IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AND UPON COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP LOWER BALL JOINT DISENGAGED AND TIRE CAME OFF. THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER ON PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED. *AK
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Oldsmobile Achieva do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 57.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Achieva years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 17 of 87 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports3 fire reports10 injury reports
Suspension complaints
9 reportsLOWER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH WHEELS BROKE OFF FROM BUSHING. MY MECHANIC SAID MY CAR WAS THE 15TH OLDSMOBILE THAT THIS HAPPEN TO. HE ALSO TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT CAUSE BY WEAR OR TEAR. THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT THAT OCCURS IN OLDSMOBILE HE ALSO SAID MILEAGE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS ., COSIDERING HE HAD TO REPLACE 15 OLDS WITH THE SAME…
Read full complaint
LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH WHEELS BROKE OFF FROM BUSHING. MY MECHANIC SAID MY CAR WAS THE 15TH OLDSMOBILE THAT THIS HAPPEN TO. HE ALSO TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT CAUSE BY WEAR OR TEAR. THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT THAT OCCURS IN OLDSMOBILE HE ALSO SAID MILEAGE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS ., COSIDERING HE HAD TO REPLACE 15 OLDS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD.. THIS COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON SOME HIGHWAY. IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN. MY DEALER TOLD ME BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE I HAVE. NO WAY ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC. IT IS A MAJOR DEFECT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE THE REPAIR BILL WAS $340.00 TO REPLACE BOTH CONTROL ARMS.I ALSO LIKE TO BE REIMPERSE. THANK YOU. *AK
LOWER CONTROL ARMS BROKE AT THE BUSHINGS, VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *AK *MJ
FRONT END WASN'T STABLE. ALSO, CAR HAD THREE SETS OF MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED WITHIN SIX MONTHS, AND MAIN COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
CONTROL ARMS, BUSHINGS AND LINKS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO BOTH FRONT TIRES WHICH CONTROLS THE TIRES BROKE BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE FRONT END SUSPENSION. YH
NO SUMMARY
FRONT SUSPENSION FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BOTTOM OUT AND HIT THE PAVEMENT.
INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON BY THEMSELVES AND STAY ON. IN ADDITION, KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION/ HORN NOT WORKING/ GAS GAUGE FAILURE/ VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD FROM STOP POSITION AND AIR CONDITIONING MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE FRONT STRUTS MAKE A NOISE. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
402V070000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
Mar 6, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 27, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
98V027000 · Interior Lighting
Feb 17, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR THE INTERIOR LAMPS TO COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE VEHICLES ARE BEING DRIVEN. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE INTERIOR LAMPS COMING ON UNEXPECTEDLY COULD STARTLE A DRIVER CAUSING A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RUN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE LAMP CONTROL MODULE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE IT.
96V250000 · Exterior Lighting:hazard Flashing Warning Lights
Dec 17, 1996
THE FRONT AND/OR REAR HAZARD WARNING LAMPS (FOUR-WAY FLASHERS) DO NOT FLASH WHEN THE HAZARD SWITCH IS ACTIVATED. THIS FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THESE LAMPS WERE NOT FLASHING, OTHER VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE AWARE THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS STOPPED INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS OR VEHICLE OWNERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER FUNCTION OF THE HAZARD WARNING LAMPS. IF NECESSARY, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HAZARD LAMP SWITCH.
96V211000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 28, 1996
DURING DEPLOYMENT OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG, THE AIR BAG FABRIC CAN SNAG ON A REINFORCEMENT INSIDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CAUSING THE EXPANDING AIR BAG TO LIFT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PAD AND THEN DEPLOY UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INSTEAD OF THROUGH THE DOOR IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN A CRASH, THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER COULD RECEIVE MORE SEVERE INJURIES IF HE OR SHE CONTACTS A BROKEN REINFORCEMENT OR IF THE SNAGGING AFFECTS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PADS AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL A PLASTIC EDGE PROTECTOR TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PAD REINFORCEMENT. ON CERTAIN EARLY-PRODUCTION VEHICLES, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PAD WILL BE REPLACED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.