IllustrationTHE OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Ciera 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: 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
What owners actually said
83 reportsVEHICLE SKIDS IF APPLYING BRAKES ON LEAST AMOUNT OF ICE OR SLUSH. LOW TRACTION LIGHTS COMES ON, AND ABS LOCKS UP. *AK CONSUMER SAYS ABS IS NOT USEFUL IN WINTER DRIVING. *YH
DRIVERS SEAT IS SEPARATING FROM ANCHOR. *AK ANCHOR WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO FLOOR BOARD. *YH
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF AND COME TO A DEAD STOP. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER HAS REPLACED SOME WIRING. REPAIRS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK *ML
OCT 99 WHILE DRIVING HEARD A NOISE $ VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD.CONTACTED DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC TO BRING VEHICLE IN . HAD VEHICLE TOWED. TRANSMISSION'S REVERSE WENT OUT. TRANSMISSION REPAIR WAS $2,200 . THIS CAR IS UNSAFE PLEASE RECALL IT. PLEASE SEND REBATE TO HELP REPAIR OR GET NEW VEHI…
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OCT 99 WHILE DRIVING HEARD A NOISE $ VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD.CONTACTED DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC TO BRING VEHICLE IN . HAD VEHICLE TOWED. TRANSMISSION'S REVERSE WENT OUT. TRANSMISSION REPAIR WAS $2,200 . THIS CAR IS UNSAFE PLEASE RECALL IT. PLEASE SEND REBATE TO HELP REPAIR OR GET NEW VEHICLE. THANKS. *AK
SEVERAL COMPONENTS HAVE PREMATURELY DETERIORATED CALLING INTO QUESTION SAFETY OF OTHER RELATED COMPONENTS. THE CAR IS 3 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS OLD, BUT HAS LESS THAN 29,000 MILES. THE PROBLEMS ALL SEEM TO DEAL WITH RUBBER (OR SIMILAR MATERIAL) COMPONENTS. THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING. THE LEFT SIDE AXLE SEAL AND COVER O…
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SEVERAL COMPONENTS HAVE PREMATURELY DETERIORATED CALLING INTO QUESTION SAFETY OF OTHER RELATED COMPONENTS. THE CAR IS 3 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS OLD, BUT HAS LESS THAN 29,000 MILES. THE PROBLEMS ALL SEEM TO DEAL WITH RUBBER (OR SIMILAR MATERIAL) COMPONENTS. THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING. THE LEFT SIDE AXLE SEAL AND COVER ON THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS ALREADY CRACKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. (THE SERPENTINE BELT IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION, IF SO DESIRED). *AK
#6 CYLINDER FAILED RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. DEALER WANTS TO REBUILD OR REPLACE WITH A NEW ENGINE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEM SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPEND AT 44K MILES. NLM
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT DUE TO A HARDENED STOVE PIPE GM# 24202422. THE PART BECAME DEFECTIVE (EATEN UP). TRANSMISSION SHOP STATED THAT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE WORN OUT SO FAST. *AK *ML
BRAKE FLUID LEAKED FROM CYLINDERS, WHICH RESULTED IN NO BRAKING ABILITY, AND ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH., REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS LEAK LEADING TO TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE, VERY UNPREDICTABLE BRAKING. AK *ML
PARKING BRAKE RELEASE CABLE BROKE, RESULTING IN THE PARKING BRAKE STICKING. YH
Official recalls
195V173000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.