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1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 8 of 193 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 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 26 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 reports7 fire reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

193 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 1, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #738593

Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2000
Seat Belts

BOTH FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SHOULDER BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT. REAR PASSENGER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED TO COME OUT OF A RETRACTED POSITION. ALL THESE BELTS ARE UNUSABLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #736365

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JUST STOPPED, AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. AS SOON AS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN OUT OF DRIVE AND PUT INTO PARK, IT WOULD START AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE JUNE OF THIS YEAR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUISNG THIS PROBLEM. *AK CLEANING THE FUEL SYSTEM AND REPLACING SPARK PLUGS DID …

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JUST STOPPED, AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. AS SOON AS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN OUT OF DRIVE AND PUT INTO PARK, IT WOULD START AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE JUNE OF THIS YEAR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUISNG THIS PROBLEM. *AK CLEANING THE FUEL SYSTEM AND REPLACING SPARK PLUGS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.. *YH

NHTSA ODI #874708

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING STALLING, NEW PLUGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE FUEL SYSTEM HAS BEEN CLEANED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #557011

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2000
Structure

ENGINE CRADLE DROPPED BECAUSE BOLTS RUSTED AND SEPARATED FROM CRADLE. DEALER REPLACED BOLTS AND ENGINE CRADLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #872957

Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2000
Electrical System

ELECTRONIC DASHBOARD FLICKERS OFF FOR MINUTES AT A TIME. THIS AFFECTS THE DISPLAY OF THE SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE AND MILEAGE. SMOKE COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN 2 YEARS AGO, AND I HAD THE SIGNALS AND HIGH BEAM SWITCH REPAIRED ALREADY.

NHTSA ODI #733902

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER OWNS A 1991, 1994, AND 1996 CUTLASS SUPREME, ALL OF WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEMS, BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, CALIPERS LOADED, AND BEARINGS WERE PACKED, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #555697

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

POSSIBLE DESIGN PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS BRAKE REPAIRS AND EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE COMPONENTS. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #554675

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2000
Steering

WHENEVER KEY WAS REMOVED FROM IGNITION SWITCH, STEERING WHEEL WOULD FAIL TO LOCK UP. ALSO, ALARM SYSTEM WOULD START TO SOUND OFF. WOULD HAVE TO TURN OFF ALARM & THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UP AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #869895

Mileage unknown · Aug 22, 2000
Unknown Or Other

POTENTIAL CRADLE BOLT CORROSION PROBLEM! NO HELP FROM GM! HELP. THIS IS A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IN STATES THAT USE ROAD SALT. THERE HAS BEEN AN OFFICIAL RECALL, BUT MINNESOTA WAS NOT INCLUDED. WHEN WILL MN BE ADDED TO RECALL? THERE ARE DOCUMENTED CASES OF MN DRIVERS LOSING CONTOL OF THE STEERING.

NHTSA ODI #728701

Official recalls

6

00V189000 · 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.

97V058000 · Structure

Apr 8, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE REAR CRADLE WOULD NOT LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THESE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.

95V173000 · 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.

92V124000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner

Sep 1, 1992

THE POWER SEAT OR RECLINER WIRING HARNESS CAN BE PINCHED OR CAN CHAFE ON THE SEAT FRAME OR SPRING SUPPORT ROD, WEARING THROUGH THE WIRE INSULATION AND CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE HIGH CURRENT CAUSED BY THE ELECTRICAL SHORT WELDS THECIRCUIT BREAKER ELEMENTS TOGETHER IN THE CLOSED POSITION, LEAVING THE CIRCUITUNPROTECTED AND GENERATING SUFFICIENT HEAT TO BURN THE WIRE INSULATION ANDIGNITE THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL.

Remedy: REPAIR ANY ABRADED WIRING AND REROUTE THE WIRING HARNESS USING A WIRING HARNESS CLIP.

92V043000 · Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls

Apr 1, 1992

MOISTURE CAN ENTER THE EXPRESS-DOWN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT CAUSES WINDOW OPERATION WITHOUT OPERATOR CONTROL, AND LEAVES THE WINDOW IN THE DOWN POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WILL FAIL FROM OVERHEATINGAND COULD RESULT IN A FIRE HAZARD INSIDE THE DOOR PANEL.

Remedy: REPLACE THE WINDOW EXPRESS-DOWN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE.

92V003000 · Seat Belts

Jan 10, 1992

THE FRONT DOOR SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOPS MAY BE CRACKED AND ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 208.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SEAT OCCUPANT FACES INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN THEEVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.

Remedy: INSTALL REINFORCING PLATES ON THE CRACKED SHOULDER BELT GUIDES.

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

8

RP01001 · Structure

Opened Nov 28, 2001 · Closed Jun 13, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

There is no summary currently available

EA00011 · Engine Cradle Separation

Opened Apr 10, 2000 · Closed Jan 12, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE CRADLE FRONT BOLTS AND/OR RETAINERS MAY FAIL, ALLOWING THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CRADLE TO FALL, POSSIBLY SEPARATING THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FROM THE STEERING GEAR, WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL

RQ97017 · Cradle Bolt Failures

Opened Oct 2, 1997 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Structure

There is no summary currently available

PE94063 · Corroded Rear Disk Brakes

Opened Aug 12, 1994 · Closed Dec 21, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

There is no summary currently available

PE94048 · SUB-FRAME Absorber Failure

Opened Jun 21, 1994 · Closed Dec 30, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

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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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