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1996 Oldsmobile Ciera

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
83Owner complaints

Model-year median: 15.5

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
46
199434
199583
1996
Compare all Ciera years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
21Engine And Engine Cooling
15Power Train
11Air Bags
8Electrical System
8
All reported categories
Structure
6Vehicle Speed Control
5Fuel System, Gasoline
4Suspension
4Visibility
3Exterior Lighting
2Equipment
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Parking Brake
1Seat Belts
1Seats
1Steering
1Unknown Or Other
1Wheels
1

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: 3 of 83 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 11 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 reports1 fire reports9 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

8 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 11, 2001
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH VEHICLE HYDROPLANED INTO A DITCH AND IMPACTED A TREE HEAD-ON. DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WAS SENDING AN INVESTIGATOR TO EXAMINE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR POOR PERFORMANCE OF AIR BAG. DRIVER EXPERIENCED LIGHT INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFOR…

Read full complaint

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH VEHICLE HYDROPLANED INTO A DITCH AND IMPACTED A TREE HEAD-ON. DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WAS SENDING AN INVESTIGATOR TO EXAMINE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR POOR PERFORMANCE OF AIR BAG. DRIVER EXPERIENCED LIGHT INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #887994

Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 1999
Air BagsCrashInjury

WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH WHEN VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SUDDENLY. HAD REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS INJURED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #834977

Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 1998
Air BagsCrash

THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 20MPH, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.

NHTSA ODI #831473

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 1997
Air Bags

UNSPECIFIED AIR BAG COMPLAINT, NOT PROPER FOR SIZE OF CONSUMER.

NHTSA ODI #526833

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 1997
Air BagsCrashInjury

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN FRONTAL ACCIDENT AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS. VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON FRONT RIGHT SIDE. SPEED IS UNCERTAIN AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. ALSO POSSIBLE STEERING LOCK UP IS IN QUESTION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #813863

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 1997
Air Bags

CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT AIRBAGS PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD FOR SHORT PEOPLE.

NHTSA ODI #515191

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 1997
Air BagsCrashInjury

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG IN A 25 MPH CRASH, RESULTING IN INJURIES. DUP OF 804572, ADDED ON 25-FEB-98. *AK

NHTSA ODI #515182

Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 1996
Air BagsSteeringCrash

WHEN AVOIDING AN UNCONTROLLED VEHICLE, OWNER ROLLED INTO A DRIVEWAY THAT HAD A SLOPE. DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND RAN INTO HOUSE, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED W/DOORS LOCKING AND FACIAL AND BODILY INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #804572

Official recalls

1

95V173000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

Sep 15, 1995

THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH REAR OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGES THAT MAY NOT WITHSTAND THE REQUIRED LOAD. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO.210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN A COLLISON, STRESS CAN CAUSE THE ATTACHMENT METAL TO TEAR AND ALLOW THE ANCHORAGE TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT PROTECT AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING ANCHOR BOLTS WITH A NEW SHOULDER BOLT AND THREAD LOCKING ADHESIVE. ADDITIONALLY, NOISE CONTROL PATCHES WILL BE APPLIED AT EACH ANCHORAGE.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.