

There is no summary currently available

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICLed to recall 66V003000

Recent owner complaints

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

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Oldsmobile Ciera by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1996831046.2
1995341045.3
1994464053.8
1990202160.3
1989311149.2
1988251349.2
1987171557.8
1986140443.6
1985804
1984326
1983Viewing015
1982004
1981001
1980001

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.