RoadVitals

1996 Oldsmobile Ciera

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.
83
Latest Jan 30, 2004
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 15, 1995
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.
11
10 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 83 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera, most frequently naming the brakes, engine and transmission categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 4 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

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
95V173000

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

Sep 15, 1995
2,216,325 units potentially affected
The defect: THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH REAR OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGES THAT MAY NOT WITHSTAND THE REQUIRED LOAD. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO.210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."
The risk: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN A COLLISON, STRESS CAN CAUSE THE ATTACHMENT METAL TO TEAR AND ALLOW THE ANCHORAGE TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT PROTECT AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING ANCHOR BOLTS WITH A NEW SHOULDER BOLT AND THREAD LOCKING ADHESIVE. ADDITIONALLY, NOISE CONTROL PATCHES WILL BE APPLIED AT EACH ANCHORAGE.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

View all 83
Engine
Filed Jan 30, 2004

HEAD GASKET LEAKED. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT WHEN HE WENT INTO GARAGE THERE WAS WATER ON THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE CHECKED OUT BY MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS A HEAD GASKET LEAK. CONSUMER WAS QUOTED A PRICE TO HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED. CONSUMER FELT THAT OLDSMOBILE SHOULD REPAIR THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE SINCE THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10057248
Incident
Jan 30, 2004
Mileage
44,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 15, 2004

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK INTO OIL

NHTSA ID
10070401
Incident
Dec 15, 2001
Mileage
65,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 22, 2003

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK ON GM 3.1 L V6. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10023537
Incident
Dec 14, 2002
Mileage
60,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 28, 2003

THE ENGINE STOPPED WORKING IN DECEMBER OF 2002. WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10017614
Incident
Dec 1, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Nov 22, 2002
Crash reported2 injuries reported

THE CAR WAS HIT FROM BEHIND WHILE STOPPED AND THE SEAT AND SHOULDER BELTS DID NOT HOLD US IN PLACE. DT

NHTSA ID
770020
Incident
Nov 17, 2002
Transmission
Filed Jun 17, 2002

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT FOR 2 MINUTES AND START BACK UP, AND STALL BACK OUT AGAIN WITHOUT ANY WARNING.CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, CANNOT FIND PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
8011954
Incident
May 9, 2002
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 25, 2002

WHILE YIELDING ONTO HIGHWAY, STEPPED ON GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, AFTER RELEASING PEDAL, ACCELERATED AT 80MPH. THROTTLE BECAME STUCK AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, HAD TO GEAR INTO NEUTRAL TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. *AK *TT

NHTSA ID
8008609
Incident
Apr 24, 2002
Transmission
Filed Apr 19, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING DEALERSHIP HAS SERVICED THE VEHICLE LIGHT ANF FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID
8008111

Manufacturer communications

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

776001

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

INFORMATION CONCERNING ENGINE KNOCK/RATTLE OR TAP NOISE BEFORE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE (REPLACE PISTON AND/OR ROD ASSEMBLIES). AK

776001

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

KNOCK, RATTLE OR TAP NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BEFORE THE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE KNOCK, RATTLE OR TAP NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BEFORE THE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT RATURE (REPLACE PISTON AND/OR ROD ASSEMBLIES). *TW

577106A

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

COLD START RATTLE NOISE (DIAGNOSIS/SERVICE PROCEDURE). *TW

577106A

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

COLD START RATTLE NOISE. *TW

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 Ciera by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1996Viewing831046.2
1995341045.3
1994464053.8
1990202160.3
1989311149.2
1988251349.2
1987171557.8
1986140443.6
1985804—
1984326—
1983015—
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.