Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONSUMER'S RESIDENCE. *AK THE LIGHT DEVICE FLASHED RED/GREEN BEFORE GOING DEAD ON A STEEP HILL AND OR DANGEROUS CURVE. THE STEERING LOCKED AND THE BRAKES WENT OUT, THEN THE VEHICLE WENT DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT THROUGH A FENCE. *SC *JB
ENGINE JUST TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING...SEVERAL TIMES AT HIGH SPEEDS...LOOSES STEERING, BRAKES...SEVERAL NEAR COLLISIONS. DEALERS & REPAIR SHOPS CAN NEVER DUPLICATE OR IDENTIFY A PROBLEM
FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED DUE TO CORROSION RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN STEERING SHAFT DISENGAGED. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF IT MAY NOT START AGAIN LIKE THE BATTERY HAS NO CHARGE, THE HEATER COIL MODULE HAVE BEEN CHANGED BUT STILL SEEMS TO HAPPEN. *ET
HEATER COIL MODULE WAS REPLACED HOWEVER DID NOT RECTIFY PROBLEM,POSSIBLE IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. YH
THIS VEHICLE CONSTANTLY HESITATES, MISFIRES,AND TODAY IT BACKFIRED FOR THE FIRST TIME. WHEN YOU TURN OFF THE CAR YOU CAN SMELL A THE FUEL OUT OF THE EXHAUST . THIS PROBLEM IS NOT INTERMITTENT IT IS CONSTANT AND I FEEL IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS ON THIS CAR . I WENT TO AN OLDMOBILE DEALERSHIP TO ASK ABOUT RECALLS . THEY SAID THERE WERE NONE, HOWEVER , IN A CONSUMER REPORTS BOOK I AM READING IT USES THE SAME CAR AS MINE FOR AN EXAMPLE OF A VEHICLE WITH A EXHAUST EMISSIONS RECALL. THE REAR BRAKES HAD A 10 POINT REAR BRAKE JOB CONSISTING OF NEW CYLINDERS ,HARDWARE, DRUMS TURNED AND NEW PADS. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE IN GOOD REPAIR. YET IT SEEMS THAT THE BRAKES ARE NOT STOPPING THE CAR EFFECTIVELY
ACCIDENTAL FIRE IN PARKED RUNNING CAR IN OUTSIDE LOT, TOXIC FIRE CAUSED CARBON MONOXIDE IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FROM ENGINE, OCCUPANT AQUIRED BURNS ON 27% OF HIS BODY (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT, CLIENT DECEASED).
WATER IS GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE, AND CONSUMER CAN'T FIND WHERE THE WATER IS COMING FROM. ALSO, WHEN USING THE HEAT, THE SMELL IS REAL BAD AND IS COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW. VEHICLE IS STALLING, AND DRIVER HAS TO PUT FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE NOT TO CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. *AK
RECALL # 97V058000 GM/REAR CRADLE BOLTS; VEHICLE SERVICED UNDER RECALL IN JULY OF 1998. WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 3 MPH AND COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ON THE EVE OF THANKSGIVING, THE ENGINE FELL OUT OF VEHICLE. *AK
ENGINE STALLS CONTINUOUSLY.
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS FAILED.
ENGINE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD WHILE STOPPING.
HEAD GASKET LEAKS AND HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
THE CRADLE MOUNTS THAT SUPPORT THE ENGINE ON THE RIGHT SIDE BECAME RUSTED. THIS CONDITION ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO DROP ON THAT SIDE WHILE DRIVING. PROBLEM REPAIRED BY MECHANIC. *AK
IGNITION MODULE REPLACED.
COMPUTER REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .