RoadVitals

1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Dec 1, 2012
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
18%
of 80 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

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 1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 1, 2012

THE THEFT LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR WON'T START AND IT'S A ON GOING PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10486661
Incident
Jan 25, 2011
Mileage
119,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 1, 2005

WATER LEVEL LIGHT CONTINUED TO COME ON EVERY FEW WEEKS - LEAKING HEAD GASKET. COOLANT CONTAMINATED THE OIL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10130749
Incident
May 1, 2005
Mileage
48,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 4, 2005

ENGINE OVERHEATING -- COOLANT LEAKING INTO ENGINE. INTAKE MAINFOLD GASKET SHOWED SIGNS OF FAILING AT AROUND 57,000 MILES FAILED COMPLETELY AT 59,000 MILES. DID SOME RESEARCH ON INTERNET AND FOUND DOZENS OF REPORTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE 3.1 LITER V-6 ENGINE IN THIS AND SIMILAR GM MODELS. CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS ABLE TO NEGOTIATE A 50/50 ON THE COST OF REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
10124171
Incident
May 21, 2005
Mileage
57,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 7, 2004

MY 1999 OLDS CUTLASS, HAD A LEAKING MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT IN THE LIBERTY TUNNEL IN PGH, DUE TO OVERHEATING. THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PULL OVER. SEVERAL MECHANICS TOLD ME THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS GM ENGINE, IT SHOULD BE UNDER RECALL. FORTUNATELY, I MANAGED TO GET OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND OVER THE BRIDGE BEFORE IT CAUGHT FIRE, SMOKE WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED AT MY OWN EXPENSE OF OVER $363. *JB

NHTSA ID
10060618
Incident
Nov 9, 2003
Mileage
45,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 25, 2004

1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS - 62,000 MILES - REPAIR - LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID
10058964
Incident
Feb 25, 2004
Mileage
62,380 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 22, 2003

COOLANT LEAK, OVERHEATED IN LIBERTY TUNNEL IN PGH,PA, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT IN TUNNEL. MECHANIC STATES THE PROBLEM IS THE MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET VERY COMMON TO GM VEHICLES. *LA

NHTSA ID
10047390
Incident
Oct 5, 2003
Mileage
56,000 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 4, 2003

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED A BURNING SMELL WITHIN THE CABIN. ALSO, THE COOLANT LIGHT FLASHED ON/OFF. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKING ON BOTH SIDES, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, PER DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ID
10046307
Mileage
73,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 21, 2003

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE REACHED HIGH TEMPERATURES DUE TO CRACKED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD . COOLANT WENT INSIDE THE ENGINE. DEALER STATED CONSUMER NEEDED TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND IT WOULD COST $700.00. *AK

NHTSA ID
10044408
Incident
Oct 21, 2003
Mileage
73,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 28, 2003

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR SERVICE AND THE MECHANIC STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10017674
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+5 more
Filed Apr 18, 2003

THE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: TRANSMISSION, WATER PUMP, ALTERNATOR, ENGINE FAN, SHOCKS, MOTOR MOUNTS HAD BROKEN, BRAKES, FOG LIGHT NEVER WORKED, CABLE AND HINGES ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDE SEATS WERE BREAKING, THE ARM REST WAS HOLLOW, THE VEHICLE CONTINUOSLY RAN HOT, EVEN AFTER THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED, WHICH WAS DUE TO THE ENGINE FAN NOT WORKING. MR SCC

NHTSA ID
10015673
Engine
Filed Oct 11, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THEY NOTICE FUEL SPOTS ON THEIR DRIVEWAY. CHECKED UNDER THE VEHICLE HOOD NOTICED HAD FUEL ALL OVER IT. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A BAD HEAD GASKET. MR

NHTSA ID
8020657
Incident
Feb 11, 2002
Engine
Filed Jun 27, 2002

LOWER INTAKE GASKET LEAKING COOLANT. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE GASKETS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF GM VEHICLES... THE GASKETS LEAKING THAT IS. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**763569

NHTSA ID
10006923
Mileage
89,900 mi
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance+2 more
Filed Mar 16, 2001

THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS ROUGH WHEN APPLYING AND THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR DROPPED OUT AT TIMES CAUSING THE ABS TO SEE 0 SPEED AND GO INTO ABS MODE WHEN NOT CALLED ON. NLM

NHTSA ID
560406
Incident
Nov 12, 1999
Engine
Filed Mar 8, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED AND DIED. DEALER IS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
858172
Incident
Feb 29, 2000

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Electrical18Brakes18Tires & wheels16Suspension11

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .