Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass problems
Owners filed 140 complaints about the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass with NHTSA between Mar 1997 and Aug 2020. The most-cited component is steering (34).
Complaints
140
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Steering34
- Service brakes, hydraulic30
- Engine and engine cooling18
- Electrical system17
- Suspension10
- Power train9
- Air bags8
- Visibility8
- Seat belts5
- Exterior lighting4
- Fuel system, gasoline4
- Equipment4
- Structure4
- Vehicle speed control4
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 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
9
16
24
12
11
9
14
24
6
4
3
2
0
0
0
0
1
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 9 |
| 1998 | 16 |
| 1999 | 24 |
| 2000 | 12 |
| 2001 | 11 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 14 |
| 2004 | 24 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Steering
34 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“VECHILE RECENTLY STARTED MAKING GROANING NOISE WHEN STEERING AND FROM POWER STEERING PUMP. POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACE BACK IN 2011. TOOK TO GOODYEAR AND TECH INDICATED PUMP WAS FINE, PROBLEM POINT TO THE RACK AND PINION. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
30 reports2 crashes
“ABS LIGHT COMES ON VERY FREQUENTLY WHEN HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR MAKING A TURN. HAS DONE SO SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND HAS BEEN IN NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT PROBLEM, HAVING SEVERAL PARTS RELATING TO ABS AND BRAKES REPLACED. *NM”
Engine and engine cooling
18 reports
“INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED TWICE. FIRST REPAIRED AT MONROE SERVICE ON 11-18-2005 AT 76655 MILES THE COST WAS $731.16. SECOND REPAIR WAS AT GOODYEAR GEMINI ON 12-21-2006 AT 82274MILES. THE COST WAS $642.40. BOTH FACILITIES WERE ASE CERTIFIED. I HAVE BEEN AN ASSISTANT STORE MANAGER IN THE PAST FOR BOTH PROCARE AND GOODYEAR, AND RARELY SAW A FAILURE OF AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, EXCEPT IN EARLY FORIEGN ENGINES WITH ALUMINUM BLOCKS OR ALUMINUM HEADS OR BOTH. I JUST HAD A FRONT BRAKE OVERHAUL AT MIDAS, AND THE TECH NICIAN ASKED IF I HAD HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEINTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH SET ME OFF ON THIS SEARCH. I TALKED TO THE MANAGERS AT BOTH MONROE AND GOODYEAR ,AND BOTH SAID THEY HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE GASKETS THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO REPAIR. DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT, AND SAW THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OUT OF CANADA WAS BEING FILED. I COULD PROVIDE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION OF BOTH REPAIRS. TALKED TO GM ABOUT IT, AND AS I EXPECTED, SAID THAT I DIDN'T BRING IT TO A GM FACILITY FOR REPAIR, AND THAT IT HAD EXCESSIVE MILEAGE. I DID NOT CONSIDER 76665 OR 82274 AS EXCESSIVE MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR OF THE CAR OR THIS TYPE…”
Electrical system
17 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000. UPDATED 01/20/16*LJ *CN”
Suspension
10 reports
“DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT WHEELS TURNED OUTWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE LOWER LEFT BALL JOINT/CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT, AND THE CONTROL ARM WERE EITHER BROKE OR DAMAGED. TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE THE ABOVE MENTIONED COMPONENTS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. *AK”
Power train
9 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS FAILURE IN THE CIRCUIT. OCCASIONALLY, IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE GEARS ENGAGED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO REVERSE. BOTH FAILURES HAVE BEEN OCCURRING FOR TWO MONTHS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 208,627 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 205,583. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.