Your vehicle report
1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 139
- Received Jan 1995 to Jan 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract10 complaints · 7.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines9 complaints · 6.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring8 complaints · 5.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #95V173000These vehicles were assembled with rear outboard safety belt anchorages that may not withstand the required load. This does not comply with FMVSS NO.210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
- Recall #94V211000The brake lines can contact the transmission mounting bracket of the frame side rail. The lines can wear through resulting in loss of brake fluid, and eventual loss of half the vehicle braking system.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 11 crashes, 6 fires, 8 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 17 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Check engine light comes on repeatedly
- Transmission fails or loses power while driving
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 28 |
| 1996 | 19 |
| 1997 | 16 |
| 1998 | 13 |
| 1999 | 12 |
| 2000 | 19 |
| 2001 | 15 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 139 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 10 | 7.2% | – | NHTSA recall #95V173000 |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 9 | 6.5% | – | NHTSA recall #93V121000, #94V211000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 8 | 5.8% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 8 | 5.8% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 8 | 5.8% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 8 | 5.8% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 7 | 5.0% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 6 | 4.3% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 4 | 2.9% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 4 | 2.9% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Brake master cylinder leaks fluid and fails | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 3 | 2.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #95V173000September 15, 19952,216,325 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: anchorage
These vehicles were assembled with rear outboard safety belt anchorages that may not withstand the required load. This does not comply with FMVSS NO.210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Consequence of non-compliance: in a collison, stress Can cause the attachment metal to tear and allow the anchorage to separate from the body of the vehicle. The safety belt may not protect an occupant in the event of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the existing anchor bolts with a new shoulder bolt and thread locking adhesive. Additionally, noise control patches will be applied at each anchorage.
NHTSA recall #94V211000October 26, 199470,676 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
The brake lines Can contact the transmission mounting bracket of the frame side rail. The lines Can wear through resulting in loss of brake fluid, and eventual loss of half the vehicle braking system.
A leak in the hydraulic brake line will cause a loss of one half the vehicle braking system and extended braking distances which Can result in an accident.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for proper brake line clearance and reposition the brake lines. Brake lines found to have indentations will be replaced.
NHTSA recall #93V121000July 21, 19932,848 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
The brake hoses were manufactured incorrectly, and do not comply with FMVSS 106, "brake hoses."
The improperly manufactured brake hoses Can causereduced brake effectiveness and/or uneven braking, which could result in anaccident.
Remedy
Replace the right front brake hose assembly on ciera and century models, and both rear brake hoses on cavalier and sunbird models.
NHTSA recall #93V035000March 9, 19935,574 vehicles affected
seats
The driver and passenger front seat manual reclining mechanisms do not comply with the requirements of FMVSS 207, "seating systems." the seat back mechanisms will not latch under certain conditions.
The seats may recline without prior warning, resultingin a hazard to seat occupants and possible loss of vehicle control.
Remedy
Replace the manual seat recliner mechanism with a mechanism that complies with FMVSS 207.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN