Oldsmobile CUTLASS SUPREME problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
196 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
76,475 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1988 to 1997 model years. Data snapshot: . 42 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 30 of 196 complaints (15.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 39 | 19.9% |
| Steering behavior | 29 | 14.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 8.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 4.1% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 3.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 30 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 15 |
| Air Bags | 13 |
| Structure | 13 |
| Steering:Rack And Pinion | 10 |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 7 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 7 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 30; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 15; Air Bags: 13; Structure: 13; Steering:Rack And Pinion: 10; Structure:Frame And Members: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 7; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 10 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 11 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 1
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 154 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 2000 | 59 |
| 2001 | 42 |
| 2002 | 27 |
| 2003 | 27 |
| 2004 | 35 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2007 | 1 |
1995: 1; 1996: 1; 2000: 59; 2001: 42; 2002: 27; 2003: 27; 2004: 35; 2005: 3; 2007: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 39 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 741290 · 2001-02-21 (February 21, 2001)
REAR BRAKE SYSTEM FALLS APART --NO BRAKE SHOES AT ALL IN REAR. GRINDING OF DRUMS AGAINST OTHER BRAKE PARTS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 741290 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8022072 · 2002-11-01 (November 1, 2002)
INTERMITTENTLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPLIED. CONSUMER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES ROTORS, CALIPERS AND PADS. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8022072 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 566026 · 2002-06-07 (June 7, 2002)
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL TO HAVE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS REPLACED. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REAR BOLTS WERE REPLACED, THE FRONT CRADLE BOLTS PULLED THROUGH THE RETAINER DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. THE ENGINE DROPPED AND CONSUMER LOST STEERING. CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THIS VEHICLE BUT IS REQUESTING A REIMBURSEMENT OF MONIES PAID BECAUSE THERE IS NOW A RECALL OUT ON THE ABOVE SAID DEFECT, HOWEVER THE RECALL IS FOR THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS.*JG
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 566026 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071360 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
SUB FRAME BOLTS RUSTED AWAY AND PULLED THE WASHERS AND RUBBER BUSHINGS THEN THE STEERING SHAFT PULLED OUT OF THE STEERING BOX CAUSING NO STEERING. I PHONED GM IN ONTARIO JUST TO ADVISE THEM OF THE PROBLEM AND SEE IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS. THE LADY I WAS SPEAKING TO GOT REAL DEFENSIVE AND BELLIGERENT AND SAID IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS SHE WOULD HAVE KNOWN THEN SAID GOODBYE AND HUNG UP. THEN I FOUND OUT ON THE INTERNET BY ACCIDENT A WEB SITE FROM A GOVERNMENT AGENT LISTING THE YEAR AND MODEL OF MY CAR AND THE SAME PROBLEM. THEN ON JULY 05/03 A …
Owner-reported narrative. 145,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071360 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 728765 · 2000-08-23 (August 23, 2000)
WHILE ACCELERATING FOM A STOP, BOTH FRONT CRADLE BOLTS SEPERATED FROM THE CHASSIS. CRADLE ASSEMBLY DROPPED ABOUT EIGHT INCHES. STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO DEALER. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES, ENGINE COULD NOT BE RE-STARTED UNLESS JUMPED. ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS "DEAD". OWNER SUSPECTS DAMAGED OR BROKEN WIRING (I.E. GROUND WIRE) AS A RESULT OF EITHER THE INCIDENT OR THE REPAIR. REPAIRS FOR THIS CONDITION HAVE NOT BEEN MADE AS OF THIS DATE .
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 728765 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10055768 · 2004-01-23 (January 23, 2004)
WHEN THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE OWNER STATED THERE WAS NO WHERE IN THE MANUAL THAT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPROGRAMMED WITH EVERY BATTERY CHANGE. ALSO, THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE STALLED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10055768 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126494 · 2005-06-24 (June 24, 2005)
DT:CONSUMER WAS CLIMBING A HILL AT 5% GRADE FIVE MILES LONG ON FREEWAY WHEN TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DOWN FROM OVERDRIVE TO SECOND GEAR AND LOCKED IN SECOND. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT COME OUT OF SECOND GEAR. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS A SAFETY FEATURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED AFTER THIS HAPPENS IT WILL NOT GO TO FIRST GEAR, SO TRYING TO PULL OUT IN SECOND GEAR CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO SLIP. CONSUMER SAYS TRANSMISSION WENT OUT LIKE THIS THREE TIMES. FIRST TWO TIMES ON AN UPWARD GRADE, THE THIRD TIME WAS ON A FLAT. THE FIRST TWO TI…
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 866499 · 2000-08-01 (August 1, 2000)
FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE FRAME SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE, CAUSING THE ENGINE/ TRANSMISSION, AND RACK AND PINION TO DROP. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 866499 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054302 · 2004-01-16 (January 16, 2004)
POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND NO PRIOR SYMPTOMS. SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ASSIST WHILE TURNING LEFT CAUSED MAJOR ACCIDENT. CAR WAS DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD INTO A BRICK RETAINING WALL CAUSING OVER $3,000 DAMAGE TO THE CAR PLUS $350 DAMAGE TO THE WALL. AFTER TOWING CAR HOME, THE POWER STEERING RETURNED TO "NORMAL" OPERATION. POLICE REPORT INDICATES COMPLAINT OF SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING CAUSING STEERING TO FEEL AS IF IT WERE LOCKED IN POSITION. CAR IS JUST NOW REPAIRED AND DRIVABLE. THIS IS SEEMINGLY IDE…
Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041086 · 2003-10-02 (October 2, 2003)
FUEL TANK RUSTED OUT AND LEAKED GAS AND FUMES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 896948 · 2001-09-27 (September 27, 2001)
WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH VEHICLE WILL START TO SHAKE TO THE POINT WHERE VEHICLE CAN LOSE CONTROL IF IN THE RAIN. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER NOTED THAT FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM IS THE PROBLEM. *AK DEALER PERFORMED AN INJECTOR SERVICE, THROTTLE BODY SERVICE, ADDED AN ADATIVE TO CLEAN THE VALVES, REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, WIRES, PLUGS, RELAY, AND THE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER REPAIRS DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 896948 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1988 | 1 |
| 1989 | 1 |
| 1990 | 1 |
| 1994 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 1 |
1988: 1; 1989: 1; 1990: 1; 1994: 0; 1995: 1; 1996: 2; 1997: 1