Total Complaints
44 filings
OLDSMOBILE CALAIS · model year
1989 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS
44 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989OLDSMOBILECALAIS carries 44 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1989 CALAIS is engine and engine cooling:engine with 6 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (4) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 13 investigation files overlapping the 1989 CALAIS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
44
Complaints
3
Crashes
2
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 6 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 3 |
| SEATS | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 2 |
| SUSPENSION | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| WHEELS:HUB | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001107ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON A STREET APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, ROUGH IDLE/ VEHICLE RAN HOT, AND TURNED OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
20000327CrashLATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
REAR ENDED WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHT BY SUB COMPACT SPEEDING AT APROX. 30 MPH. BOTH FRONT SEATS FOLDED BACK TO REAR SEATS (NON RECLINING TYPE) REAR DOORS JAMMED .MED. *AK
20000327CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
REAR ENDED WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHT BY SUB COMPACT SPEEDING AT APROX. 30 MPH. BOTH FRONT SEATS FOLDED BACK TO REAR SEATS (NON RECLINING TYPE) REAR DOORS JAMMED .MED. *AK
19991124SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER
WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT AT 30 MPH REAR LEFT STRUT BROKE LOOSE FROM ITS MOUNTING AND BUSTED THROUGH THE TRUNK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19990818FireFUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHILE DRIVING 25-30MPH VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. HAD NO WARNING. NOTICED FLAMES AROUND FLOORBOARD & COMING FROM THE TRUNK. PULLED OVER & LEFT VEHICLE. THE FUEL TANK EXPLODED. RECALL FOR FUEL LINE #92V150000. *AK
19990218FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
19990218VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
19990218ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
19990218ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
19990218ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
19961231SEATS
FRONT SEATS DO NOT LOCK IN POSITION.
19961219SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
PASSENGER'S SEATBACK LATCH FAILED, ALLOWING SEATBACK TO COME FORWARD TOWARD WINDSHIELD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK
19961114FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
19960923ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE OIL. (FIRST VEHICLE ON 601595)
19960509VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED.
19960509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CAR STALLS CONTINUALLY.
19960509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CRANKSHAFT EXPLODED.
19960509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
FAN MOTOR FAILED.
19960509ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WIRING REPLACED.
19960509ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
COOLANT TUBE FAILED.
Compare 1989OLDSMOBILECALAIS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS have?▼
The 1989 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS has 44 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM.
Is the 1989 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.