IllustrationBOTH FRONTAL UPPER BALL JOINTS AR MOLDING OUT, AND CAUSING WHEELS TO RUB WHILE DRIVING;. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass
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 Cutlass 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: 4 of 136 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 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports7 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
136 reportsTIE ROD END IS POPPING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
REAR LEAF SPRING MAKING A SQUEAKING NOISE WHILE TRAVELING DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
REAR BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE;. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
BRAKES NOT WORKING PROPERLY, HAD TO APPLY BRAKES HARD TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP, AND MADE A POPPING SOUND WHEN THIS OCCUR. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
EARLIER MODEL YEARS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME REASON, SO I CHECKED MY CAR AND FOUND THAT ONE CRADLE RETAINER WAS MISSING ALTOGETHER AND OTHERS ARE SEVERLY RUSTED.*AK
WE WERE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY ON SATURDAY, JULY 21ST. WHEN I BRAKED TO SHIFT TO DRIVE THE CAR MADE A THUNK AND JUMPED. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND I HAD NO STEERING. MY WIFE AND I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LOOKED TO SEE THE ENGINE AND SURROUNDING COMPONENTS TILTED BACK TO THE GROUND. APPARENTLY, THE REAR ENGINE MOUNT…
Read full complaint
WE WERE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY ON SATURDAY, JULY 21ST. WHEN I BRAKED TO SHIFT TO DRIVE THE CAR MADE A THUNK AND JUMPED. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND I HAD NO STEERING. MY WIFE AND I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND LOOKED TO SEE THE ENGINE AND SURROUNDING COMPONENTS TILTED BACK TO THE GROUND. APPARENTLY, THE REAR ENGINE MOUNTS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE COMPONENTS TO FALL. WE CALLED A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TO TOW THE CAR AND THE OWNER SAID THAT HE MAY HAVE REMEMBERED SEEING A RECALL ON THESE CARS AND THAT HE WOULD CHECK ON MONDAY. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON SOME FORDS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. ONE ON THE NEIGHBORS MENTIONED SEEING A SPECIIAL ON 60 MINUTES REGARDING THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR. TODAY THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP CALLED AND SAID THAT HE CALLED GM AND THERE WAS NOT A RECALL FOR OUR CAR FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR. I DRIVE THIS CAR ON A BUSY HIGHWAY BACK AND FORTH TO TO WORK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD IT HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE DRIVING HOME AT 65 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. A NINE YEAR OLD CAR SHOULD NOT LOSE IT ENGINE AND STEERING. I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH OTHER YEARS AND MAKES (I.E. PONTIIAC GRAND PRIX) WHY THEY WOULD NOT RECALL ALL AS THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.*AK
ENGINE CRADLE FRAME IS CRACKED WHERE IT BOLTS TO BODY, ON PASSENGER'S SIDE.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING 10-15 MPH AND AFTER COMING TO A STOP VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL. SOON AFTER VEHICLE RESTARTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TURNING A CORNER WHEN SMOKE CAME FROM STEERING COLUMN AND DIRECTIONAL LIGHT FAILED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Official recalls
395V173000 · 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.
92V066000 · Electrical System:wiring
May 11, 1992
THE OPTIONAL REMOTE ENTRY MODULE MAY HAVE A FAULT WHICH CAUSES RANDOM ACTUATION OF INTERIOR LAMPS, DOOR LOCKS, AND/OR TAILGATE RELEASE. THIS ACTUATION MAY OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN USE OR UNATTENDED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE TAILGATE RELEASE ACTUATES, THE TAILGATE WILL OPEN.UNRESTRAINED PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT AREA COULD FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLEWHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, AND RECEIVE SERIOUS INJURIES.
Remedy: REPLACE THE REMOTE ENTRY MODULE WITH A NEWLY REVISED MODULE TO PREVENT RANDOM ACTUATION.
91V214000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Dec 6, 1991
THE REVERSE SERVO APPLY PIN MAY BIND IN THE CASE WHICH COULD CAUSE REVERSE BAND DISTRESS (LOSS OR SLIPPING OF REVERSE), REVERSE BAND DRAG IN DRIVE RANGE (POOR PERFORMANCE -- POOR POWER), OR THE TRANSMISSION TO REMAIN IN REVERSE WHILE THE SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS NEUTRAL GEAR POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE TRANSMISSION REMAINS IN REVERSE WHILE THE SHIFTINDICATOR SHOWS NEUTRAL, THE VEHICLE MAY UNEXPECTEDLY MOVE REARWARD AND RESULTIN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE TRANSAXLE WHERE REQUIRED.
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
2PE94063 · 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