IllustrationREAR BRAKE SYSTEM FALLS APART --NO BRAKE SHOES AT ALL IN REAR. GRINDING OF DRUMS AGAINST OTHER BRAKE PARTS. *AK
1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 40.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cutlass Supreme 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 22 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.
- Structure. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
22 reportsFRAME GOT CORRODED WHICH CAUSED FRONT END TO FALL WITH THE BUSHING, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE, BUT NOT WILLING TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NO SUMMARY
TIE RODS RUSTED OUT DUE TO ROAD SALT. *SLC
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS HANGING AND THE HINGES ARE RUSTED. THIS FAILURE WAS RECALLED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, BROUGHT IN TO DEALER, THEY CLAIMED DOOR ASSEMBLY WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. POWER WINDOW ON THIS DOOR HAS NOT WORKED SINCE PURCHASE. *AK *ML
BODY MOUNTS SNAPPED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *AK
THE STEERING WHEEL IS PULLING AWAY FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
THE FRONT ENGINE-CRADLE RETAINERS BROKE PERMITTING THE ENGINE TO FALL TO THE ROAD SURFACE AS I TURNED ONTO A HIGHWAY DISABLING ALL STEERING CONTROLL. I HAVE SINCE BEEN TOLD OF A RECALL ( THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED IN 1997 ) ON THE REAR RETAINERS OF THE ENGINE-CRADLE. I HAVEN'T CHECKED THE PART #S TO SEE IF THEY ARE THE SAME #S BUT THE…
Read full complaint
THE FRONT ENGINE-CRADLE RETAINERS BROKE PERMITTING THE ENGINE TO FALL TO THE ROAD SURFACE AS I TURNED ONTO A HIGHWAY DISABLING ALL STEERING CONTROLL. I HAVE SINCE BEEN TOLD OF A RECALL ( THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED IN 1997 ) ON THE REAR RETAINERS OF THE ENGINE-CRADLE. I HAVEN'T CHECKED THE PART #S TO SEE IF THEY ARE THE SAME #S BUT THE FUNCTIONS ARE THE SAME, TO HOLD THE SUB-FRAME TO THE BODY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OLDSMOBILE THAT DUE TO THE AGE ( 10 YEARS ) AND THE MILEAGE THAT THIS IS MY RESONSIBILITY TO REPAIR. MY QUESTIONS ARE WHY ARE THE REAR RETAINERS UNDER RECALL AND NOT THE FRONT RETAINERS SINCE THEY ARE SIMILAR IN FUNCTION AND DESIGN? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE WHEN THESE RETAINERS BREAK AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS? WHEN IS THE CAR TOO OLD FOR A RECALL WHEN IT'S STILL IN USE? I'VE HAD THIS CAR AT GOODYEAR AND FIRESTONE EACH THIS PAST YEAR FOR FRONT-END ALIGNMENT AND THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM.
WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL HALF OR A QUARTER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE STEERING. WHEN CONSUMER CAME OUT OF VEHICLE, SHE SAW THE SUSPENSION AND ENGINE ON THE GROUND. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS FREEZE AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES.
Official recalls
100V189000 · Structure
Jul 11, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHERE ROAD SALT USE IS HEAVY. A CONDITION WHERE ONE OR BOTH FRONT ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS CAN PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINERS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE FRONT OF THE CRADLE WOULD NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COULD SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR FRAME/CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
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
4RP01001 · Structure
Opened Nov 28, 2001 · Closed Jun 13, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
EA92024 · Sticking Throttle
Opened Jun 26, 1992 · Closed Jan 31, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
EA91055 · W-CAR Hinge Pin Failure
Opened Dec 5, 1991 · Closed Aug 17, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE91072 · Steering Wheel Separation
Opened May 1, 1991 · Closed Jul 8, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available