RoadVitals

1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
103
Latest Feb 22, 2014
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 6, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 103 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 103 · page 1 of 5

Tires & wheels
Filed Feb 22, 2014

THE VEHICLE IS A 1990 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CIERA SL. I CHECKED BOX AS CHEVROLET AS OLDSMOBILE IS NOT AN OPTION ON THE DROP DOWN. FOUR NEW TIRES INSTALLED BETWEEN 12/31/13 AND 1/31/14, UNIROYAL AWP II TIGER PAWS SIZE P185/75R14. MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITE REPORTS THEY ?DO NOT CURRENTLY MANUFACTURE TIRES FITTING THIS VEHICLES SPECIFICATIONS.? ARE THE TIGER PAWS II P185/75R14 INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE COUNTERFEIT TIRES? SINCE INSTALLING THESE TIRES, THE VEHICLE "SWAYS" WHEN DRIVING ON GROOVED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY PAVEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10565448
Incident
Feb 5, 2014
Interior & seats
Filed Aug 17, 2004

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT DASHBOARD COMPONENTS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SHE COULD NOT TELL HOW MUCH FUEL THERE WAS OR HOW FAST SHE WAS TRAVELING/DRIVING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A WIRING DEFECT. MECHANIC TRIED TO PUT A BRAND NEW PART IN THE DASHBOARD, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. CONSUME RHAD THIS PROBLEM FOR 3 YEARS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10089093
Incident
Aug 17, 2004
Body & structure
Filed Jan 13, 2003

NAR 1/29/2003. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN MARCH 2003 REGARDING THE FRONT FRAME /CRADLE BOLT RETAINERS. AS PER THE RECALL LETTER THEY WERE REPLACED. ON DEC 12, 2002 BEFORE REACHING A STOP, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND THE CONSUMER FELT A THUMP. WHEN THE CONSUMER INVESTIGATED, HE FOUND THAT THE ENGINE HAD FALLEN FROM THE VEHICLE AND THERE WERE NO STEERING CAPABILITIES. UPON GENERAL INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THE REAR FRAME/ CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS HAD SEPARATED WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO DROP AND THE STEERING SHAFT TO SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER HE WAS TOLD THE RECALL FOR THE CRADLE BOLTS DID NOT APPLY TO HIS VEHICLE ONLY THE FRONT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10006042
Incident
Dec 12, 2002
Filed Dec 1, 2002

HAS FAILED 3 TIME AT THE COST OF $300 EACH TIME. DT

NHTSA ID
770291
Incident
Nov 11, 2002
Brakes
Filed Mar 19, 2002

WHILE DRIVING REAR DISC BRAKE ON ONE SIDE STICKS ON ROTOR. HAD TO REPLACE CYLINDER. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED AS OF YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AND VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.*AK

NHTSA ID
8005926
Transmission
Filed Nov 28, 2001

LOCKING TORQUE CONVERTER FAILS TO RELEASE AND STALLS ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID
755024
Incident
Mar 6, 2001
Suspension
Filed Aug 23, 2001

I TAKE GOOD CARD OF MY CAR. IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE HAD 4 OIL CHANGES, NEW TIRES AND RIMS, AN ALIGNMENT, NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS. ON 04/20/2001 I HAD A OIL CHANGE AND ASKED PENSKE AUTO TO LOOK AT MY STRUTS AND SUSPENSION BECAUSE MY CAR FELT AND LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN USUALLY, AND AGAIN ABOUT 06/05/2001. THIS TIME I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO LOOK AND HE COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. ON 06/15/2001 I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE GOING ABOUT 65 MILES AN HOUR AND HAD A FEW MORE MILES TO GO BUT AT THE LAST MINUTE DECIDED TO PULL OF ON A EXIT TO CHECK A PRICE OF A PRODUCT. I SLOWED DOWN FOR A PEDESTRIAN, AND AS I GOT TO ABOUT 10 MILES A HOUR I FELT A BUMP AND LOST ALL STEERING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH OUT WRECKING OR HITTING THE PEDESTRIAN. I GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND FOUND THAT THE BACK PART OF THE FRONT A FRAME HAD FALLEN AND THE MOTOR WHICH HAD PULLED THE STEERING COLUMN APART. IF I HAD NOT EXITED THE INTERSTATE BEFORE I WAS SUPPOSE TO I AM SURE I WOULD BE DEAD, ALSO I AM LUCKY I DID NOT KILL A PEDESTRIAN. I HAVE CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT ONLY RECALLED THE CARS IN 20 STATES AND MY STATE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM. THEY KNOW THAT ITS PROBLEM EXISTS ON CARS 1988 TO 1990 AND EARLY 1991. OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME, CHEV LUMINA, PONTIAC GRAND PER AND BUICK REGAL. I HAVE A CASE # WITH OLDS C05115278 AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH LARRY WALDRICK AT 1-800-442-6537 HE IS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL, BUT IS GETTING NOWHERE. IF I LIVED IN IOWA THEY WOULD OF WARNED ME THAT MY CAR WAS DANGEROUS IN 1997 AND FIXED MY CAR, BUT SINCE I LIVE IN NE AND MY CAR TRIED TO KILL ME, I AM GETTING THE RUN A ROUND. OLDSMOBILE TOLD ME TO GET MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. I DID ON 08/02/2001. THEY SAY THEY WILL ONLY PAY HALF, AND TO THIS DAY 08/23/2001 HAVE NOT GOTTEN ME A WRITTEN ESTIMATE. I JUST WANT TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE IN THE OTHER 30 STATES WHO HAVE NOT BEEN WARNED OF THESE KILLER CARS.*AK

NHTSA ID
750994
Incident
Jun 15, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Jun 25, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

VEHICLE WAS HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER. HEADREST BUSTED, AND CONSUMER'S HEAD AND NECK WERE INJURED. CONSUMER FELT THAT HEADREST SHOULD NOT HAVE BUSTED. IF IT HAD NOT BUSTED, CERTAIN INJURIES WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
891152
Incident
Apr 18, 1997
Body & structureSeat belts
Filed Jun 4, 2001

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS STARTING TO CRACK WHERE RESTRAINT HARNESS IS MOUNTED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF RECALL 90V054 AND WENT TO HAVE WORK DONE, HOWEVER DEALER STATED THE CRACKING WHERE SEAT BELT MOUNT IS LOCATED WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *SLC

NHTSA ID
889666
ElectricalEngineInterior & seats
Filed Mar 21, 2001

LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD STAY OFF FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, DEALER STATED CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE IGNITION MODULE FAILED THREE TIMES. THE THREE COILS AND THE COMPUTER WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE STILL FAILS TO START DUE TO CRANK SHAFT SENSOR FAILURE. *YH

NHTSA ID
883648
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Brakes
Filed Mar 16, 2001

REAR CALIPERS HAVE FROZEN DUE TO DESIGN ERROR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
883285
Body & structure
Filed Feb 17, 2001

BOLT CAME LOOSE AND 1 BROKE .HOLDING BODY TO FRAME TOGETHER. *AK

NHTSA ID
741070
Body & structure
Filed Feb 5, 2001

CRADLE IS RUSTED DUE TO A RECALL ON THE CADLE RETAINERS AND BOLTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
740458
Incident
Oct 1, 2000
Brakes
Filed Jan 30, 2001

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STOP LAMP FAILURE AND REQUIRED A NEW STITCH, THE CONSUMER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF RECALL 90V-185 AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

NHTSA ID
559257
Incident
Mar 24, 1997
Brakes
Filed Nov 23, 2000

FLUIDS ALL FULL. IF ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. WHEN TURNED ON ALL OK BUT BRAKES FAIL RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. HAS BEEN SERVICED BY BRAKE SHOP. FLUSH AND FILL OF BRAKE FLUID. NO VISABLE PROBLEMS.*AK

NHTSA ID
736787
Incident
May 8, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Sep 26, 2000

REAR SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTING MECHANISM, CAUSING SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
871522
Body & structure
Filed Sep 20, 2000

I WAS ON INTERNET AND FOUND A SECTION THAT HAD STATED A PAINT PEELING PROBLEM WITH OLDSMOBILES AND IT HAD STATED THAT THE GM MANUFACTURE WOULD FURNISH A FREE PAINT FOR THE CARS THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM.. THE CAR THAT I OWN IS A 1990 OLDSMOBILE CUT.SUP.IN.SED.4D. IF THIS IS A TRUE FACT COULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID
732071
Other / unspecified
Filed Sep 1, 2000

WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WHEN IT SLID TO A STOP. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS

NHTSA ID
554270
Incident
Jul 31, 2000
Interior & seats
Filed Jul 17, 2000

INTERMITTENT DIGITAL DASHBOARD FAILURE (SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE). *AK

NHTSA ID
725550
Electrical
Filed May 7, 2000

I TOOK TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES NO ONE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM THE MASTER COMPUTER WAS EVEN REPLACED WITH A GMAC REBUILD THE PROBLEM HAS NOT CHANGED. *AK

NHTSA ID
722370
Incident
Aug 27, 1999
Brakes
Filed Nov 8, 1999

WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED AND UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, ALSO, AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKES THE BRAKES OPERATE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
852646
Filed Sep 29, 1999

PAINT ON THE ENTIRE CAR IS PEELING OFF IN SHEETS

NHTSA ID
712480
Incident
Oct 15, 1992
Brakes
Filed Sep 19, 1999

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON EVEN IF NO KEY, SPEEEDOMETER. ODOMETER INTERMITTENT FAILURE, REAR BRAKES FROZE AND RUSTED CAUSING FAILURE OF FRONT BRAKE LININGS AND ROTORS IN 3000 MILES

NHTSA ID
711600
Incident
Aug 5, 1999
Filed Jul 4, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
708209
Interior & seats
Filed Jun 25, 1999

THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD IN THIS CAR FAILS INTERMITTANTLY. SOMETIMES IT FAILS ON STARTUP, AND SOMETIMES WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING. UPON FAILURE THE DASHOARD IS BLACK, WITH NO WAY TO DETERMINE THE SPEED OF THIS AUTOMOBILE. SOMETIMES THE FAILURE LASTS FOR A FEW MINUTES, AND SOMTIMES FOR HOURS. ON ONE TRIP I HAD NO SPEEDOMETER FOR 4 HOURS. I BELIEVE THAT FHE FAILURE OF THE SPEEDOMETER IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS INFORMED BY AN EMPLOYEE OF THE LOCAL GENERAL MOTORS DEALER THAT FAILURE OF DIGITAL DASHOARDS IN GM CARS HAPPENS OFTEN AND IS EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. I WAS GIVEN A FIGURE OF APPROXIMATELY $650.00 TO REPAIR MY DASHBOARD, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THAT IT BE SENT TO THE FACTORY AND FHAT I WOULD NOT HAVE THE USE OF MY CAR FOR 2 TO 6 WEEKS. SINCE THE SPEEDOMETER IS A COMPONENT OF THE DIGITAL DASHBOARD, AND CERTAINLY RELATED TO VEHICLE SAFETY, I BELIEVE THAT GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS COST. IF NOT REQUIRED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FULL COST, GM SHOULD AT LEAST BE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COST OF THIS REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ID
707904
Incident
Jul 10, 1997

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.

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