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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

Power Train complaints

13 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2001
Power Train

TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 55 MPH.TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE IN THE MIDST OF TRAFFIC AT 55 MPH WITHOUT ANY WARNING.THERE WAS NO NOISES NO SLIPPING OR ANY OTHER INDICATIONS.ONE MINUTE EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STOPS MOVING.IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IF YOUR IN THE…

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TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 55 MPH.TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE IN THE MIDST OF TRAFFIC AT 55 MPH WITHOUT ANY WARNING.THERE WAS NO NOISES NO SLIPPING OR ANY OTHER INDICATIONS.ONE MINUTE EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STOPS MOVING.IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IF YOUR IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND YOUR CAR SUDDENLY FAILS WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS WHAT SO EVER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #744313

Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2000
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR IT HAD TO BE PUT BETWEEN DRIVE AND NEUTRAL, THE DEALER STATED THIS WAS DUE TO A SHIFT ON THE DASHBOARD, WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE WOULD RACE, THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #557841

Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 2000
Power Train

VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF GEAR WHEN IT IS COLD. DEALER REPLACED A SOLENOID, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #873795

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2000
Power Train

VEHCILE SHUTTERS WHEN TRYING TO TAKE OFF FROM A STOP, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND HE SAID IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #865116

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2000
Power Train

ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 52,000 MILES. DEALER NOTIFIED AND HAD REPAIRS DONE. CURRENTLY AT 107,000 MILES, TRANSMISSON FAILED AGAIN. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #863275

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2000
Power Train

A SECOND TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AT 56,000 MILES. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED IN FEB. 1997, # 67-71-64. OLDSMOBILE DID NOT MAKE ANYONE AWARE OF PROBLEM. WILL NOT FIX PROBLEM BECAUSE OVER WARRANTY PERIOD, THOUGH THEY KNEW OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION EXISTED. A TRANSMISSION SHOULD LAST WELL OVER 150,000 MILES A…

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A SECOND TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AT 56,000 MILES. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED IN FEB. 1997, # 67-71-64. OLDSMOBILE DID NOT MAKE ANYONE AWARE OF PROBLEM. WILL NOT FIX PROBLEM BECAUSE OVER WARRANTY PERIOD, THOUGH THEY KNEW OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION EXISTED. A TRANSMISSION SHOULD LAST WELL OVER 150,000 MILES AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY 52,000 TO 56,000 MILES. THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY ALL OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM SO IT CAN BE FIXED BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRES. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO FIX ANY TRANSMISSION THAT HAS FAILED, BEACUSE OF THERE SELF DIAGNOSED PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #723747

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 1999
Power Train

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716184

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 1999
Power Train

DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T EVEN GIVE ME THE NAME OF THE REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM WITH. DEALERSHIP QUOTED CLOSE TO $2000 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULD TAKE 2 WEEKS. HAD IT FIXED BY A MOM AND POP FOR $950

NHTSA ODI #712373

Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 1999
Power TrainStructure

TRANSMISSION FAILED, FOUND METAL IN FILTER AND PAN. MJS

NHTSA ODI #547623

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 1999
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO VALVE BODY WEAR AT 47,667 MILES (WAS TOLD DEFECTIVE VALVE BODY). TRANSMISSION REPLACED - IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #708673

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.