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 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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
THE INTAKE GASKET LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THESE 3.1 LITER ENGINES HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS. *AK *SC *JB
THERE IS A PISTON SLAP IN ENGINE WHICH MEANS THAT OIL DOES NOT REACH PISTONS WELL ENOUGH. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.*AK *YD
WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF POWER, DEALER STATED A ROD CAME THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK, UPON INSPECTION DEALER FOUND THE WRONG SIZE OIL DRAIN PLUG ON THE OIL PAN, CONSUMER STATES TWO COMPUTERS WERE PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED DUE TO VEHICLE EXPERIENCING POWER LOSS, FUEL FILTER WAS ALSO REPLACED IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *SLC
WHILE TRAVELING 55MPH ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CONSUMER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE ENGINE FAILURE. AFTER VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN OUT OF STATE REPAIR SHOP IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE HAD BLOWN UP. CONSUMER REPLACED ENTIRE ENGINE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. WHEN CONSUMER RETURNED HOME, DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTATCED, BUT REFUSED TO REIMBURSE FOR REPAIRS.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
ENGINE OIL BURNING
HEAD GASKET PREMATURELY FAILED AT ONLY 38,000 MILES, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ENGINE. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE WOULD LOSE ALL POWER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACD . RETURNED TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING COOLANT ONTO ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DUE TO TMING CHAIN FAILURE. THIS HAPPENS IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE FOLLOWING: 1. ENGINE STALLING INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED; 2. TURN SIGNAL INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY; 3. ELECTRIC WINDOW INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY; 4. ELECTRICAL SHOCK RECEIVED WHILE ENTERING / EXITING VEHICLE, AND 5. ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS ON BOTH INSIDE/OUTSIDE WOUD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO OPERATE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR REAR PASSENGER TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER /MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. SEEKING NHTSA HELP ON THESE MATTERS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE MUFFLER BROKE , HITTING THE GROUND AND THE PUSHED UP THE BACK OF THE BUMPER AND FENDER. THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
TIMING BELT CONTINUOUSLY FRAYS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE PULLEYS, CAUSING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
THE VEHICLE WAS GETTING SO HOT THAT IT MELTED PLASTIC AND RUBBER FITTINGS UNDER THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE SPRING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TO BREAK AND COME DOWN AND BEND THE SWAY BAR THAT SEPARATES THE REAR TIRES AND BURNT ALL THE WIRES UNDER THE CAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND UP THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE CAR DAMAGING THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND BURNING THE INTERIOR.
REAR WINDOW LEAKS.
DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FAILS TO GO UP PERIODICALLY.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AW
INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AW
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 .