1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Electrical Problems

MY DIG. DASH WORK HALF THE TIME AND NOT THE REST. I CAN NOT SEE MY SPEED, GAS OR MILEAGE. ALSO EVERY NOW AND THEN SMOKE COME OUT FROM MY STEERING COLUMN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10062756

Incident

Oct 7, 2000

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM RACINE, WE CROSSED THE RR TRACKS IN STURTEVANT AND THE CUTLASS JUST DIED. WE HAD LIGHTS BUT NO IGNITION. WE SUMMONED POLICE TO CALL A TOWTRUCK TO TOW IT TO FRANK GENTILE OLDSMOBILE. AFTER THREE DAYS THEY CALLED TO TELL US THE DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR $84 WHICH DETERMINED MY STARTER SHORTED OUT AND BLEW A 60 AMP FUSE; I QUESTIONED WHY THE STARTER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT SINCE THE CAR WAS MOVING, BUT THEY ASSURED ME IT WAS THE STARTER THAT SHORTED THEREFORE BLOWING THE 60 AMP FUSE THAT SHUT DOWN THE IGNITION! THAT COST ME $401. THEN ON JUNE 19, 2001 COMING HOME FROM RACINE GOING OVER THE SAME RR TRACKS IN STURTEVANT ; THE CUTLASS DID THE SAME THING; LOST IGNITION AND DIED. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO FRANK GENTILE AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY HAD IT FOR A WEEK. THEN THY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT UPON FURTHER TESTING IT SHOWED MY WIRES WERE FRIED ALONG WITH THE SWITCHES IN MY STEERING COLUMN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE 60 AMP FUSE THAT BLEW AGAIN! THIS TIME I WAS GETTING A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS BECAUSE OF THEM TELLING ME IT WAS THE STARTER THE FIRST TIME. SO I TOLD THEM TO DO THE REPAIRS BUT GIVE ME THE ALLEGED DEFECTIVE PARTS. AFTER LOOKING AT THE WIRES AND SWITCHES THEY TOOK OUT , I QUESTIONED THEM THAT THE WIRES DIDN'T LOOK FRIED TO ME; THAN THEY CHANGED THEIR STORY AND SAID THERE WAS A SHORT IN THEM AND ASSURRED ME THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM; THAT COST ME $671.88. YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING THE CUTLASS INTO RACINE WE WENT OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE CUTLASS DIED AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME! SO WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO FRANK GENTILE AGAIN. THIS MORNING, 7/2/01 MY WIFE AND I WENT DOWN TO FRANK GENTILE AND COMPLAINED VIGIOROUSLY. WE TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZORD THAT THIS CAR KEEPS CUTTING OUT LIKE THAT; AND THEY OUGHT TO PUT SOMEONE ON THE PROBLEM THAT KNOWS HOW TO SOLVE ELECTRICAL SHORTS AND NOT KEEP SWAPPING PARTS AT MY EXPENSE THAT SOME BACKYARD MECHANIC MIGHT DO. THIS IS AN IGNITION ELECTRICAL FAILURE!*AK

NHTSA ID

747673

Incident

May 25, 2001

BATTERY HAD A SHORT WHEN WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WAS ADDED TO VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE HAD DEFECTIVE BRAKE SYSTEM REQUIRING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF ALL ROTORS, CALIPERS AND BRAKE PADS. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ID

886614

Incident

Apr 23, 2001

VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. STOPPED VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM REAR BACK TIRE AREA. VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER BEING TURNED OFF. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. WAS NOT TESTED OR PLACED ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. NOTHING WAS DONE. *AK

NHTSA ID

884875

Incident

Feb 26, 2001

WHILE DRIVING, A SNAPPING SOUND WAS HEARD, ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON, DRIVER PULLED OFF HIGHWAY, ALTERNATOR FROZE CAUSING A FIRE WHICH BROKE THE SEPENTINE BELT, ALTERNATOR REPLACED TWICE ON 8/15/00. *CJ

NHTSA ID

559355

Incident

Aug 29, 2000

CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS HIS RECALLED (00V-287) PONTIAC GRAND AM FOR THE STARTER WHICH RESULTED IN MANY OTHER ELECTRICAL REPAIRS (3 BATTERY, 6 ALTERNATORS AND A NEW STARTER), CONSUMER BELIEVES SAME RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THIS VEHICLE. NLM

NHTSA ID

558928

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE BEGAN TOWARDS THE REAR OF ENGINE. CAR WAS DAMAGED AROUND THE ENGINE AND UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED A CAUSE TO THE FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID

872176

Incident

Sep 29, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER PUT FIRE OUT. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE ALTERNATER. *AK

NHTSA ID

865557

Incident

Jul 18, 1998

SMOKE IS COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

863611

ON-GOING/INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH SMOKE COMING FROM HORE ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE INSPECTED BY DEALER AND BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS. BOTH INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY NEED TO DISASSEMBLE THE HORN TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

844243

Incident

Jun 15, 1996

WITHIN 95,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSON MALFUINCTIONED. DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR AND THE WIRING HARNESS. ALSO THE PRESSURE PLATE WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE. THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS CHANGED, BUT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

830405

ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN 4-5 YEARS, DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE MAKES ROARING NOISE AND STOPS RUNNING. *AK

NHTSA ID

826436

Incident

Aug 4, 1998

HAVE REPLACED COMPUTER IN VEHICLE 3 TIMES DUE TO POOR DESIGN. *AK

NHTSA ID

810927

Incident

Apr 15, 1994

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD MISS/JERK OR STOP, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WAS INFORMED PROBLEM WAS BATTERY/ALTERNATOR, HAD REPLACED BOTH, DEALER CANNOT REPAIR PROBLEMS AFTER BEING IN SHOP FOR SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, REPLACED TAIL LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL BULBS. *AK

NHTSA ID

806911

Incident

Dec 16, 1996

FAULTY COMPUTER CHIP.

NHTSA ID

504054

Incident

Apr 29, 1996

VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN W/CAUSE QUESTIONABLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID

977278

INTERMITTENT STALLING. *SKD

NHTSA ID

481282

Incident

Jan 30, 1995