Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

6
Open recalls
113
NHTSA complaints
4
Defect investigations
3
Service bulletins

Consumer complaints

113 filed
6
Crashes
4
Fires
10
Injuries reported
1
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
    15
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
    9
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
    7
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION Components
    6
  • Seat BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE Assembly
    6
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
    6
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC Limited Slip
    5
  • Service BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
    5

Recalls

6 campaigns
97V058000·STRUCTURE1997-04-08

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE REAR CRADLE WOULD NOT LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THESE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.

RiskIF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.

FixDEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.

95V115000·WHEELS1995-06-05

CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.

RiskIF WHEEL SEPARATION OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OCCURS, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

FixDEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING DATE CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL ASSEMBLY.

94V041000·WHEELS1995-03-28

CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.

RiskIF WHEEL SEPARATION OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OCCURS, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

FixDEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL ASSEMBLY.

90V185000·EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH1990-10-16

BRAKE STOPLAMPS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE OR, IN SOME CASES, STOPLAMPS WILL NOT STAY ILLUMINATED ALL THE TIME WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED DUE TO A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH. ALSO IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL, A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH CAN RESULT IN RESUMPTION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL.

RiskA TRAILING VEHICLE MAY NOT RECOGNIZE A BRAKING ACTIONIN TIME TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL WILL REENGAGE UPONRELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RESUME THE SET SPEED. IN EITHER CASE, IT COULDRESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

FixINSTALL AN IMPROVED DESIGN STOPLAMP SWITCH.

90V054000·SEAT BELTS1990-03-14

FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT FASTENER MAY PULL THROUGH DOOR MOUNTED ANCHOR PLATE.

RiskSEAT BELT MAY NOT SUSTAIN LOADS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, AND IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT MAY NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN A PASSENGER, RESULTING IN INCREASED RISK OF GREATER INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT.

FixREPLACE FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT NUTS AND INSTALL NEW GUIDE COVER.

89V122000·EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER1989-07-24

THE ELECTRONIC AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL MAY NOT FUNCTION WHEN STARTING CAR THAT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR A FEW HOURS WITH IGNITION OFF.

RiskWINDSHIELD MAY NOT DEFROST AND CAR WOULD NOT CONFORMWITH FMVSS 103.

FixREPLACE ELECTRONIC COMFORT CONTROL ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA investigations

4 actions
EA00011·ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2000-04-10 → 2001-01-12

ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATION

Led to recall00V189000

RQ97017·STRUCTURE1997-10-02

CRADLE BOLT FAILURES

Led to recall97V058000

PE94063·SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1994-08-12 → 1994-12-21

CORRODED REAR DISK BRAKES

PE90088·EXTERIOR LIGHTING1990-06-11 → 1990-10-31

FAILURE STOP LAMP SWITCH

Led to recall90V185000

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