IllustrationVEHICLE HAS HAD A SLOW PICK UP. UPON USING CRUISE CONTROL VEHICLE HESITATED. ALSO, CONSUMER HEARD A TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD.*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
What owners actually said
87 reportsREAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, LUMBAR SUPPORT ADJUSTED 75-85% TO THE FRONT AND MY BACK GOT VERY STRONG STROKE OF LUMBAR SUPPORT, RESULTED IN HERNIATED DISK. POSSIBLE THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM.
DRIVING HOME APPROX 3:30 P.M. , CLEAR DAY, DRY PAVEMENT WHEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT REAGAN OLDS - OMAHA, NE. THEIR SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT FIND ANY REASON WHY THE BAGS DEPLOYED. CURRENTLY WAITING FOR INVESTIGATOR FROM GM TO PERFORM VEHICLE INSPECTION, AND ACCESS A COMPUTOR THE DEALER CAN…
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DRIVING HOME APPROX 3:30 P.M. , CLEAR DAY, DRY PAVEMENT WHEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT REAGAN OLDS - OMAHA, NE. THEIR SERVICE DEPT. COULD NOT FIND ANY REASON WHY THE BAGS DEPLOYED. CURRENTLY WAITING FOR INVESTIGATOR FROM GM TO PERFORM VEHICLE INSPECTION, AND ACCESS A COMPUTOR THE DEALER CAN'T TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHY. I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT, TO BE THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A ACCIDENT. I DON'T THINK I RAN OVER ANYTHING IN THE ROAD, UNLESS IT JUST FELL OFF THE CAR AHEAD OF ME.
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
BRAKES GRAB AT TIMES
NO SUMMARY
ENGINE WILL STALL OR QUIT WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEALER CANNOT DULPICATE DEFECT. *AK
DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO WATER BUILDING UP UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER'S SEAT, AND CAUSED DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING INJURIES. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS. *AK
HORN SOUNDED FOR 45" THEN BLEW FUSE AND 1-F-NOTE. REPLACED FUSE, F-NOTE AND BOTH REGULATORS ($125). 2 WEEKS LATER, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, HORN STARTED BLOWING UNTIL I PULLED OVER AND REMOVED FUSE. DEALERSHIP INDICATES WIRING PROBLEM. BRAKES BOUNCE AND CREATE LOUD THUMPING NOISE AT LOW SPEEDS, HAD BOTH ROTORS REPLACED AND REAR DRU…
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HORN SOUNDED FOR 45" THEN BLEW FUSE AND 1-F-NOTE. REPLACED FUSE, F-NOTE AND BOTH REGULATORS ($125). 2 WEEKS LATER, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, HORN STARTED BLOWING UNTIL I PULLED OVER AND REMOVED FUSE. DEALERSHIP INDICATES WIRING PROBLEM. BRAKES BOUNCE AND CREATE LOUD THUMPING NOISE AT LOW SPEEDS, HAD BOTH ROTORS REPLACED AND REAR DRUMS SCRAPED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS DAILY. *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.