Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme problems

Owners filed 173 complaints about the 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with NHTSA between Jun 1996 and May 2015. The most-cited component is air bags (32).

Complaints
173
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
13
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
15
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags32
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic29
  3. Electrical system22
  4. Engine and engine cooling22
  5. Steering13
  6. Power train12
  7. Vehicle speed control11
  8. Structure9
  9. Fuel system, gasoline8
  10. Seat belts7
  11. Suspension6
  12. Exterior lighting6
  13. Seats6
  14. Visibility3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19966
199722
199814
199918
200033
200117
200220
200311
200413
20057
20062
20072
20080
20091
20101
20111
20120
20130
20143
20152

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

32 reports9 crashes1 related recall
“DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WENT TO TURN THE CORNER AT A GREEN LIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR. THE AIR BAGS LIGHT HAS BEEN STAYING ON SINCE 2009.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 10, 2015Steering, Air bagsODI 10715553

Service brakes, hydraulic

29 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH IN DRY ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD, AND STOPPING DISTANCE WAS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED 5 MONTHS LATER WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, BUT NEVER RETURNED A CALL. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE, AND COULD A POSE SERIOUS RISK IF THE PROBLEM RECURRED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2006Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10171983

Electrical system

22 reports5 fires
“HI, I FILED MY COMPLAINT WITH YOU ON THE PHONE IN JANUARY. ANYWAY, I TRIED TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START, MY SECURITY LIGHT STAYED ON AND I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO BERGER CHEVROLET AT 2525 28TH STREET S.E. GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49512 (616)949-5200. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR 4102. MY VEHICLE WAS WITH BERGER CHEVY FROM JANUARY 02 TO JANUARY 05,2015. MY INVOICE STATES MY IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER AND TWO KEYS WERE REPLACED. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR $723.56. PLEASE HELP”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 17, 2015Electrical systemODI 10694945

Engine and engine cooling

22 reports
“LTR FM (FL) RE DEFECTIVE 1996 OLDSMOBILE CIERA. *TS THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE BATTERY HAD A LOW CHARGE AND THE VEHICLE WAS LOW ON FUEL AND OIL. THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE INDICATOR FOR THE FUEL NEVER GAVE AN ACTUAL READING OF THE FUEL IN THE TANK, IT FLUCTUATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND IT WAS HARD TO TELL HOW MUCH FUEL WAS ACTUALLY IN THE TANK. THE CONSUMER HAD A WATER PUMP INSTALLED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 29, 2005Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical systemODI 10146491

Steering

13 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THE SOUND WAS HEARD ANYTIME A TURN WAS MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V527000 (STEERING: RACK AND PINION) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2011SteeringODI 10381029

Power train

12 reports
“TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 55 MPH.TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE IN THE MIDST OF TRAFFIC AT 55 MPH WITHOUT ANY WARNING.THERE WAS NO NOISES NO SLIPPING OR ANY OTHER INDICATIONS.ONE MINUTE EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STOPS MOVING.IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IF YOUR IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND YOUR CAR SUDDENLY FAILS WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS WHAT SO EVER.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 20, 2001Power trainODI 744313
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.