Problems · by component
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass service brakes, hydraulic problems
37 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass cite service brakes, hydraulic, 23% of all 163 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
37
23% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“98 OLDS CUTLASS. REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH IN VICINITY OF LR WHEEL . RESULTED IN SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING DUE TO LOSS OF ALL BRAKE FLUID. NO SEPARATE RESERVOIR FOR FRONT BRAKE FLUID. HEARD OF SIMILAR EVENT WITH SAME MODEL STYLE CHEVY MALIBU. NO YEAR KNOWN. *TR”
“THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED UNLESS THE LIGHT WAS ON. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE BRAKE WILL NOT WORK WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *AK *TS *NLM”
“THERE WAS A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE WHICH CAME FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL AREA WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE NEW BRAKE SHOES AND PADS EVERY 6-8 MONTHS. *AK *CB *NLM”
“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”
“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”
“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 CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE STEERING NOISES AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE COSTLY FOR THE LABOR TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT MAY NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY...THEY SAID SINCE IT'S ONLY MINOR AND IS NOT CAUSING ANY PROBLEMS IT WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER TO KEEP DRIVING IT UNTIL SOMETHING WENT WRONG TO WHERE THEY WOULD KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS COMING FROM....A COUPLE MONTHS LATER..IN MARCH 2003, THE ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON CONTINUOUSLY AND THE CAR WAS LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT....AFTER CHECKING THE CAR OUT, I HAD THE WATER PUMP REPLACED....IT HAS BEEN A WEEK NOW SINCE I'VE HAD THE WATER PUMP REPLACED AND THE ENGINE…”
Showing 6 of 37 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.