no report yet
Steering: rack and pinion
Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT.
1997 Oldsmobile CutlassProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 96 owner complaints about the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 27, 2020. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass has problems
96 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
24Service brakes, hydraulic1 crash/fire/injury
20Steering2 crash/fire/injury
15Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
15Engine and engine cooling
8Suspension
7Visibility
7Power train
6Air bags
6Exterior lighting
2512 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 24 | 1 |
| Steering | 20 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 15 | 0 |
| Suspension | 8 | 0 |
| Visibility | 7 | 0 |
| Power train | 7 | 0 |
| Air bags | 6 | 4 |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 0 |
| 12 other systems | 25 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Windshield wiper/washer: linkages
Risk. REDUCED VISIBILITY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Oldsmobile.
Best & worst years
1997 vs. every other Cutlass year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cutlass median. How we score
'67'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass safety ratings
1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
6 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass, and the recalls they led to.
- WINDSHIELD WIPERLed to recall 01V-068
- POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURELed to recall 02V-286
- WINDSHIELD WIPERNo recall
- STEERING RACK AND PINIONNo recall
- POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURENo recall
- WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURENo recall
In owners' words
What Cutlass owners report
Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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
SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1997, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, ONCE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED, AN $800 REPAIR. THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED, A $400 REPAIR. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING HOME THE…
ABS LIGHT COMES ON AT RANDOM TIMES, USUALLY DURING A TURN, BUT NO ADVERSE CONDITIONS OCCUR. WHEN DIAGNOSED, IT WAS STATED THAT THE SPEED SENSOR WAS BAD. I HAVE HAD BOTH FRONT SPEED SENSORS REPLACED ABOUT 3-4 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, AND SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT, I JUST DEAL WITH THE LIGHT. I…
Own a 1997 Cutlass?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.