NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
| Trim | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1L 6 cyl Automatic 4-spd | 18 | 26 | 21 | $2,850 |
| 3.3L 6 cyl Automatic 4-spd | 15 | 24 | 18 | $3,300 |
| Overall Rating | Not Rated |
| Frontal Crash | Not Rated |
| Side Crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CORROSION OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR'S INTERNAL WIRING, WHICH CAN OCCUR OVER TIME, COULD CAUSE THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG. THIS DEPLOYMENT COULD OCCUR DURING VEHICLE START-UP, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED OR IDLING, OR WHILE IN OPERATION.
Consequence: IF THE CONSUMER IS TOO CLOSE TO AN INFLATING AIR BAG, SERIOUS INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE INFLATORS ON THESE AIR BAGS.
Component: STEERING:RACK AND PINION
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE RETAINERS COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES EVEN FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED. WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENT DAMAGE, THE DRIVER CAN ENCOUNTER HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT. IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WENT TO TURN THE CORNER AT A GREEN LIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR. THE AIR BAGS LIGHT HAS BEEN STAYING ON SINCE 2009.
HI, I FILED MY COMPLAINT WITH YOU ON THE PHONE IN JANUARY. ANYWAY, I TRIED TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START, MY SECURITY LIGHT STAYED ON AND I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO BERGER CHEVROLET AT 2525 28TH STREET S.E. GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49512 (616)949-5200. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR 4102. MY VEHICLE WAS WITH BERGER CHEVY FROM JANUARY 02 TO JANUARY 05,2015. MY INVOICE STATES MY IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER AND TWO KEYS WERE REPLACED. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR $723.56. PLEASE HELP
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE SIERRA SL (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME BLACK AND HOT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT NIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
The 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme has 2 NHTSA recalls and 181 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of Not Rated out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
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COULD NOT TURN IGNITION SWITCH OFF. NEEDED TO DISCONNECT THE CABLE TO THE POWER COIL TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER SEVERAL SIMILAR INCIDENTS, HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AT A COST OF $147.15. GM HAS A RECALL FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON SEVERAL LATER MODEL CARS. REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT OF MY COSTS. *TR
CADILLAC & 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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THE SOUND WAS HEARD ANYTIME A TURN WAS MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V527000 (STEERING: RACK AND PINION) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE CIERA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 MPH SHE HEARD A RUBBING AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SHE STATED THAT WHEN SHE WAS MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE MADE A SQUEAKING NOISE. SHE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE STRUT HOUSING WAS PUSHING UP AGAINST THE HOOD. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. SHE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 200,000.
1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, THE REAR STRUT MOUNT BRACKETS ARE BAD, EVERYONE WE HAVE SPOKEN TO HAVE HAD THEM BREAK EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE PURCHASED THERE VEHICLES NEW HAVE SAID THE BRACKETS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE. IF THE BRACKET BREAKS IT CAN LEAD THE DRIVER TO WRECK OR EVEN THE STRUT BEING PROPELLED THROUGH THE BACK SEAT. THE BOLTS HOLDING THE BRACKETS IN PLACE SHEERED OFF. WE DO HAVE THE ORIGINAL BRACKET. *TR
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING AND A NEW TIRE WAS NEEDED. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIRE THAT SEPARATED. THE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE AND TIRE PRESSURE WERE UNKNOWN. THE TIRE BRAND IS COOPER, COOPER LIFELINER CLASSIC II, SIZE,P215/60R16. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH IN DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD, AND STOPPING DISTANCE WAS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED 5 MONTHS LATER WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, BUT NEVER RETURNED A CALL. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE, AND COULD A POSE SERIOUS RISK IF THE PROBLEM RECURRED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE SMELL OF SMOKE COULD BE DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THE SMOKE WENT AWAY AND THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. SMOKE FILLED THE VEHICLE, THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK, AND THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN. THE OCCUPANT CLIMBED TO THE BACK SEAT AND TRIED TO KICK THE WINDOWS OUT. SOMEONE SAW THE VEHICLE ON FIRE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED, UPDATED 05/30/06. *AK
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
POWER STEERING FAILED. MY WIFE NEARLY HIT A TREE. *JB
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