1998 Oldsmobile CUTLASS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
119 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
60,537 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 41 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 119 complaints (10.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 31 | 26.1% |
| Steering behavior | 21 | 17.6% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 2.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 2.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 1.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.8% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 12 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 11 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 7 |
| Steering | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 5 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 5 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 12; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 7; Steering: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 5; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 13 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 8 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 2
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 78 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 33 |
| 2001 | 18 |
| 2002 | 12 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 19 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 |
2000: 33; 2001: 18; 2002: 12; 2003: 14; 2004: 19; 2005: 8; 2006: 3; 2007: 5; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 3
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 31 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000584 · 2002-12-25 (December 25, 2002)
ENGINE ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY OR ASSEMBLED USING DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. GASKET FAILURE ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWS WATER TO MIX WITH OIL AND/OR FUEL, IF LEFT UNCORRECTED THIS WILL DESTROY THE ENGINE. SYMPTOMS SEEN BEFORE THE CAR WAS DRIVEN 40,000 MILES, WHILE THE CAR WAS 4 YEARS OLD.
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000584 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10011931 · 2003-03-17 (March 17, 2003)
THE HEAD GASKET CRACKED AND LEAKED COOLANT. *JB TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEM OCCURS AS THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE APPROACHES 50K MILES, AND MAY DEFECTIVE. SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011931 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10014097 · 2003-04-07 (April 7, 2003)
A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN OCTOBER 2002 THERE WAS NOISE FROM FRONT LEFT END OF VEHICLE....THERE IS ANOTHER NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE STEERING WHEN TURNING THE WHEELS TRYING TO PARK THE CAR.....I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T HEAR ANYTHING...ALSO I HAD THE CAR CHECKED OUT THE SAME DAY FOR THE BRAKES...THERE WAS A SQUEALING NOISE ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE AND THE CAR WOULDN'T BRAKE PROPERLY...THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT BRAKE PAD..I HAVEN'T HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKES SINCE...THREE WEEKS LATER I TOOK THE C…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014097 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015636 · 2003-04-10 (April 10, 2003)
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE FRONT DISC/REAR DRUMS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL STILL FELT SPONGY AND CONTINUED TO GO TO THE FLOOR. *TT
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10015636 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019471 · 2003-05-07 (May 7, 2003)
THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES ON THE CONSUMERS THREE VEHICLES. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON THIS VEHICLE(1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS) WAS REPLACED, THEN ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS ON A 1996 PONTIAC GRAND AM AND A 1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. SCC *JB *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019471 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021188 · 2003-06-07 (June 7, 2003)
MY ALARM DEFAULT ALONE-THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT BLINKS AND MY AUTO WILL NOT START UNTIL IT STOP BLINKING WHICH IS 10 MIN LONG. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10021188 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021496 · 2003-06-12 (June 12, 2003)
STEERING FEELS STRANGE WHEEL HAS A TUG TO IT WHEN MAKING TURNS.. LEFT TURNS REQUIRE MORE STEERING EFFORT THAN RIGHT TURNS ALSO STEERING WHEEL SQUEAKS WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON EVEN WHEN THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.. CAR HAS JUST 25,000 MILES ON IT, AFRAID THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE RACK AND PINION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021496 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021548 · 2003-05-21 (May 21, 2003)
NAR 05/21/2003 *MR WATER LEAK IN TRUNK, MISSING ABSORBER IN REAR DOOR, SUSPENSION NOISE, 4 NEW TIRES REPLACED, NEW FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS, AND COOLANT SYSTEM LEAKAGE. *CB
Owner-reported narrative. 60,537 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021548 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
01V068000 · Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗03V527000 · Steering:Rack And Pinion
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗