1999 Oldsmobile Cutlass Suspension Problems

WHILE DRIVING MY FIANCES OLDSMOBILE, I NOTICED A BAD SHUDDER UNDER LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKING. UPON INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE FRONT LEFT CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED SO BADLY THAT IT HAD CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY HAD BEEN SO BADLY COMPROMISED I AM SURE THAT HAD I NEEDED TO BRAKE SUDDENLY THE CONTROL ARM WOULD HAVE FAILED CAUSING THE RIGHT WHEEL TO COME OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO FLEX PART OF THE CONTROL ARM BY HAND UPON REMOVAL FROM THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A VERY EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF DECAY ON SUCH A CRITICAL PART ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM WAS RUSTY, BUT IT SEEMED STRUCTURALLY SOUND. THIS LEADS ME TO SUSPECT THE LEFT ONE MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE AND THAT THERE COULD BE MORE DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARMS OUT THERE. I REPLACED THE CONTROL ARM BUT KEPT THE OLD ONE IN CASE GM OR THE NHTSA WISHES IT TO BE SHIPPED TO THEM FOR ANALYSIS. I ALSO HAVE DETAILED PICTURES OF THE PART TO PROVIDE UPON REQUEST. I LIVE IN MN WHICH IS A STATE WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED IN THE WINTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10609486

Incident

Jul 9, 2014

Mileage

69,600 mi

THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE BLOWING OUT THE TIRE. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING, AND IT WAS A GOOD THING I WAS ONLY GOING AROUND 25 MPH AND ON A SIDE STREET. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A MAIN ROAD THERE VERY WELL MAY HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES TO MYSELF, MY PASSENGERS, AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I AM NOT SURE AS TO HOW MANY RECENT REPORTS THERE HAVE BEEN MADE ON THIS ISSUE BUT I SEE THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS OF SPRINGS BREAKING ON 1999 CHEVY MALIBU'S IN THE PAST. AND I FEEL THIS IS AN UNCALLED FOR SAFETY DEFECT. WHILE MY CAR IS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS IT'S AN EXACT TWIN TO THE CHEVY MALIBU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10342120

Incident

Jul 3, 2010

Mileage

132,000 mi

ON APRIL 26,2005 WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD THE FRONT RIGHT SPRING BROKE AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK THE SPRING WAS REPLACED, FRONT END ALIGNED AND THE TIRE REPLACED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION HAD I BEEN DRIVING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE IS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS WITH APX. 42000 MILES. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING TO OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL AUTOMOBILE. THANK YOU, HAROLD OLIVER

NHTSA ID

10118742

Incident

Apr 26, 2005

Mileage

41,534 mi

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE I HEARD A SNAPPING NOISE AND FELT THE CAR BOUNCE. THINKING THAT IS WAS JUST THE ICE RIDGES IN THE DRIVE WAY I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE CAR. I DROVE ONLY A FEW BLOCKS WHEN I SMELT SOMETHING BURNING SO I RETURNED HOME AND PARKED THE CAR UNTIL MY HUSBAND RETURNED. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR MECHANIC WERE HE REPLACED THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND THE FRONT TIRE BECAUSE THE BROKEN COIL SPRING LEFT A DEEP GASH IN IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114460

Incident

Feb 5, 2005

Mileage

112,689 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH COIL SPRING BROKE. THIS RESULTED IN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE GOING UP INTO THE FENDER, AND THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKING UP. STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT, THEN, VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY NOTICED THAT THE RUST DEVELOPED ON THE EDGE OF THE COIL SPRING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10061098

Incident

Mar 1, 2004

Mileage

18,000 mi

HARNESS, WHEEL SPEED SENSOR JUMPER WIRING, REPLACED LEFT FRONT HUB AND SENSOR ASSEMBLY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10058970

Incident

Dec 1, 2003

Mileage

60,205 mi

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING FRONT COIL SPRING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SNAPPED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK WHEN THE FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED, IT CUT AND FLATTENED THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE TIRE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T HELP, ALL THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID WAS 3 YEARS/36,000 MILES NO CONCERN AT ALL. *PH

NHTSA ID

10033605

Incident

Aug 6, 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

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL MAKE A SCREECHING NOISE, WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. HAD VEHCILE SERVICED. UPPER STRUT MOUNTS WERE BAD. MR

NHTSA ID

8020655

Incident

Oct 7, 2002

WHENEVER APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATE, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS AND FRONT BRAKE LININGS, MACHINED THE ROTORS AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ROTORS ARE BEING REPLACED EVERY FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS. *SLC *CB

NHTSA ID

567320

Incident

Jun 16, 2000

EXTREME ROAD NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ID

720002