1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Brakes Problems

MY MAIN COMPLAINT RELATES TO THE DISC BRAKES, ROTORS, AND CALIPER ASSEMBLIES ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE SINCE 1996 AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND MORE RECENTLY THE CALIPERS DUE TO THEM FREEZING UP. SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED THE CAR I HAVE HAD AT LEAST TWO INSTANCES PROBABLY THREE WHERE I CHANGED MY BRAKE PADS PREMATURELY BECAUSE OF UNEVEN WEAR. THE CALIPER WAS NOT PROPERLY RELEASING AND IT WAS CAUSING ONE PAD USUALLY THE INSIDE PAD (THE ONE WITHOUT) THE METAL STRIP TO WEAR DOWN. IN THE FIRST TWO CASES I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS, AND THE FONT ROTORS. MORE RECENTLY IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN THE FRONT SO I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS PREMATURELY (ONLY A YEAR OR LESS SINCE MY LAST BRAKE PAD CHANGE). THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER I STARTED HEARING A THUMPING SOUND FROM THE BACK BRAKES WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND WHEN IT WAS IN FOR INSPECTION I WAS TOLD THAT THE BACK BRAKE ASSEMBLIES WERE STICKING AND THAT THE ROTORS WERE DAMAGED. I ENDED UP SPENDING OVER $800 TO REPLACE THE REAR CALIPERS, BRAKE PADS AND NEW ROTORS WHILE IN FOR INSPECTION. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS, AND TAKEN CARE OF IT FROM DAY ONE, BUT THE MOST DISAPPOINTING AND EXPENSIVE PART IS THE MALFUNCTIONING OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I DON'T THINK I AM ALONE, MY FATHER WHO ALSO OWNS AN OLDS CULTASS HAS HAD NOT AS MUCH, BUT SOME OF THE SAME EXPERIENCES WITH HIS BRAKES, CALIPERS AND ROTORS. I THINK THAT THERE IS AND HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THEM FROM DAY ONE - I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT EITHER WAY IT HAS CAUSED ME TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ($1500-$2000 OR MORE) OVER THE YEARS REPLACING THINGS THAT SHOULD WORK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114440

Incident

May 16, 2004

Mileage

119,000 mi

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE ABS SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED, FUSES ARE CONTINUOSLY BLOWING, SEVERAL ELECTRICAL WIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE SHIFT COLUMN, THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS CORRODED, THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES. ALSO THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT FLASHES INTERMITENTLY EVEN THOUGH THE RADIATOR AND TANK ARE FULL. HE ABS LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AND THE MECHANIC IS UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE. BRAKES ARE IN WORKING ORDER AND ALL SENSORS ARE GOOD. NOW I AM HAVING DIFFICULTY STARTING ON HOT DAYS, THE STARTER CLICKS BUT THE ENGINE WILL NOT START, AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT WILL THEN START( ABOUT 5 TRIES), AND TODAY I SEEM TO BE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHILE ENTERING AN INTERSECTION FROM A STOP SIGN I LOST POWER. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT A TOP OF 2RPM'S AND COULD NOT GET OVER 10 MILES PER HOUR. THE MECHANIC STILL NEED TO GIVE A DIAGNOSIS ON THIS LATEST PROBLEM BUT SIAD IT MAY BE A CIRCUIT PROBLEM SINCE TOUCHING THE UNDERHOOD DRIVER SIDE CIRCUIT BOX CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL AND RESTART.

NHTSA ID

764194

ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH REPLACING FRONT/REAR ROTORS AND CALIPERS DUE TO ROTORS WARPING WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK.*JB

NHTSA ID

8007025

Incident

Oct 5, 1999

LOW COOLANT INDICATOR, TUNE-UP BRAKES

NHTSA ID

9006512

PREMATURE REAR BRAKE FAILURE SEEMS COMMON FOR THIS AND THE COMPARABLE BODY STYLES OF GM. GM SERVICE MANAGERS SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. ACQUIRED CAR WITH 34K, FAILURE OCCURRED AT 60K AGAIN AT 100K AND AGAIN AT 120K. GM DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT IS NORMAL FOR THE PARTICULAR CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

755223

Incident

Nov 1, 1999

BRAKES LO TRAC LIGHT CAME ON, THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED AT LEAST 1/2 INCH, AND THE ANTILOCK BEGAN PULSATING. THE ROAD WAS DRY. THE CAR STOPPED NORMALLY WHENEVER THE ABS LIGHT WAS ON.

NHTSA ID

9002954

Incident

May 28, 2001

I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND AT PRESENT I HAVE 38,320 ORIGINAL MILES ON. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

745761

Incident

Apr 27, 2001

ORIGINAL TIRES ON 1995 OLDSMOBILE, CUTLASS, P18575R148964R360. THERE WAS VERY HARD VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING AND TIRES WERE STARTING TO WEAR OUT. *AK DOT # FOR FIRESTONE TIRES IS HYJ774A. THE CONSUMER ALSO HAD BRAKES REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE VIBRATION, HOWEVER AFTER REPLACEMENT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO VIBRATE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

874347

Incident

Jun 6, 1999

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

557001

REPORTING PROBLEM WITH FRONT ROTORS. CONSUMER NEEDS TO PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK ROTORS WERE CORRODED AND PITTED. BATTERY FAILED. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SETTLED CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT OVER BRAKES PROBLEMS. *YH

NHTSA ID

873937

Incident

Apr 27, 2000

THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED BRAKE PROBLEMS AND CONTINUED VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE ROTORS. *MJS

NHTSA ID

554736

Incident

Jun 13, 2000

I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO REPUTABLE REPAIR FACILITIES THAT THE ROTORS SHOW SIGNS OF DEFECTS, WITH METAL CHIPS INSIDE, AFFECTING MY BRAKING AND A DANGER TO MY SELF, ANY PASSENGERS AND ANY ONE ELSE ON THE ROAD! I WAS ALSO TOLD BY SOMEONE AT OLDS THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SUCH A PROBLEM ON MODEL YEARS 1994, 1996 & 1997, WHY NOT 1995??? I HAVE CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE AND THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH I KNEW AND SINCE JULY 17TH I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER WORD FROM THEM REGARDING THIS SAFETY ISSUE I BELIEVE THEY NEED TO FIX ASAP. *AK

NHTSA ID

730988

REAR BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO LACK OF ADJUSTERS,CAUSING MORE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE FRONT BRAKES AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

857866

FRONT BRAKES WERE WEARING ON THE ROTORS & PADS. WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. FIRST TIME HAPPEND ON 3/13/98/16,000MILES. 2ND TIME WAS GETTING A RAMBLING NOISE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ON 12/14/99/ 28,000 MILES., VEHICLE WAS IN DEALER'S FOR SERVICE & MECHANIC NOTICED PROBLEM WITH BRAKES ROTORS. MECHANIC RESURFACED ROTORS & CHANGED PADS FIRST TIME. 2ND TIME REPLACED THE PADS & ONE ROTOR & RESURFACED THE OTHER ROTORS. *AK

NHTSA ID

856973

Incident

Mar 13, 1998

VEHICLE STALLING CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL, STALLING CAUSED FROM RUSTED AND CORRODED IGNITION COIL WIRING. YH

NHTSA ID

549746

AS I REPORTED TO NHTSA ON 22 JAN.,'98, THE ABS IS DEFECTIVE AT SLOW VERY SLIPERY CONDITIONS. APPARENTLY THIS IS WELL RECOGNIZED AS THE NEW CADILLAC 2000 ADVERTISES A "NEW SIDE SLIP RATE CONTROL THAT APPLIES BOTH FRONT BRAKES TO SLOW THINGS DOWN" THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED MY ROLLING THRU AN INTERSECTION WITH BOTH THIS CAR AND A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH MY ABS EQUIPPED 1988 CADILLAC DEVILLE. BOTH OF THESE CARS AND ALL THE OTHER ABS EQUIPPED GM CARS ARE JUST WAITING FOR SLIPPERY ROAD ACCIDENTS DUE TO A TOTAL LACK OF ANY ABILITY TO STOP THESE CARS.LOTS OF BRAKE PEDAL JUST NO WHEEL BRAKING. THE NEW CADIILLAC ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM BUT I WANT MY CARS FIXED ALSO.

NHTSA ID

709609

Incident

Dec 12, 1997

BRAKES ARE UNRELIABLE. PADS HAVE REPLACED THREE TIMES AND REAR ROTORS TWICE. FRONT ROTORS WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED WITHIN 3000 MILES. SERVICE TECH INDICATES DESIGN PROBLEMS RELATED TO BRAKE SYSTEM. ALSO, TIMING BELT FAILURE UNUSUAL AT MILEAGE.MANUFACTURER CONTACTED, AND HELPED WITHOUT WARRANTY REPAIRS. ALSO, ALTERNATOR FAILURE UNUSUAL AT MILEAGE/REPAIR TIME TWICE USUAL DUE TO LOCATION OF ALTERNATOR AND DESIGN OF ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

703457

Incident

Dec 19, 1998

DISC BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS CONSTANTLY. THE BRAKE PADS RAN DOWN BEFORE 20,000 MILES IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS THE BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA ID

829716

Incident

Jul 18, 1998

FRONT/REAR ROTORS RUSTED AND FAILED.

NHTSA ID

536044

Incident

Jul 1, 1996

APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING FOR AN ABNORMALLY LONG TIME. THEPAVEMENT WAS VERY ICY.

NHTSA ID

530097

Incident

Dec 1, 1997

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED TWICE, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

523692

Incident

Jan 8, 1997

ANTI LOCK BRAKES POOR PERFORMANCE CAUSING JERKING AND HESITATION.

NHTSA ID

522396

Incident

Sep 25, 1996

WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY ONTO THE HIGHWAY, RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY THE ABS BRAKES LOCKED AND THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN AFTER GIVING THE AUTO SOME GAS, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. THERE WERE BOTH WARNING LIGHTS ON AT ONCE. *AK

NHTSA ID

815264

Incident

Aug 2, 1997

OWNER STATES THAT VEHICLE MANIFESTS EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR, MOSTLY WITH THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. ALSO, OWNER NOTES THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD SET OF ROTORS HE HAD REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

811866

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

511584

Incident

Sep 29, 1996