IllustrationTHE ABS CHECK LIGHT REMAINED ON, WHICH THE OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATED THAT THE BRAKES MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER.*AK THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED AND A WIRE WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. *NM
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
Exterior Lighting complaints
5 reportsTURN SIGNAL SWITCH SHORT. NO TAILLIGHTS WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS ON. ONE WAY BOTH SIDE TAILLIGHTS GO OUT AND THE OTHER WAY ONE SIDE OF TAILLIGHTS GO OUT. WHEN TURN SIGNALS ARE NOT BEING USED, SOMETIMES I HAVE TAILIGHTS AND SOMETIMES I DON'T. THEY BLINK ON AND OFF. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND IT STARTED AFTER I HAD MY CAR I…
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TURN SIGNAL SWITCH SHORT. NO TAILLIGHTS WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS ON. ONE WAY BOTH SIDE TAILLIGHTS GO OUT AND THE OTHER WAY ONE SIDE OF TAILLIGHTS GO OUT. WHEN TURN SIGNALS ARE NOT BEING USED, SOMETIMES I HAVE TAILIGHTS AND SOMETIMES I DON'T. THEY BLINK ON AND OFF. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND IT STARTED AFTER I HAD MY CAR IN THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL WORK ON THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG. I HAVE NO TAILLIGHTS AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY WHEN DRIVING MY CAR. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO BE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY TAILLIGHTS. THE ONLY LIGHTS THAT WORK ON THE BACK END OF MY CAR ARE THE BRAKE LIGHT IN THE WINDOW AND THE REVERSE LIGHTS. THE REST OF THE LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF.
STEERING COLUMN TURN SWITCH FAILURE CAUSED REAR BRAKE LIGHTS TO GO OUT COMPLETELY - TOTAL DARK - THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND WILL CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION! ! IT IS ALSO HARD TO DISCOVER - THAT'S WHY PEOPLE DON'T USE TURN SIGNALS - THEY WEAR OUT EARLY, AND COST A LOT! BRAKE LIGHTS ARE MAJOR SAFETY EQUIPMENT!!*AK
THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH FAILED. *SLC
HEAD LIGHTS COME ON AS SOON AS YOU START ENGINE (SAFETY FEATURE), HOWEVER THERE IS NO WAY OF TURNING OFF HEADLIGHTS IN BLINDING SNOW STORMS OR DENSE FOG, MAKING VISIBILITY VERY DIFFICULT.
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.