Total Complaints
18 filings
OLDSMOBILE CALAIS · model year
1990 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS
18 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990OLDSMOBILECALAIS carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 5 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 1990 CALAIS is vehicle speed control with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc (1). 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 1990 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.
18
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020514VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN THE DRIVER PUT GEAR IN REVERES TO BACK OUT OF PARKING LOT, AND CAUSED ACCIDENT SERIOUSLY INJURING THE DRIVER AND DAMAGING THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INVESTIGATION BY THE MANUFACTURER. (THE ADDRESS IS THE OWNERS FATHER)*YH *TR
20011016VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN THE DRIVER PUT GEAR IN REVERES TO BACK OUT OF PARKING LOT, AND CAUSED ACCIDENT SERIOUSLY INJURING THE DRIVER AND DAMAGING THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INVESTIGATION BY THE MANUFACTURER. (THE ADDRESS IS THE OWNERS FATHER)*YH
20010917CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO REVERSE IT TOOK OFF AT HIGH SPEED WITHOUT APPLICATION OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER HITTING TREE AND FENCE. DEALER HAS SEEN THE VEHICLE.*AKAS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED, THE DRIVER ALSO SUSTAINED INJURIES, BROKEN RIBS, CRACKED COLLAR BONE, SPINE INJURY AND HEADACHES. *NLM
19990329STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
TRUNK RUSTED OUT DUE TO LEAKAGE.
19990125STRUCTURE:BODY
THE REAR SHOCK TOWERS OF THE CAR HAVE DEVELOPED RUST AT THE SEAM WHERE THEY MEET THE TRUNK FLOOR. THIS RUST HAS CAUSED HOLES TO FORM, AND THEREFORE WEAKENING THE ENTIRE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM OF THE CAR, AS WELL AS THE STRUCTURE OF THE REAR END. THE HOLES ALSO LEAK WATER INTO THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER. THE SEAMS HAVE ALSO TORN INTO THE FRONT PART OF THE REAR WHEEL WELLS AND NOW LEAK INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. SEVERAL BODY SHOPS HAVE TOLD ME THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO TEAR OUT ALL OF THE OLD STEEL AND PUT NEW STEEL IN. THIS WILL COST AROUND $2500.00. THEY HAVE ALSO SAID THEY HAVE SEEN MANY OLDMOBILE CALAIS LIKE THIS AND THE REASON FOR THIS RUST IS A MANUFACTUERS DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE TRUNK AND SHOCK TOWERS. *AK
19990125SUSPENSION:REAR
THE REAR SHOCK TOWERS OF THE CAR HAVE DEVELOPED RUST AT THE SEAM WHERE THEY MEET THE TRUNK FLOOR. THIS RUST HAS CAUSED HOLES TO FORM, AND THEREFORE WEAKENING THE ENTIRE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM OF THE CAR, AS WELL AS THE STRUCTURE OF THE REAR END. THE HOLES ALSO LEAK WATER INTO THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER. THE SEAMS HAVE ALSO TORN INTO THE FRONT PART OF THE REAR WHEEL WELLS AND NOW LEAK INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. SEVERAL BODY SHOPS HAVE TOLD ME THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO TEAR OUT ALL OF THE OLD STEEL AND PUT NEW STEEL IN. THIS WILL COST AROUND $2500.00. THEY HAVE ALSO SAID THEY HAVE SEEN MANY OLDMOBILE CALAIS LIKE THIS AND THE REASON FOR THIS RUST IS A MANUFACTUERS DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE TRUNK AND SHOCK TOWERS. *AK
19981203CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTED. *AK
19980914VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
TWO SMALL WINDOWS ON EACH SIDE OF VEHICLE, LOCATED IN REAR, CAUSE LEAKAGE WITHIN THE OVERHEAD UPHOLSTERY AND INTO THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THAT THE WINDOWS WERE NOT SEALED AT THE FACTORY. OWNER WISHES TO BE COMPENSATED FOR COST OF REPAIRS. *AK *ML
19960923ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE OIL. (SECOND VEHICLE ON 508114)
19960310SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE ATTACHED TO DOORS, CAUSING INABILITY TO HOLD DRIVER/PASSENGER SECURE IF DOOR OPENS DURING ACCIDENT. *SKD
19950703CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE FRONT AND BACK BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WAS CHANGE AT 7,000 MILES, CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND FAILED . *AK
19950525ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL PAN MADE OF ALUMINUM, CAUSING AN OBJECT FROM STREET TO KNOCK A HOLE IN OIL PAN, LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE, RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. *AW
19950404CrashSEATS
WHEN REAR ENDED, DRIVERS SEAT BOLT SEVERED ALLOWING SEAT TO FLIP BACKWARDS. DRIVER RECEIVED LOWER LEG INJURIES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19950317ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
AT 47,000 MILES THE WHOLE ENGINE BLEW. TT
19950317SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
FRONT BRAKES PULSATE WHEN STOPPING. *AK
19950317ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
REPLACED NOISY MUFFLER. *AK
19950317STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
REPLACED POWER STEERING BELT. *AK
19950317ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
REPLACED ALTERNATOR BELT. *AK
Compare 1990OLDSMOBILECALAIS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS have?▼
The 1990 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS has 18 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 OLDSMOBILE CALAIS is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC.
Is the 1990 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.