1997 Oldsmobile CUTLASS: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 AND REPLACE STEERING COLUMN SEALS, ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2002 PROBLEM RECURRED. HAPPENED AGAIN ON JANUARY 8, 2003. THE STEERING EXPERIENCED MANY OTHER FAILURES AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION. *NLM *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 82,752 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002457 at NHTSA ↗

1) AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR I HAD IT TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 4 TIMES FOR A BODY MODULE MALFUNCTION. 2) IGNITION SWITCH WENT BAD COULD NOT START CAR, HAD TO BE TOWED, TOOK TWO ATTEMPTS TO FIX CORRECTLY 3) AIR-CONDITIONING BUTTON QUIT WORKING 4) SMOKE CAME FROM STEERING COLUMN 5) WHEN USING CIGARETTE LIGHTER, BLOWS AUXILIARY POWER FUSE 6) PASSENGER SIDE FOG LIGHT KEEPS BLOWING ABOUT EVERY THREE MONTHS 7) WINDOWS JUMP TRACK AND BACK WINDOWS GRADUALLY GO DOWN THEMSELVES. 8) WINDSHIELD WIPERS BREAK WHEN IN USE, WHOLE ARM DISCONNECTS LEAVING THEM USEL…

Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018446 at NHTSA ↗

ABS LIGHT COMES ON AT RANDOM TIMES, USUALLY DURING A TURN, BUT NO ADVERSE CONDITIONS OCCUR. WHEN DIAGNOSED, IT WAS STATED THAT THE SPEED SENSOR WAS BAD. I HAVE HAD BOTH FRONT SPEED SENSORS REPLACED ABOUT 3-4 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, AND SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT, I JUST DEAL WITH THE LIGHT. I JUST BROUGHT IT IN FOR THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO, AND AGAIN THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS SAID THAT IT WAS A SPEED SENSOR. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023375 at NHTSA ↗

SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1997, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, ONCE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED, AN $800 REPAIR. THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED, A $400 REPAIR. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING HOME THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, I WAS WITHIN A MILE OF HOME, SO I JUST KEPT GOING. AS I WAS TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY, ALL OF THE CONTROLS ON THE DASHBOARD FAILED, SPEED LIMIT, GAS GAUGE, ETC. I ALSO APPARENTLY HAD NO LIGHTS BECAUSE THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOS…

Owner-reported narrative. 137,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033265 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE'S IAC SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRE WAS TOO SHORT WHICH CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 634780 IS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. *AK *PH *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 17,296 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038396 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 97 AND 99 OLDSMOBILE CUTLAS WITH V6-191 3.1L VIN M SFI ENGINES. THEY BOTH LEAK COOLANT FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. I AM TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND IS CAUSED BY THE DEX COOL ANTI-FREEZE INSTALLED BY THE MFG. THE COST EST. FROM THE OLDS DEALER IS $850.00 TO REPLACE THE GASKET. THESE CARS EACH HAVE 50,000 MI. IF THIS IS IN FACT A COMMON PROBLEM I SHOULD GET SOME RELIEF FROM THE MANUFACTURE. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 52,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047305 at NHTSA ↗

LOSS OF POWER STEERING, GRINDING NOISE, LEAKING FLUID. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 64,430 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052959 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING THROUGH THE ENGINE. SUDDENLY, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED . VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT SERPENTINE BELT BROKE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059221 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2001-03-08 (March 8, 2001)

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.

Reported: 2003-12-11 (December 11, 2003)

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.