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1996 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: 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

Electrical System complaints

15 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2000
Electrical SystemFire

WE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM SHORT SHOPPING TRIP, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, AND NOT MORE THAN 10 MINUTES LATER WE NOTICED THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS, PLUS DAMAGE WAS ALSO DONE TO OUR CARPORT AND THE BACKSIDE OF OUR OTHER CAR. THE FIREMEN, POLICE, AND INSURANCE COMPANY FELT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS MOST LIKELY AN ELECT…

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WE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM SHORT SHOPPING TRIP, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, AND NOT MORE THAN 10 MINUTES LATER WE NOTICED THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS, PLUS DAMAGE WAS ALSO DONE TO OUR CARPORT AND THE BACKSIDE OF OUR OTHER CAR. THE FIREMEN, POLICE, AND INSURANCE COMPANY FELT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS MOST LIKELY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, BUT THE DAMAGE WAS TOO SEVERE TO CONFIRM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #734513

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2000
Electrical SystemStructure

I PURCHASED THE CAR AT CONGRESSIONAL OLDSMOBILE, THEY COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AFTER 2 VISITS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, 2000. I TOOK THE CAR TO CONGRESSIONAL 2 TIMES, WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM FIRST. ON FEBRUARY I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH POHANKA DEALER, 4601 ST. BARNABAS ROAD, MARLOW HEIGHTS, MD 20748. THEY …

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I PURCHASED THE CAR AT CONGRESSIONAL OLDSMOBILE, THEY COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AFTER 2 VISITS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, 2000. I TOOK THE CAR TO CONGRESSIONAL 2 TIMES, WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM FIRST. ON FEBRUARY I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH POHANKA DEALER, 4601 ST. BARNABAS ROAD, MARLOW HEIGHTS, MD 20748. THEY PUT A DOOR ASSEMBLY IN MY CAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THIS DEALER 7 TIMES AND IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED PROPERLY YET. I HAVE CALL JIMMY HICKS TWICE, HE DOES NOT EVEN RETURN CALLS. THEY USUALLY KEEP MY FROM 1 TO 4 DAYS AND I GET IT BACK AND IT DOES THE SAME AS IT DID, WHEN I BROUGHT IN THE VERY 1ST TIME. THEY PUT PARTS IN THAT DON'T WORK LIKE A MODULE, DOOR HANDLE, TAKE THE DOOR ASSEMBLY OUT AND PUT IT BACK IN. MY DOOR GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD NOT OPEN IT FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE AFTER THE PUT THE DOOR ASSEMBLY IN. MY PROBLEM IS THE INTERIOR LIGHTS COME AT WILL, WHICH INCLUDES THE DOME LIGHT AND LIGHTS UNDER THE DASHBOARD. IF YOU GO OVER A BUMP THEY FLICKER ON AND OFF. I HAVE TO KEEP THE DOME BULB OUT OF THE CEILING AT ALL TIMES, OTHERWISE THE BATTERY WILL RUN DOWN. THE DOME LIGHT IT OUT AS I WRITE THIS COMMENT AND HAS BEEN OUT FOR OVE A MONTH. THERE IS NO DIALOGUE WITH JIMMY HICKS, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT POHANKA. HE SIMPLE WILL NOT RETURN PHONE CALLS. I CALL 3 TIMES IN ONE WEEK, HE DID NOT CALL BACK. I HAVE CALLED GM 6 TIMES AND I VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH ENTIRE SITUATION. NO CUSTOMER SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGHT WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH TO GET A CAR REPAIRED PROPERLY. AND TO BE IGNORE IS REALLY POOR TASTE FOR A CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #722405

Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 1997
Electrical SystemFire

WHEN DRIVING AT 30 TO 40 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, PULLED OVER, AND THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE DASH AERA OF THE VEHICLE. CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DETERMINED AS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #813442

Mileage unknown · May 19, 1997
Electrical System

VEHICLES STALLS WITH NO STEERING OR BRAKE FUNCTIONS. THEN AFTER A 10 MINUTE PERIOD VEHICLE WILL RESTART. DEALER HAS REPLACED COMPUTERS AND OTHER COMPONETS TO NO AVAIL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #812361

Mileage unknown · Dec 27, 1996
Electrical System

WHEN IT RAINS AND THE DRIVER TRIES TO MAKE A TURN THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #806789

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.