1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Component: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. IF A BUILDUP OF SNOW OR ICE RESTRICTS THE MOVEMENT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM, THE PIVOT HOUSING CAN CRACK AND THE WIPERS WILL NOT OPERATE.

Consequence: REDUCED VISIBILITY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER PIVOT HOUSING. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 14, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.

Full recall detail →

FRAME, WHERE STEERING RACK BOLTS TO, RUSTED OUT. STEERING RACK BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME CAUSING A DANGEROUS STEERING CONDITION. FRAME NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A VERY HIGH COST. *TT

98 OLDS CUTLASS. REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH IN VICINITY OF LR WHEEL . RESULTED IN SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING DUE TO LOSS OF ALL BRAKE FLUID. NO SEPARATE RESERVOIR FOR FRONT BRAKE FLUID. HEARD OF SIMILAR EVENT WITH SAME MODEL STYLE CHEVY MALIBU. NO YEAR KNOWN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TIGHTEN WHEN MAKING RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS. HE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER PERTAINING TO THE STEERING RACK AND PINION, WHICH STATED THAT THE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THIS IS WHERE THE RETAINER TABS WERE LOCATED. THE FAILURE COULD ALLOW THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V527000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT FELT NO CHANGE IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE FAILURES STILL PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CONTINUOUS BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,051 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 125,096.

I WORK FOR A IGNITION INTERLOCK COMPANY. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL VEHICLES ENTER THE SERVICE CENTER WITH PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE KEY HAS TO BE SHAKEN SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO GET THE KEY TO TURN TO START THE VEHICLE. THESE IGNITIONS ARE MOUNTED TO THE RIGHT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. I HAVE NOTICED IT ON ALMOST EVERY VEHICLE THAT HAS THE IGNITION MOUNTED TO THE RIGHT OF THE STEERING COLUMN NOT ON THE COLUMN. THAT IS AN OLDSMOBILE. I OWN THE 1998 OLDMOBILE CUTLASS. WAS THERE EVER A RECALL AS DEFECT OF THIS IGNITION AND IS THE DEALERSHIP RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT? IF I EVER HAD AN EMERGENCY I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO START MY CAR RIGHT AWAY AS IT AT TIMES TAKES UP TO FIVE TO TEN MINUTES TO GET THE KEY TO TURN. *TR

1) THE FAILURE OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL USE OF WIPERS IN HEAVY RAIN. 2) DURING NORMAL USE, THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER ARM APPEARED TO BECOME DISLODGED AND BEGAN MOVING ERRATICALLY. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE WIPER ASSEMBLY IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC HOUSING THAT HOLDS THE WIPER ARM TO THE WIPER MOTOR WAS CRACKED AND BROKEN AWAY FROM THE LINKAGE TO THE WIPER MOTOR. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE IS THAT NEITHER WIPER ARM OPERATES AND THIS CAUSES HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS BY REDUCING VISIBILITY DURING RAIN OR FROST. 3) AFTER RESEARCHING THIS APPARENT DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURERS ORIGINAL PART, I DISCOVERED AN OPEN RECALL IS ALREADY IN EFFECT FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID# 01V068000). THE DESCRIPTION UNDER THIS RECALL IS IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM I ENCOUNTERED AND IS FOR THE SAME VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, GM-OLDSMOBILE, AND THE OPEN RECALL WAS VERIFIED, BUT I WAS TOLD MY PARTICULAR VIN# WAS NOT ON THEIR LIST. I WAS TOLD THAT IF GM HAPPENS TO ADD OTHER VEHICLES FROM THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL TO THE LIST THEN I WOULD BE NOTIFIED, BUT NO REPAIRS WOULD BE OFFERED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH OR GREATER THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

ON 1/07 HAD LOW SPEED SLIDE ON ICY ROAD , CAUSING IMPACT WITH SMALL TREE, AND RESULTING IN MINOR CRACKS IN RIGHT FRONT BUMPER CAP, AND SUBSEQUENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. NOW, HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION REGARDING DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS WHICH INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED IN MINOR CRASH CONDITIONS. DEPLOYMENT HAS TOTALED VEHICLE WITH ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO START AND EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT START AT ALL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS NEEDING A NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD AND MADE THE REPAIR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEGUN TO ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY STARTING. THE LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS NEEDING ANOTHER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN, POWERTRAIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 140,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 07/10/07 *TR

I HAVE A 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS WITH 55,000 MILES--THE CAR HAS A 3.1 LITER V6 WITH A BLOWN INTAKE GASKET-- IT COST ME $550 TO HAVE THIS FIXED. PER 3 MECHANICS --"ALL"L 3.1 INTAKE GASKETS GO OUT AT AROUND 50,00 MILES I FEEL THE GM SHOULD PAY FOR DEFECTS THAT EFFECTS ALL 3.1S I'VE HAD 40+ CARS IN MY LIFE AND NEVER EVER HAD AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GO OUT ON ANY OF THEM---------TO ME THAT'S A MFG DEFECT!!! *JB

I SUBMITTED MY COMPLAINT TO GM AND TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MICHIGAN. MY COMPLAINT STEMS FROM PROBLEMS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED OVER THE LAST 3-4 YEARS WITH MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS RELATED TO RUST ON AND AROUND THE GAS FILLER PIPE AND DOOR. I HAVE A CONTINUOUS WARNING LIGHT (CHECK ENGINE) ON MY DASHBOARD THAT ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL MAY IMPACT THE EMISSION CONTROLS IN MY ENGINE. THIS WARNING LIGHT APPEARS TO BE DUE TO THE POOR FIT OF THE GAS CAP ON THE FILLER PIPE DUE TO RUST. CAP REPLACEMENT HAS NOT HELPED. THERE IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RUST THAT HAS DEVELOPED SURROUNDING THE GAS FILLER PIPE DOOR ON THE RIGHT REAR BODY PANEL. I SPOKE WITH A BODY SHOP AND THEY MENTIONED THEY HAD SEEN SEVERAL VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE WITH SIMILAR DAMAGE AND WAS DUE TO THE INSULATION COLLECTING MOISTURE UNDER THE BODY PANEL AND RUSTING THROUGH FROM THE BACK SIDE. I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN TWO OTHER SAME MAKE/MODEL VEHICLES WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUES. GM RESPONDED TO MY COMPLAINT STATING THE RUST-THROUGH PROTECTION ON MY VEHICLE HAD EXPIRED AND THERE ARE NO CURRENTLY NO RECALLS ISSUED. MY CONTENTION IS THIS ISSUE IS NOT ISOLATED TO MY VEHICLE REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE AND AGE AND PRESENTS NOT ONLY UNSIGHTLY DAMAGE AND COST TO REPAIR, BUT A SAFETY ISSUE SURROUNDING THE GAS FILLER PIPE. *NM

THEFT-LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAD TO WAIT TEN MINUTES FOR SYSTEM TO RESET BEFORE STARTING CAR. HAD KEY-LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED TWICE, FOR A TOTAL OF OVER $1400 IN REPAIRS. NOW THE LIGHT IS ON SEEMINGLY PERMANENTLY. ALWAYS WONDER IF IT WILL START OR NOT. CAN'T GET ANYONE BESIDES A DEALER TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. THE DEALER HAS ENOUGH OF MY MONEY FOR NOW...I HAVE TO DEAL WITH BEING INCONVENIENCED REGULARLY BY THIS PROBLEM. *JB

TOTAL FAILURE OF STEERING SYSTEM. MECHANICAL LOCK UP. STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE TURNED BY HAND. PROBLEM OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED CLOSE TO HOME. THE STEERING RACK BRACKET SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. GM COMPLAINT # 1-399 751 487 MARCH 18,2006. *JB