1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Electrical Problems

DT: PROBLEM BEGAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. PROBLEM WAS NOTICED WHILE IN MOTION. IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN WHEN IT WAS HOT OUTSIDE. VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERHEATING. THEN, LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS WENT OUT AS WELL AS THE HORN. UPON INSPECTION BY THE MECHANIC, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A BAD SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN ,AND THE WIRES WERE FRAYED. VEHICLE IS NOW IN THE SHOP. OWNER CONTACTED GM, AND PROVIDED HER VIN, WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO RECALLS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10126258

Incident

Jun 8, 2005

Mileage

135,000 mi

OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME 1992 COMPUTER IN DASH MALFUNCTION. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE HOW FAST SHE WAS TRAVELING OR HOW MUCH GAS SHE HAD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10113445

Incident

Mar 1, 2005

MY CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING OR PRIOR OCCURANCE. WOULD NOT RE-START. AFTER 6-8 DANGEROUS MINUTES STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, THE CAR STARTED AND I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY IGNITION MODULE AND WAS REPAIRED. A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF A SUDDEN POWER FAILURE AND STALLED CAR IN THE MIDST OF FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC. WHILE I REALIZE THAT 12-YEAR-OLD PARTS WILL FAIL DUE TO AGE, I WONDER IF A BACK-UP POWER SOURCE COULD NOT BE MADE AVAILABLE AT LEAST TO BE ABLE TO BRING THE CAR SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. OR IS THE POSSIBILITY OF STALLING JUST A PRESUMED AND ACCEPTED HAZARD OF DRIVING? *AK

NHTSA ID

10080523

Incident

Jul 6, 2004

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE CONTROL PANEL FLASHES ON AND OFF AND THE BRIGHTNESS CHANGES WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THE DIMMER CONTROL HAS NO AFFECT AND THE PANEL FLASHES BRIGHTLY AT NIGHT. THE GAS TANK RELEASES FUMES WHEN IT'S FILLED AND A SUCTION PRESSURE BUILDS UP IN THE TANK, CAUSING AIR SQUEAKS AT THE GAS TANK CAP. THE RIMS LEAK AND THE TIRES (WHICH ARE BRAND NEW) HAVE TO BE FILLED CONSTANTLY. THE HEATER BARELY BLOWS HARD ENOUGH AND THE AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. AN AUTO MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HIS 92 CUTLASS SUPREME HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS. I DIDN'T MENTION THE CONTROL PANEL TO HIM AND HE ASKED IF MINE WAS MALFUNCTIONING LIKE HIS WAS. THE STEERING WHEEL IS OFF CENTER AS WELL, AND HAS TO BE TURNED TO THE LEFT EVEN ON A STRAIGHT ROAD TO KEEP THE TIRES STRAIGHT

NHTSA ID

10070116

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

STARTER AND ALTERNATOR GOING BAD AND JUST REPLACED BATTERY IM TRYING TO FIND IF STARTERS OR ALTERNATORS HAVE BEEN RECALLED ON AN 1992 OLDS. CUTLASS SUPREME SL. *CB

NHTSA ID

10053279

Incident

Jan 3, 2004

PROBLEMS WITH FENDER SCRATCHES ON BODY, DAMAGE AXLE BOOT, MOTOR DAMAGE, SPARK PLUGS, EXHAUST, ETC...*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE REPAIR SHOP DAMAGED THE VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THEIR CARE. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND THE BATTERY EXPLODED. *PH THE RPM'S ON THE VEHICLE RACED EXTREMELY HIGH, IT WAS DETERMINED THERE WAS A VACUUM LEAK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, ALSO THE OIL PAN GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH WERE CAUSED BY THE REPAIR SHOP AS WELL AS OTHER DAMAGES INCURRED BY THEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10042081

THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

8017499

Incident

Aug 23, 2002

SMOKE POURS OUT STEERING COLUMN EACH TIME VEHICLE IS STARTED UP. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED AFTER IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011389

Incident

Jun 5, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

754246

Incident

Jul 5, 2001

CONSUMER WAS TURNING A CORNER WHEN SMOKE CAME FROM STEERING COLUMN AND DIRECTIONAL LIGHT FAILED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

887156

VEHICLE WAS NOT IN A CRASH, IGNITION MODULE AND DISTRIBUTOR WIRES CAUGHT ON FIRE, CAUSE UNKNOWN

NHTSA ID

713366

Incident

Oct 11, 1999

WHILE DRIVING, OPERATOR NOTED ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASH FLASHED SIMULTANEOUSLY AND WENT OUT. OPERATOR IMMEDIATELY NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, STOPPED VEHICLE. OPENED HOOD. FLAMES WERE COMING FROM LEFT FRONT SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT, MIDWAY BETWEEN DASH & LEFT FRONT TIREWELL. FIRE MELTED WIRING, BATTERY, LIQUID CONTAINERS AND DAMAGED REMAINING COMPONENTS. NO PRIOR INDICATION NOR WARNING OF POTENTIAL PROBLEM OBSERVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

706523

Incident

May 10, 1999

REAR BRAKE CALIPERS REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION; ALSO REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS/ VALVE COVER GASKET/WATER PUMP/TORQUE CONVERTER/ALTERNATOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

806190

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. *AK

NHTSA ID

810412

ALTERNATOR FAILED TWICE.

NHTSA ID

602313

Incident

Sep 1, 1996

BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID

507597

Incident

Jun 24, 1996

BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID

505774

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

VEHICLE WILL STALL W/REPLACEMENTS ONLY TEMPORARILY RELEIVING FAILURE. ONCE STALLED, VEHICLE MUST SIT FOR AN HOUR OR MORE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID

977017

DISCONNECTING BATTERY RESULTS IN MEMORY ERASED FROM ECM AND IAC. THIS CONTRIBUTES TO ERRATIC PERFORMANCE AND REPEATED STALLING OF VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID

975380

QUESTION METHOD OF SERVICE FOR RECALL # 92V-066. TT THE DEALER DID NOT INSTALL LABEL THAT INDICATE RECALL REPAIR ON THE RADIATOR. *YH

NHTSA ID

974789

UNDER THE HOOD FIRE ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN FOR 2 MILES, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. TT

NHTSA ID

965959

Incident

May 21, 1995

BATTERY FAILURE DUE TO THE LACK OF VEHICLE USE CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DISCHARGE POWER. TT

NHTSA ID

965255

Incident

May 11, 1995