IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OVER 25 MPH AND STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS 5 TIMES WHERE DEALER HAD FOUND METAL CHAFING, AND THEY HAD TO ROTATE BRAKES. *AK *ML
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 reportsREAR GLASS TO HATCH BROKE TWICE DUE TO REAR HATCH STRUT APPLYING TOO MUCH PRESSURE TO GLASS.
FRONT BRAKE LININGS ON RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 11212 MILES.
THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 20MPH, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS GO OFF OCCASIONALLY.
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS BELIEVED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DRIVELINE SHAFT. THE VEHICLE VIBRATES TREMENDOUSLY AFTER APPROACHING 60 MPH AND OVER. THE STEERING WHEEL BOUNCES AND DASHBOARD RATTLES, CAUSING IT TO BE A DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHEN THE SUN STARTS TO GO DOWN IT IS HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE THERE WATER BUBBLES ARE ALL OVER THE WINDSHIELD INSIDE OF THE GLASS.
MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED. WILL DRIVING GASKET RAN HOT; THE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS SPEWING WATER AND THE GASKET HAD TO BE CHANGED.
RIGHT SIDE DOOR SEAL FAILS EACH TIME IT RAINS.
FUEL PUMP FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL SEVERAL TIMES.
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.