IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS WOULD CUT OFF WITH UT INDICATIONS. *AK
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 reportsTHE HORN ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE HORN TO BE INOPERATIVE.. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE CONTINUE TO HAVE ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS.
ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
UNEVEN WEAR/WARPING FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS.
ABS BRAKES APPLIED, A RUMBLING NOISE IS HEARD IN REAR BRAKES. FRONT BRAKES OKAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC CLEANED & REPLACED REAR DRUMS & SHOES. PADS WERE WORN IN FRONT & ALSO REPLACED. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN A VEHICLE COLLISION AND INJURIES.
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, CAUSING VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL.
WHILE DRIVING SAW WHITE SMOKE EMINATING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. DRIVER PULLED OFF ROAD AND PARKED. ALL PASSENGERS EXITED SAFELY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
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.