1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass

LTR FM (FL) RE DEFECTIVE 1996 OLDSMOBILE CIERA. *TS THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE BATTERY HAD A LOW CHARGE AND THE VEHICLE WAS LOW ON FUEL AND OIL. THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE INDICATOR FOR THE FUEL NEVER GAVE AN ACTUAL READING OF THE FUEL IN THE TANK, IT FLUCTUATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND IT WAS HARD TO TELL HOW MUCH FUEL WAS ACTUALLY IN THE TANK. THE CONSUMER HAD A WATER PUMP INSTALLED. *JB

LTR FM CONSUMER (FL) RE DEFECTIVE 1996 OLDSMOBILE CIERA. *TS SIX MONTHS AFTER VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE CONSUMER NOTICE THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD FLASH ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR. THE VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR A WHILE THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE DEALER REPLACED ANOTHER SENSOR. EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE OVERHEATED WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED UNDER 100,000 MILES . THE FUEL GAUGE NEVER GAVE THE ACTUAL FUEL TANK READING. THE FUEL NEEDLE WOULD FLUCTUATE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT VARIOUS SPEED. MANY BATTERIES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY FAIL UNEXPECTEDLY. THE BATTERY INDICATOR NEVER ILLUMINATED INDICATING THERE WAS A PROBLEM. *NM

I WAS DRIVING ACROSS TOWN WHEN I NOTICED MY ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. I WAS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM MY MECHANIC, SO I STOPPED THERE. WHAT WAS LEFT OF MY COOLANT EMPTIED OUT ONTO THE GROUND AS A I WATCHED. MY COOLANT INTAKE GASKETHAD GIVEN OUT. THE REPAIR GUY TOLD ME AFTER HE FIXED IT THAT IT HAD VIRTUALLY DISAPPEARED AT SOME PLACES. HE ALSO CALLED ME AT SOME POINT TO INFORM ME THAT MY FUEL LINE HAD GIVEN OUT AND WAS LEAKING. THANKFULLY THE SHOP WAS ABLE TO FIX EVERYTHING QUICKLY, AS I USE MY CAR FOR COMMUTING TO COLLEGE AND WORK.

WAS DRIVING THE CAR NOTICED IT WAS NOT WARMING UP CHECKED ANTI FREEZE AND NOTICED IT WAS LOW IN RADIATOR AND IN OVERFLOW CONTAINER. ADDED ANTI FREEZE LOOKED TO SEE IF HAD BEEN LEAKING AT HOSES OR WAS AFTER ADDING ANTI FREEZE AND IT DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN LEAKING AT ANY HOSES OR FROM RADIATOR. STARTED CAR DID NOT RUN RIGHT SHUT ENGINE OFF PULLED DIPSTICK AND FOUND OIL TO BE DISCOLORED. CALLED AROUND AND FOUND THAT THIS YEAR ENGINE MADE BY GENERAL MOTORS IS KNOWN TO BLOW THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND THAT THIS EXACT CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM PRIOR TO MY PURCHASING THIS CAR 2 YEARS AGO. OLD ENGINE IS AVAILABLE. HAVE ESTIMATED MILEAGE UNTIL IT IS TOWED BACK HOME. THIS CAR WAS ORIGINALLY OWNED BY MY AUNT AND UNCLE WAS SOLD TO MY MOM JOAN ROODBERGEN SHE NEVER DROVE IT AND I PURCHASED IT FROM THEM IN OCTOBER OF 2002. I KNEW THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD ALREADY FAILED ONCE AND WAS REPAIRED BY MULLINS AUTO SERVICE. *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE CUTS OFF ON HER AT WILL. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO 2 MECHANICS, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND OUT THE CAUSE. CONSUMER GETS SCARED WHEN CROSSING AN INTERSECTION, BECAUSE SHE IS AFRAID THAT VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF AND ANOTHER VEHICLE MAY RUN INTO HER. WHEN VEHICLE CUTS OFF THE RPMS GO DOWN TO ZERO, AND VEHICLE COASTS ALONG. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON; DIAGNOSTIC RAN - REPORTED BAD AIR PUMP WHICH WAS REPLACED. WITHIN DAYS LIGHT CAME BACK ON. DIAGNOSTIC RAN AGAIN; SAME CODE=BAD AIR PUMP. MECHANIC SAID THE PUMP IS A BAD DESIGN. THE PUMP ALLOWS WATER TO GET INTO PUMP WHICH THEN GETS INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING DAMAGE AND THE LIGHT TO COME ON. $500 LATER - NO RESOLUTION; SAME PROBLEM. *AK