IllustrationREAR DISC BRAKES KEEP RUSTING UP AND FAILING. VEHICLE ENDS UP USING FRONT BRAKES, CAUSING PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FRONT BRAKES. *AK
1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 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: 2 of 38 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 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 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 reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
38 reportsMY DASHBOARD WOULD COME ON FOR A WHILE THEN WHILE DRIVING WILL GO OFF SO I CAN'T SEE HOW FAST I'M GOING OR HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE
FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE, CAUSING THE ENGINE/ TRANSMISSION, AND RACK AND PINION TO DROP. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
THE CAR WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN MY WIFE'S NAME (JUDY LYNN MELIN NOW JUDY LYNN WALDREP). THE MILEAGE LISTED IS APPROXIMATE (CAR IS SITTING AT DEALER). WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE REAR CRADLE MOUNT DROPPED AND SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. OTHER CARS WERE SWERVING ALL AROUND HER TO AVOI…
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THE CAR WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN MY WIFE'S NAME (JUDY LYNN MELIN NOW JUDY LYNN WALDREP). THE MILEAGE LISTED IS APPROXIMATE (CAR IS SITTING AT DEALER). WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE REAR CRADLE MOUNT DROPPED AND SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. OTHER CARS WERE SWERVING ALL AROUND HER TO AVOID HER. THROUGH SOME MIRACLE, SHE DID NOT STRIKE ANOTHER CAR OR ANY OBJECT; THE CAR ROLLED TO SAFETY, BUT MY WIFE WAS VERY SHAKEN. WE FOUND OUT THAT FOR THIS VERY TYPE OF CAR, IN OTHER STATES, GM/OLDSMOBILE DID A RECALL (97016) IN SEVERAL STATES, BUT NOT OURS (MINNESOTA). WE HAVE HEARD LOCAL MEDIA REPORTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING IN MN, AND THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IS INVOLVED. WE HAVE CALLED OLDSMOBILE AND SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER. NEITHER, AT THIS POINT, ARE WILLING TO HELP US. WE JUST WANT TO RECOUP OUR LOSSES. WE BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY FOR ALL REPAIRS AND ALL OUR OUT OF POCKET EXPENDITURES; THEY ARE FORTUNATE THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES OR THEY WOULD HAVE A LARGE LAWSUIT ON THEIR HANDS! PLEASE HELP! *AK
THE ENGINE BEGAN LEAKING OIL AND IS CONTINUING TO DO SO. IT WON'T LEAK WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, BUT WILL ONCE THE CAR IS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. IT IS QUITE A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL. THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL ALSO MALFUNCTIONS AS THE ODOMETER HARDLY EVER WORKS AND WHEN IT DOES, IT FLICKERS. THE INSTRUMEN…
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THE ENGINE BEGAN LEAKING OIL AND IS CONTINUING TO DO SO. IT WON'T LEAK WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, BUT WILL ONCE THE CAR IS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. IT IS QUITE A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL. THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL ALSO MALFUNCTIONS AS THE ODOMETER HARDLY EVER WORKS AND WHEN IT DOES, IT FLICKERS. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL OCCASIONLY GO BLANK GIVING NO INFORMATION AT ALL AND WILL SOMETIMES RESUME WHEN THE DISPLAY IS TAPPED.
POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW MAY HAVE CAUSED VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE BRAKE FAILURE DURING RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN COLLISION. HOWEVER OCCASIONALLY THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, ABS FAILURE. *YC
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 18-20 MPH ON THE OFF RAMP. WHILE MERGING INTO HIGHWAY A NOISE CAME FROM DASH AREA, AND DASH FLICKERED AND WENT OUT ELECTRICALLY. THE NOISE AND FLICKER COINCIDED WITH LOSS OF BRAKES, UP TO APPROXIMATELY 15 SECONDS. THEN VEHICLE HYDROPLAINED AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE.*AK
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE COMPLETELY FAILED. THIS COULD POSE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZAED. *AK
THE TRANMISSION HAS A PROBLEM WITH UP-SHIFT IN MODERATE ACCELERATION. HAVE TO FULLY DECELERATE FOR THE UP-SHIFT TO TAKR PLACE ASK DEALERS EOR SOLUTION NO RESPONDS
DRIVER'S SHOULDER AND LAP SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. HAS NOTIFIED THE DEALER. *AK
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
5RP01001 · 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
EA91049 · Jack Failure
Opened Nov 26, 1991 · Closed Oct 28, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
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PE91107 · Jack Failure
Opened Aug 1, 1991 · Closed Nov 26, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
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