IllustrationDRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WENT TO TURN THE CORNER AT A GREEN LIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR. THE AIR BAGS LIGHT HAS BEEN STAYING ON SINCE 2009.
1996 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: 19 of 123 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 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 reports5 fire reports10 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
22 reportsFRONTAL AIRBAG RECALL-NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE/INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE MANUFACTURE.FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL FROM SEARCHING A WEBSITE.NO INCIDENT SO FAR!*AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE AIR BAGS, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE.*JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT WAS INVOLVED ON A FRONT COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG EXPLODED ON HER FACE CAUSING PHISICAL DAMAGE TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. MR
CONSUMER WAS A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE DURING AN ACCIDENT AND WAS INJURED BY THE AIRBAG.*JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, CONSUMER T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT AND HOLD CONSUMER IN PLACE LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE DONE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK.
VEHICLE BROUGHT INTO DEALER TO PERFORM RECALL CAMPAIGN 99021 SPARK PLUG WIRE FAILURE. HOWEVER, RECALL REPAIRS WERE NOT PERFORMED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. CONSUMER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *TT
AIRBAG LIGHTS BLINKS INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER WAS HIT FROM REAR BY A CAR TRAVELING 50 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVERS SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED AND CAME OFF THE TRACK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ET
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.