Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 80 of 103 complaints with a usable failure date.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Brakes
64 complaint records2 crash reports
"REAR DISC BRAKES ARE INOPERATIVE, DUE TO CORRODED CALIPERS AND ROTORS, CAUSING INEFFECTIVE BRAKE, LOW PEDAL AND PULSATION. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →
Seat belts
13 complaint records2 crash reports
"REAR SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTING MECHANISM, CAUSING SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse seat belts parts in the directory →
Electrical system
12 complaint records
"DASHBOARD ELECTRONICS DO NOT WORK. STAY STEADY, GOES OFF, AND FLASHES. SMOKE FROM STEERING COLUMN AND SIGNALS STOPPED WORKING. TT..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse electrical system parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| RQ97017 opened Oct 1997 | OPEN | Structure | CRADLE BOLT FAILURES - led to recall 97V058000 There is no summary currently available |
| EA00011 opened Apr 2000 | closed Jan 2001 | Engine And Engine Cooling | ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATION - led to recall 00V189000 THE ENGINE CRADLE FRONT BOLTS AND/OR RETAINERS MAY FAIL, ALLOWING THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CRADLE TO FALL, POSSIBLY SEPARATING THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FROM THE STEERING GEAR, WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL |
| PE94063 opened Aug 1994 | closed Dec 1994 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | CORRODED REAR DISK BRAKES There is no summary currently available |
| PE90088 opened Jun 1990 | closed Oct 1990 | Exterior Lighting | FAILURE STOP LAMP SWITCH - led to recall 90V185000 There is no summary currently available |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97V058000 | Structure | 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,... | Normally free |
| 95V115000 | Wheels | CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. | Normally free |
| 94V041000 | Wheels | CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. | Normally free |
| 91V005000 | Seat Belts | FRONT SHOULDER SAFETY BELT WEBBING MAY SEPARATE AT FRONT BELT UPPER GUIDE LOOPS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FRONT SEAT. | Normally free |
| 90V185000 | Exterior Lighting | 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. | Normally free |
| 90V054000 | Seat Belts | FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT FASTENER MAY PULL THROUGH DOOR MOUNTED ANCHOR PLATE. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001028 2001-02-08 | Suspension | 81,828 | Vehicles located in the high corrosion provinces east of the Manitoba/Ontario border. Certain vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the frame/cradle retainer bolts pull through the retainers due to corrosion of the retainer. |
| 2000052 2000-03-06 | Steering | 13,717 | On certain vehicles located in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island, extreme levels of moisture and salt can result in corrosion at or near the engine cradle mounts resulting in possible failure of the mounts. |
| 1995100 1995-06-16 | Suspension | 1,193 | On certain vehicles, cracks may develop in the wheel mounting surface, and, should the cracks become severe enough, the wheel could completely separate from the vehicle. |
| 1995010 1995-01-31 | Steering | 82,835 | On certain vehicles, the rear engine cradle bolts may pull through due to corrosion of the retainers. If this should occur, the cradle would no longer be supported at these mounting locations and the steering shaft may separate from the... |
| 1994042 1994-03-01 | Suspension | 13,262 | On certain vehicles, the steel wheels may develop cracks in the wheel mounting surface and, should the cracks become severe enough, the wheel could completely separate from the vehicle. |
Show 4 more Canadian recalls
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991037 1991-03-05 | Emissions | 23,611 | Certain vehicles may not comply with CMVSS 1103 - Exhaust Emissions. Cracks may develop in the casing of the integrated direct ignition coil. Correction: Ignition coils will be inspected and replaced if necessary. |
| 1991022 1991-02-12 | Seats And Restraints | 40,417 | On certain vehicles, the front shoulder seat belt webbing may separate at the seat belt upper guide loops (driver and/or passenger side). |
| 1990173 1990-11-06 | Lights And Instruments | 62,052 | THE BRAKE STOPLAMP SWITCH CONTACTS MAY EITHER NOT CLOSE OR NOT OPEN RESULTING IN TWO POSSIBLE SETS OF CONDITIONS. FIRST, IF THE SWITCH CONTACTS WILL NOT CLOSE, THE BRAKE STOPLAMPS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT ENGAGE. |
| 1990044 1990-03-15 | Seats And Restraints | 42,748 | Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 210 - Seatbelt Assembly Anchorages. Anchor bolt may pull through the upper anchorage plate. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 435012A Jan 1995 | Service Brakes | ABS WARNING LIGHT IS ON. *TW | |
| 133405 Jan 1995 | Suspension | REAR STRUT RELATED THUMPING/SQUEAKING NOISE. *TW | |
| 435012 Dec 1994 | Service Brakes | ABS WIRE HARNESS FOR THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL MAY RUB ON THE BRAKE LINE CAUSING THE ABS WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON. *TW |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
- Pull and release every belt.A belt that retracts slowly or a buckle that will not latch matches this vehicle's seat-belt cluster.
- Sit in it with the engine off and test everything that has a switch.Windows, locks, lights, the cluster, the radio. Electrical faults are this vehicle's story and the hardest to see on a drive: an intermittent no-start waits for the second week of ownership. Ask for the battery's age and whether any control module has been replaced.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 6 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Oldsmobile Cutlass →