IllustrationMY DIG. DASH WORK HALF THE TIME AND NOT THE REST. I CAN NOT SEE MY SPEED, GAS OR MILEAGE. ALSO EVERY NOW AND THEN SMOKE COME OUT FROM MY STEERING COLUMN. *JB
1993 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: 5 of 139 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 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 14 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 reports6 fire reports6 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
21 reportsWHILE DRIVING HOME FROM RACINE, WE CROSSED THE RR TRACKS IN STURTEVANT AND THE CUTLASS JUST DIED. WE HAD LIGHTS BUT NO IGNITION. WE SUMMONED POLICE TO CALL A TOWTRUCK TO TOW IT TO FRANK GENTILE OLDSMOBILE. AFTER THREE DAYS THEY CALLED TO TELL US THE DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR $84 WHICH DETERMINED MY STARTER SHORTED OUT AND BLEW A…
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WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM RACINE, WE CROSSED THE RR TRACKS IN STURTEVANT AND THE CUTLASS JUST DIED. WE HAD LIGHTS BUT NO IGNITION. WE SUMMONED POLICE TO CALL A TOWTRUCK TO TOW IT TO FRANK GENTILE OLDSMOBILE. AFTER THREE DAYS THEY CALLED TO TELL US THE DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR $84 WHICH DETERMINED MY STARTER SHORTED OUT AND BLEW A 60 AMP FUSE; I QUESTIONED WHY THE STARTER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT SINCE THE CAR WAS MOVING, BUT THEY ASSURED ME IT WAS THE STARTER THAT SHORTED THEREFORE BLOWING THE 60 AMP FUSE THAT SHUT DOWN THE IGNITION! THAT COST ME $401. THEN ON JUNE 19, 2001 COMING HOME FROM RACINE GOING OVER THE SAME RR TRACKS IN STURTEVANT ; THE CUTLASS DID THE SAME THING; LOST IGNITION AND DIED. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO FRANK GENTILE AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY HAD IT FOR A WEEK. THEN THY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT UPON FURTHER TESTING IT SHOWED MY WIRES WERE FRIED ALONG WITH THE SWITCHES IN MY STEERING COLUMN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE 60 AMP FUSE THAT BLEW AGAIN! THIS TIME I WAS GETTING A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS BECAUSE OF THEM TELLING ME IT WAS THE STARTER THE FIRST TIME. SO I TOLD THEM TO DO THE REPAIRS BUT GIVE ME THE ALLEGED DEFECTIVE PARTS. AFTER LOOKING AT THE WIRES AND SWITCHES THEY TOOK OUT , I QUESTIONED THEM THAT THE WIRES DIDN'T LOOK FRIED TO ME; THAN THEY CHANGED THEIR STORY AND SAID THERE WAS A SHORT IN THEM AND ASSURRED ME THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM; THAT COST ME $671.88. YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING THE CUTLASS INTO RACINE WE WENT OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE CUTLASS DIED AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME! SO WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO FRANK GENTILE AGAIN. THIS MORNING, 7/2/01 MY WIFE AND I WENT DOWN TO FRANK GENTILE AND COMPLAINED VIGIOROUSLY. WE TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZORD THAT THIS CAR KEEPS CUTTING OUT LIKE THAT; AND THEY OUGHT TO PUT SOMEONE ON THE PROBLEM THAT KNOWS HOW TO SOLVE ELECTRICAL SHORTS AND NOT KEEP SWAPPING PARTS AT MY EXPENSE THAT SOME BACKYARD MECHANIC MIGHT DO. THIS IS AN IGNITION ELECTRICAL FAILURE!*AK
BATTERY HAD A SHORT WHEN WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WAS ADDED TO VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE HAD DEFECTIVE BRAKE SYSTEM REQUIRING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF ALL ROTORS, CALIPERS AND BRAKE PADS. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED. *YH
VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. STOPPED VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM REAR BACK TIRE AREA. VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER BEING TURNED OFF. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. WAS NOT TESTED OR PLACED ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. NOTHING WAS DONE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, A SNAPPING SOUND WAS HEARD, ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON, DRIVER PULLED OFF HIGHWAY, ALTERNATOR FROZE CAUSING A FIRE WHICH BROKE THE SEPENTINE BELT, ALTERNATOR REPLACED TWICE ON 8/15/00. *CJ
CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS HIS RECALLED (00V-287) PONTIAC GRAND AM FOR THE STARTER WHICH RESULTED IN MANY OTHER ELECTRICAL REPAIRS (3 BATTERY, 6 ALTERNATORS AND A NEW STARTER), CONSUMER BELIEVES SAME RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THIS VEHICLE. NLM
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE BEGAN TOWARDS THE REAR OF ENGINE. CAR WAS DAMAGED AROUND THE ENGINE AND UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED A CAUSE TO THE FIRE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER PUT FIRE OUT. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE ALTERNATER. *AK
SMOKE IS COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
AFTER DRIVING FOR A HALF AN HOUR, VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 25 MINUTES. SUDDENLY HORN BEGAN TO SOUND. WHEN CONSUMER WENT OUT TO SEE THE PROBLEM, NOTICED SMOKE AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, NEAR THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD. THE SMOKE WAS DARK BLACK. FLAMES THEN ROSE INTO THE TOP OF THE INTERIOR. FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY CONSUMER AFT…
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AFTER DRIVING FOR A HALF AN HOUR, VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 25 MINUTES. SUDDENLY HORN BEGAN TO SOUND. WHEN CONSUMER WENT OUT TO SEE THE PROBLEM, NOTICED SMOKE AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, NEAR THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD. THE SMOKE WAS DARK BLACK. FLAMES THEN ROSE INTO THE TOP OF THE INTERIOR. FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY CONSUMER AFTER DISCONNECTING THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY INSURANCE. *AK
Official recalls
495V173000 · 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.
94V211000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Oct 26, 1994
THE BRAKE LINES CAN CONTACT THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTING BRACKET OF THE FRAME SIDE RAIL. THE LINES CAN WEAR THROUGH RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID, AND EVENTUAL LOSS OF HALF THE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A LEAK IN THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE WILL CAUSE A LOSS OF ONE HALF THE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM AND EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER BRAKE LINE CLEARANCE AND REPOSITION THE BRAKE LINES. BRAKE LINES FOUND TO HAVE INDENTATIONS WILL BE REPLACED.
93V121000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Jul 21, 1993
THE BRAKE HOSES WERE MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY, AND DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 106, "BRAKE HOSES."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED BRAKE HOSES CAN CAUSEREDUCED BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS AND/OR UNEVEN BRAKING, WHICH COULD RESULT IN ANACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE HOSE ASSEMBLY ON CIERA AND CENTURY MODELS, AND BOTH REAR BRAKE HOSES ON CAVALIER AND SUNBIRD MODELS.
93V035000 · Seats
Mar 9, 1993
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SEAT MANUAL RECLINING MECHANISMS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS." THE SEAT BACK MECHANISMS WILL NOT LATCH UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SEATS MAY RECLINE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, RESULTINGIN A HAZARD TO SEAT OCCUPANTS AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: REPLACE THE MANUAL SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM WITH A MECHANISM THAT COMPLIES WITH FMVSS 207.
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
1PE94063 · 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