Vehicle make

OLDSMOBILE

13,862 NHTSA complaints and 34 safety recalls across 26 models, every figure pulled straight from federal records.

Complaints
13,862
Recalls
34
Models
26

How does OLDSMOBILE compare?

OLDSMOBILETOYOTAAll makes

Complaints per model(lower is better)Beats TOYOTA
OLDSMOBILE533
TOYOTA1,382
All makes500
Recalls per model(lower is better)Beats TOYOTA
OLDSMOBILE1.3
TOYOTA3.7
All makes3.4

OLDSMOBILE models by complaint volume

Top nameplates, all model-years combined

complaints

What this shows Within OLDSMOBILE's lineup, the ALERO carries the most NHTSA complaints. High-volume nameplates accumulate more filings simply because more of them are on the road, drill into a model for its per-year and per-component breakdown.

Source NHTSA consumer complaint database As of 2026

OLDSMOBILE is registered with NHTSA as a vehicle manufacturer and carries 13,862 consumer safety complaints across 26 nameplates in the Office of Defects Investigation public database. The brand has been the subject of 34 safety recalls and is currently tied to 13 active or historical federal investigations. Every one of those figures is pulled directly from NHTSA's published datasets, not from owner forums, manufacturer marketing, or third-party reliability surveys, so the numbers you see reflect the same data federal regulators use when they decide whether to escalate a preliminary evaluation into an engineering analysis or a formal defect order.

Model-level volume varies widely inside any automaker's portfolio: best-sellers accumulate complaints simply because more vehicles are on the road, while limited-run trims and discontinued nameplates often carry disproportionately high complaint rates per unit sold. Inside OLDSMOBILE's lineup, the single highest complaint count sits with the ALERO (2,934 filings, model years 1998–2004), followed by CUTLASS and INTRIGUE. Use the table below to compare nameplate-by-nameplate counts, then drill into a specific model to see which components dominate and which model years concentrate the crash, fire, and fatality reports.

No open NHTSA investigations are currently tracked against OLDSMOBILE in this dataset, meaning the Office of Defects Investigation is not, at this moment, reviewing a specific defect allegation for the brand. Recall status, by contrast, is backward-looking: it tells you what the manufacturer has already been compelled to remedy, not what they are being asked to remedy next. Together, complaints, investigations, and recalls form the three-layer early-warning system federal safety regulators have relied on since the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966.

Which OLDSMOBILE models get the most complaints?

ModelComplaints
ALERO2,934
CUTLASS2,251
INTRIGUE1,598
BRAVADA1,346
SILHOUETTE1,277
881,226
AURORA1,038
ACHIEVA625
98417
CUTLASS SUPREME387
CIERA354
CALAIS124
OLDSMOBILE84
CUSTOM CRUISER48
TORONADO45
SUPREME25
CUTLASS CIERA25
TOURING SEDAN17
DELTA 8811
TROFEO9
OLDSMOBILE TRUCK8
OMEGA5
FIRENZA4
U-VAN2
S/T UTILITY1
CUTLASS CALAIS1

NHTSA Investigations

View all 13 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints has OLDSMOBILE received?
OLDSMOBILE has received 13,862 NHTSA complaints across 26 models and 34 safety recalls.
Is OLDSMOBILE reliable?
OLDSMOBILE has 13,862 total NHTSA complaints across all models. Compare complaint counts per model and model year to identify which OLDSMOBILE vehicles have the fewest reported issues.
How do I check for OLDSMOBILE recalls?
Browse OLDSMOBILE models on PlainCars to see recall history by model and year, or visit NHTSA.gov and enter your VIN for official recall status. All recall data on PlainCars comes directly from NHTSA.
Where does OLDSMOBILE complaint data come from?
All complaint and recall data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are filed by vehicle owners and NHTSA publishes them publicly.
What do OLDSMOBILE complaints cover?
NHTSA complaints include consumer-reported issues with brakes, engines, airbags, steering, electrical systems, and other safety-related components. Each complaint may note crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths associated with the defect.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Top OLDSMOBILE Models

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.