IllustrationCADILLAC & 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CIERA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BOTH VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED OFTEN, THE ENGINE WOULD SPEED UP RANDOMLY WHILE IDLING OR IN PARK, AS THOUGH HE WERE TRAVELING 50 MPH. SEVERAL TIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD ABRUPTLY SHUT DOWN. *JB
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
9 reportsI WAS ACCELERATING TO MAKE A LANE CHANGE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY (GOING ABOUT 60-63 MPH) IN HEAVY TRAFFIC (55-58 MPH) AND WHEN I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I TRIED FEATHERING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GOT VERY LITTLE SLOW DOWN SO BEGAN TO BRAKE WITH BOTH FEET BUT WITH LITTLE EFFECT. CAR WAS VIB…
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I WAS ACCELERATING TO MAKE A LANE CHANGE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY (GOING ABOUT 60-63 MPH) IN HEAVY TRAFFIC (55-58 MPH) AND WHEN I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I TRIED FEATHERING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GOT VERY LITTLE SLOW DOWN SO BEGAN TO BRAKE WITH BOTH FEET BUT WITH LITTLE EFFECT. CAR WAS VIBRATING AND I HAD TO KEEP BOTH HANDS ON STEERING WHEEL TO TRY AND MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND ALSO GET MAXIMUM LEVERAGE ON FLOOR BRAKE. I MANAGED TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO AN OFF RAMP, DROVE OVER THE ON-OFF RAMP DIVIDER INTO A FIELD. AT THIS POINT I APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE CAR BEGAN FISHTAILING AND ALMOST FLIPPED OVER. I HEADED TOWARDS A GRASSY INCLINE AND THIS FINALLY STOPPED THE CAR AT WHICH POINT I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I OBSERVED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS LIMP ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR. A PERSON DRIVING BEHIND ME STOPPED TO CALL STATE PATROL AND CONFIRM THAT HE WITNESSED MY BRAKE LIGHTS ON BUT ONLY THE LEFT REAR TIRE BRAKING. THE STATE TROOPER CONFIRMED THIS BY OBSERVING A SINGLE TIRE SKID MARK ON THE OFF-RAMP. ACCELERATOR THROTTLE CABLE REPLACED. *TR
GMC WOULD NOT RECTIFY THE PROBLEM; CLAIMED THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL! NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
WHILE ACCELERATING TO ENTER HIGHWAY LOST ALL POWER. ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE-LEAVING MY WIFE AND SON STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH TRAFFIC COMING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS(ENTRANCE TO HIGHWAY WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD)
THIS IS MY SECOND REPORT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE SNAPPING WHILE DRIVING. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE TO MY FIRST COMPLAINT, WHICH I DEEM A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE OPERATION OF THIS TYPE OF MOTOR VEHICLE. THE THROTTLE CABLE SHOULD NOT SNAP EVERY 20,000 MILES WHENOPERATING THE VEHICLE. SOMETHING IS WRONG ON THE MANUFACT…
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THIS IS MY SECOND REPORT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE SNAPPING WHILE DRIVING. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE TO MY FIRST COMPLAINT, WHICH I DEEM A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO THE OPERATION OF THIS TYPE OF MOTOR VEHICLE. THE THROTTLE CABLE SHOULD NOT SNAP EVERY 20,000 MILES WHENOPERATING THE VEHICLE. SOMETHING IS WRONG ON THE MANUFACTURERS PART. HOW MANY GAS ACCELERATOR CABLES HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS SNAPPING WHILE DRIVING? THANK YOU, MANLEY STAMPLER. *AK
ACCELERATOR CABLE SNAPPED BECAUSE IT WAS FRAYED.
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 70MPH, THE VEHICLE WILL DOWNSHIFT AT A LOW SPEED, AND CONTINUE TO JERK WITH A FULL OR A HALF TANK, AND WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON OR OFF. IN FOR REPAIR, NO PROBLEM FOUND. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL STUCK, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION/INJURIES.
WHEN STARTING VEHICLE; RMP SWOULD REV UP; VEHICLE NOT MOVING; WHEN IN MOTION WOULD JUMP UP & ENGINE SPEED WOULD INCREASE; TOOK TO DEALER; WAS REPAIRED; PROBLEM REAPPEARED; HAPPENED OFF & ON 7 OR 8 TIMES. *AK
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.