1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 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 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, 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
- Body & structure838.1%
- Brakes523.8%
- Steering314.3%
- Suspension314.3%
- Engine29.5%
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A 1988 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME. WHICH IS HAVING A FAILURE OF THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM ABOUT THIS AND THEY STATE THAT DUE TO VEHICLE AGE IT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. YET I FOUND ON A GM WEBSITE FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS THIS INFORMATION. "THE HANDLE CASTINGS BREAK, FAIL, FATIGUE AND STRETCH - NO CURE OR FIX EXCEPT TO REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ASSEMBLY. IT IS THE CASTING (NOT THE HANDLE) THAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM - THAT'S WHY YOU WON'T FIND USED ONES, THEY ARE ALL BROKE! " THIS AFFECTS ALL 1987-1996 GRAND PRIX'S, BERETTA'S AND CUTLASS SUPREME'S. SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD BE MILLIONS OF VEHICLES AND YET THEY HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY. 1996 WAS NOT THAT LONG AGO. THEY EVEN KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND DO NOTHING. SEEMS LIKE A SCAM TO CHEAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY AS THEY COST $136 + TAX UNINSTALLED. IF THEY INSTALL IT IS $204+ TAX. TAKE THAT $204 TIMES MILLIONS OF CARS AND BAM SEVERAL MILLIONS DOLLARS ARE ROLLING IN. WHAT GOOD IS THE CAR IF YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE DOORS AND NEARLY EVERYONE OF THESE MODELS HAS AT LEAST ONE BROKEN HANDLE. I AM UNABLE TO LEAVE THE WINDOWS DOWN TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE DUE TO WEATHER. THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK THE DEALERS SHOULD HAVE TO FIX. *PH
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL TO HAVE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS REPLACED. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REAR BOLTS WERE REPLACED, THE FRONT CRADLE BOLTS PULLED THROUGH THE RETAINER DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. THE ENGINE DROPPED AND CONSUMER LOST STEERING. CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THIS VEHICLE BUT IS REQUESTING A REIMBURSEMENT OF MONIES PAID BECAUSE THERE IS NOW A RECALL OUT ON THE ABOVE SAID DEFECT, HOWEVER THE RECALL IS FOR THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS.*JG
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH,THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEALING NOISE AND HAD TO APPLY ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL TO INCREASE THE SPEED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,800. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND DISCOVERED THAT THE CALIPER WAS NOT RETRACTING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,400.*AK THE CALIPERS WERE CORRODED. UPDATED 04/05/07. *JB
INTERMITTENTLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPLIED. CONSUMER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES ROTORS, CALIPERS AND PADS. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
TIE RODS RUSTED OUT DUE TO ROAD SALT. *SLC
THE STEERING WHEEL IS PULLING AWAY FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN MAKING SUDDEN STOPS VEHICLE SWERVED INTO THE PASSING LANE. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN 1996. *AK
THE SHOCKS AND STRUTS "FELL OFF" THEREFOR CAUSING A FLIP OVER WHEN THE BACK RIGHT TIRE BLEW. THE TIRE BLEW BECAUSE THE SHOCKS AND STRUTS WERE RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRES, THEREFOR, EXPOSING THE THREADS.*AK (TIRESIZE: P195/R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/R14 )
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS HANGING AND THE HINGES ARE RUSTED. THIS FAILURE WAS RECALLED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, BROUGHT IN TO DEALER, THEY CLAIMED DOOR ASSEMBLY WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. POWER WINDOW ON THIS DOOR HAS NOT WORKED SINCE PURCHASE. *AK *ML
BODY MOUNTS SNAPPED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *AK
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 .