IllustrationWHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER STOPPING FOR A FEW MINUTES VEHICLE STARTED UP AGAIN. DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, AND EVEN THEN NOTHING COULD BE DETECTED AS TO WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK *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
What owners actually said
123 reportsWHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THEY WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND IT WOULD BE COSTLY TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *JB
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE RIGHT IT LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *AK THE PROBLEM HAD GOTTEN WORSE WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS ALONG WITH A LOUD NOISE. *SC
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED AND THEN SAW SMOKE COMING FROM AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED, BUT SINCE IT DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN SHE LEFT IT ALONE.*AK
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S DOOR AND WINDOW EQUIPMENT.*MR POWER WINDOWS BROKE/ WINDOW MOTOR WAS REPLACED AND VEHICLE DOOR IS STICKING WHEN OPENED OR CLOSED. DOOR WAS ADJUSTED AND THE HINGES WERE SPRAYED.*MR
WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. *NLM THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM HIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED WAS THE SAME AS RECALL #02V286000. *TS *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…
Read full complaint
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
FRONTAL AIRBAG RECALL-NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE/INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE MANUFACTURE.FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL FROM SEARCHING A WEBSITE.NO INCIDENT SO FAR!*AK
WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE ABS FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB ALSO, CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THE FRONT SEAT RECLINER MECHANIMS DO NOT LOCK INTO POSITION AND CAN ALLOW FOR SEAT OCCUPANTS TO BE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING COLUMN, DASH, WINDSHIELD DURING …
Read full complaint
WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE ABS FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB ALSO, CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THE FRONT SEAT RECLINER MECHANIMS DO NOT LOCK INTO POSITION AND CAN ALLOW FOR SEAT OCCUPANTS TO BE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING COLUMN, DASH, WINDSHIELD DURING A CRASH. MJJ
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE AIR BAGS, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE.*JB
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.