34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass cite steering, 24% of all 140 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.
“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”
“WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2010 FROM A USED CAR DEALER. UPON 6 MONTHS OF DRIVING WE NOTICED A STEERING PROBLEM THAT WAS HARD TO THE LEFT AND JUST DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT. THE ENGINE ALSO HAD OVERHEATING AND GASKET PROBLEMS SO WE HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED. UPON TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE MECHANIC WAS DRIVING AND THE POWER STEER HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE AND RAN HIM TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THEN BACK ANOTHER DIRECTION. UPON RETURN TO THE SHOP HE CONCLUDED THE ENTIRE RACK WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED REPLACED. AT THE TIME IN 2011 WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT GM RECALLED THE LOWER PINION BEARING IN THE POWER STEERING RACK IN 2003 SO WE HAD PAID FOR A NEW RACK AND PINION TO BE REPLACED. THERE EVIDENTLY WAS LEFTOVER DEBRIS IN THE RACK IN PINION FROM THE ORIGINAL PART FAILURE AND NOW HAS RUINED THE 2ND RACK AND PINION. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IN 2004 OUR CAR IS LISTED AS A CAR THAT WAS AFFECTED AND HAD BEEN SERVICED IN 2004 IN GEORGIA. THE ONLY THING REPLACED WAS A TINY SNAP RING, IN WHICH THE DETAILED REPAIR PDF STATES IN MULTIPLE INCIDENCES THAT IT IS UP TO THE MECHANIC TO DECIDE HOW MUCH FAILURE HAS TAKEN PLACE WHAT TO DO AND THAT ANY MISTEPS WILL LEAD TO OTHER PART FAILURES!! WE BOUGHT THIS…”
“I BOUGHT A 1997 CUTLASS SUPREME FROM GABRIEL JORDAN OF HENDERSON TEXAS. THERE IS A RECALL ON A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. IN THEIR WORDS: "CORRECTIVE SUMMARY: 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." THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY REFUSED TO REPLACE THIS EQUIPMENT EVEN THOUGH IT IS FAULTY. THEY CLAIM THEIR PARTS ARE NOT ON THE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A QUOTE OF $1,300 TO REPLACE IT.*JB”
“WHILE DRIVING STEERING JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. HOWEVER, CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK”
“WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE FRONT WHEELS BUCKLED AND THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE STEERING LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN MARCH 2004 FOR A RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENT. THE CONSUMER WAS WONDERING WHY THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS APPROACHING A RAIL ROAD TRACK, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AND THE VEHICLE HAD TAKEN OFF TO THE RIGHT. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FIXED OR THE DEALER PLACED THE WRONG PART ON THE VEHICLE. THE LOWER PINION BEARING WAS REPLACED. *SC *JB”
“THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO HONOR THE STEERING GEAR BEARINGS RECALL 03V527000. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE STEERING RACK, THEY INDICATED THAT IT WAS AN AFTER MARKET PRODUCTAND IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THE CORRECT PART FOR THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *AK *SC *JB”
Showing 6 of 34 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.