1989 Oldsmobile Ciera Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1989 Oldsmobile Ciera, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts825.0%
- Electrical618.8%
- Driver assistance515.6%
- Brakes412.5%
- Body & structure26.3%
- Tires & wheels26.3%
- Fuel system26.3%
- Transmission13.1%
- Interior & seats13.1%
- Other / unspecified13.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATES THAT DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER AND LAP BELTS ARE INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
PLASTIC CLIP ON REAR SEAT BELTS HAS DISINTEGRATED. *AK PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE CROSSING A MAIN INTERSECTION CAR DIED, AND CONSUMER HAD TO MANUALLY GET OUT OF CAR. *AK
COMPUTER FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
CRUISE CONTROL COMES ON BY ITSELF, EVEN WHEN TURNED COMPLETELY OFF, DURING HUMID OR DAMP DRIVING CONDITIONS.
WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR THE VEHICLE'S THROTTLE STUCK IN A POSITION AND LOST CONTROL. THE CAR HIT A CAR/LAMP POST AND A HOUSE. *AK CAR ALSO HIT 2ND CAR. CAR WENT THROUGH LIVING ROOM WINDOW. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES LOCK WHEN WET, EVEN AFTER NEW BRAKES AND MASTER CYCLINDER INSTALLED , DOING IT SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW AND BOUGHT BY MY MOTHER WITH 3 MILES ON IT. ONE BRAKE OR ANOTHER WILL LOCK AFTER A RAIN STORM. AFTER CONTINUAL PUMPING THEY WILL DRY AND STOP LOCKING TILL THEY GET WET AGAIN. HAVE HAD ALL NEW PARTS PUT ON OVER YEARS OF WORK ON IT AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IT IS .
WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE BRAKE LEVER MAY RELEASE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH DURING HIGH WINDS, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE LANDAU ROOF HAD BLOWN OFF, MANUFACTUER NOTIFIED. *TT
BODY IS CRAKCING AT THE B-PILLAR, NEAR THE DOOR STRIKER BOLT, CAUSING THE DOORS TO CLOSE HARD AND MAY COME OPEN IN A CRASH.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
ALL 4 TIRES HAD DEEP CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALLS BY 30,000 MILES AND WERE REPLACED.
REAR BRAKES REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. BRAKE PADS. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL LINE RUSTED, CAUSING A FUEL LEAK WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE IF THERE WAS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. *AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED OVER NIGHT W/CAUSE UNKNOWN BY HEBER SPRINGS FIRE DEPT. AREA AFFECTED MOSTLY FRONT LEFT TIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
UPON DECELERATING LOCK UP VALVE CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO STAY ENGAGED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
DURING REAR IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK FELL BACKWARDS INTO THE REAR SEAT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
ALL FOUR RIMS BROKEN. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .