1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Engine Problems

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED TWICE. FIRST REPAIRED AT MONROE SERVICE ON 11-18-2005 AT 76655 MILES THE COST WAS $731.16. SECOND REPAIR WAS AT GOODYEAR GEMINI ON 12-21-2006 AT 82274MILES. THE COST WAS $642.40. BOTH FACILITIES WERE ASE CERTIFIED. I HAVE BEEN AN ASSISTANT STORE MANAGER IN THE PAST FOR BOTH PROCARE AND GOODYEAR, AND RARELY SAW A FAILURE OF AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, EXCEPT IN EARLY FORIEGN ENGINES WITH ALUMINUM BLOCKS OR ALUMINUM HEADS OR BOTH. I JUST HAD A FRONT BRAKE OVERHAUL AT MIDAS, AND THE TECH NICIAN ASKED IF I HAD HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEINTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH SET ME OFF ON THIS SEARCH. I TALKED TO THE MANAGERS AT BOTH MONROE AND GOODYEAR ,AND BOTH SAID THEY HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE GASKETS THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO REPAIR. DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT, AND SAW THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OUT OF CANADA WAS BEING FILED. I COULD PROVIDE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION OF BOTH REPAIRS. TALKED TO GM ABOUT IT, AND AS I EXPECTED, SAID THAT I DIDN'T BRING IT TO A GM FACILITY FOR REPAIR, AND THAT IT HAD EXCESSIVE MILEAGE. I DID NOT CONSIDER 76665 OR 82274 AS EXCESSIVE MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR OF THE CAR OR THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS DEFECT CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK OUT ONTO HOT EXTERIOR OF THE ENGINE? *AK

NHTSA ID

10187341

Incident

Nov 18, 2005

Mileage

82,274 mi

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET- 3100 V6 ENGINE ON GM PRODUCT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10154524

Incident

Mar 3, 2006

Mileage

129,000 mi

DT:THE CONTACT STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED OIL AND ANTIFREEZE DUE TO THE TYPE OF PLASTIC THAT WAS MANUFACTURED FOR THIS GASKET. THE GASKET HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ASSIST IN THE COST. *AK UPDATED 11/30/2005 - ALTHOUGH THE DEALER VERIFIED THE PROBLEM AS REQUESTED BY THE MANUFACTURER THEY REFUSED REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *NM

NHTSA ID

10142877

Incident

Sep 26, 2005

Mileage

41,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC, AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE CONTINUOUSLY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10115725

Incident

Feb 8, 2005

Mileage

59,850 mi

ENGINE OVERHEATED. CONSUMER MADE IT HOME, AND AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10103537

Incident

Oct 5, 2004

Mileage

101,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING THROUGH THE ENGINE. SUDDENLY, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED . VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT SERPENTINE BELT BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10059221

Incident

Feb 18, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

I HAVE A 97 AND 99 OLDSMOBILE CUTLAS WITH V6-191 3.1L VIN M SFI ENGINES. THEY BOTH LEAK COOLANT FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. I AM TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND IS CAUSED BY THE DEX COOL ANTI-FREEZE INSTALLED BY THE MFG. THE COST EST. FROM THE OLDS DEALER IS $850.00 TO REPLACE THE GASKET. THESE CARS EACH HAVE 50,000 MI. IF THIS IS IN FACT A COMMON PROBLEM I SHOULD GET SOME RELIEF FROM THE MANUFACTURE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047305

Incident

Jul 17, 2003

Mileage

52,400 mi

SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1997, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, ONCE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED, AN $800 REPAIR. THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED, A $400 REPAIR. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING HOME THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, I WAS WITHIN A MILE OF HOME, SO I JUST KEPT GOING. AS I WAS TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY, ALL OF THE CONTROLS ON THE DASHBOARD FAILED, SPEED LIMIT, GAS GAUGE, ETC. I ALSO APPARENTLY HAD NO LIGHTS BECAUSE THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST RAN INTO ME WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS DIDN'T WORK.*AK

NHTSA ID

10033265

Incident

Aug 21, 2003

Mileage

137,000 mi

ENGINE REAR NUT BOLTS BROKEN, ENGINE MOVES AT THE LEAST BUMP ON PAVEMENT. TICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT START RIGHT AWAY. COOLANT CONSTANT NEEDED. ENGINE LIGHT/OR BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON.*AK

NHTSA ID

749416

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

ABS LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY, BRAKING DISTANCE IS NORMAL. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 15-20 TIMES. REPLACED BRAKE PADS/ ALTERNATOR/ BATTERY/ WIRING HARNESS, AND PUT IN SENSOR. DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM, VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME. *AK SERPENTINE AND TENSIONER BELT BROKEN. SECURITY LIGHT BLINKS DUE TO BAD THEFT LOCK SENSOR ASSEMBLY . BLOWER SPEEDS INOPERATIVE. A/C CONTROL INOPERATIVE. LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE FALLS TO FLOOR. POWER WINDOW INOPERABLE DUE TO ELECTRICAL SWITCH FAILURE. *YH

NHTSA ID

890371

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

DEALER REPLACED LOWER INTAKE GASKET DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. *SLC

NHTSA ID

558247

Incident

Nov 22, 2000

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAS COME ON 4 TIMES, INDICATING SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 4 TIMES BECAUSE WATER BUILDS UP IN THE AIR PUMP. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE AIR PUMP/ INTAKE MANIFOLD AND CLEANED INJECTORS. STILL HAS PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID

836316

BRAKE ROTORS WORN OUT. YH

NHTSA ID

608563

Incident

Apr 17, 1997

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE SHUT DOWN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

826590

ENGINE STALLED ON FREEWAY.

NHTSA ID

518447

Incident

Feb 19, 1997