1990 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 1990 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 & structure1331.7%
- Brakes819.5%
- Interior & seats717.1%
- Engine37.3%
- Seat belts24.9%
- Transmission24.9%
- Driver assistance24.9%
- Electrical24.9%
- Exterior lighting12.4%
- Powertrain (other)12.4%
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 1990 OLDSMOBLE CUTLASS SUPREME. A RECALL #00065 FOR GM WAS DONE ON MY CAR AND ONLY THE FRONT CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS WERE DONE. BUT UPON REVIEWING NHTSA'S RECALL #00V189000 THE FRONT AND REAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. SINCE THE REFUSAL FROM GM THE REAR BOLTS HAVE COME DOWN AND MY ENGINE IS LEANING BACK. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THE MANUFACTURE GM 3 TIMES AND THEY BOTH SAY THAT THEY ONLY HAVE TO DO THE FRONT CRADLE BOLTS FOR THEIR RECALL AND NOT THE REAR. I ALSO HAVE MY ORIGINAL RECEIPT THAT SAYS ONLY 2 BOLTS AND RETAINERS WERE BOUGHT AND INSTALLED. *NM
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE TRUNK. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ANTENNA WIRES CAUSED THE FIRE.*AK
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKE CLUB WAS ATTACHED TO BRAKES AND CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE SPEEDED UP/ HIT THREE, AND VEHICLE STOPPED ON IMPACT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM PRODUCT COMPANY WAS A LAWMAN ARMOR CORPORATION. *AK
THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 90V-185, THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT BUT WAS DENIED DUE TO VIN. NLM
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD COMPONENT DOESN'T WORK 99% OF THE TIME. I NEVER KNOW THE SPEED I AM GOING, OR IF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANYTHING COMES ON. WHEN THE DASH DOES COME ON IF YOU HIT THE SLIGHTEST BUMP IT GOES BACK OFF. I FEEL THIS IS UNSAFE. AS I RESEARCHED THIS SITE FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME CAR I FIND THAT MY COMPLAINT IS THE 5TH ONE FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. I HAVE BOUGHT AND REPLACED THE COMPONENT THINKING IT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT IT DIDN'T. IT IS WITH THE WIRING ITSELF. A DEFECT IN THE WRING FROM THE MANUFATURER, AGAIN IT'S NOT THE COMPONENTS. I WOULD LIKE A RECALL TO BE ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. I STILL HAVE THE OLD DASH COMPONENT SO IF THEY NEED TO BE TESTED.*AK
THE HOOD LATCH CABLE FROZE AND THE HOOD RELEASE LEVER BROKE. IN TURN THEE CABLE AND THE LEVER MUST BE REPLACED.*AK
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
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE ENGINE CRADLE DROPED. CAUSE UNKNOWN DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB
THE ENGINE BEGAN LEAKING OIL AND IS CONTINUING TO DO SO. IT WON'T LEAK WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, BUT WILL ONCE THE CAR IS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. IT IS QUITE A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL. THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL ALSO MALFUNCTIONS AS THE ODOMETER HARDLY EVER WORKS AND WHEN IT DOES, IT FLICKERS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL OCCASIONLY GO BLANK GIVING NO INFORMATION AT ALL AND WILL SOMETIMES RESUME WHEN THE DISPLAY IS TAPPED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELT BUCKLE PLASTIC CAME APART, CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION. COULD NOT USE SEAT BELT. *AK
DRIVER'S SHOULDER AND LAP SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. HAS NOTIFIED THE DEALER. *AK
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
GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH WENT OUT DUE TO ELECTRICAL SHORT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
THE TRANMISSION HAS A PROBLEM WITH UP-SHIFT IN MODERATE ACCELERATION. HAVE TO FULLY DECELERATE FOR THE UP-SHIFT TO TAKR PLACE ASK DEALERS EOR SOLUTION NO RESPONDS
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
BRAKE CLUB WAS ATTACHED TO BRAKES AND CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE SPEEDED UP/ HIT THREE, AND VEHICLE STOPPED ON IMPACT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM PRODUCT COMPANY WAS A LAWMAN ARMOR CORPORATION. *AK
POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW MAY HAVE CAUSED VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE BRAKE FAILURE DURING RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN COLLISION. HOWEVER OCCASIONALLY THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, ABS FAILURE. *YC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE OWNER STATED THERE WAS NO WHERE IN THE MANUAL THAT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPROGRAMMED WITH EVERY BATTERY CHANGE. ALSO, THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE STALLED. *JB
DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE WOULD DIE OUT & WOULD LOSE STEERING CONTROL. THERE IS NO SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER READING. HAD COMPUTER CHANGED 3 TIMES. NO ELECTRICAL POWER. TALKED TO DEALER OVER PHONE & HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM, BUT HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
STOP LIGHT SWITCH FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ENGINE BEGAN LEAKING OIL AND IS CONTINUING TO DO SO. IT WON'T LEAK WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, BUT WILL ONCE THE CAR IS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. IT IS QUITE A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL. THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL ALSO MALFUNCTIONS AS THE ODOMETER HARDLY EVER WORKS AND WHEN IT DOES, IT FLICKERS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL OCCASIONLY GO BLANK GIVING NO INFORMATION AT ALL AND WILL SOMETIMES RESUME WHEN THE DISPLAY IS TAPPED.
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 .