Total Complaints
15 filings
OLDSMOBILE CIERA · model year
1986 OLDSMOBILE CIERA
15 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986OLDSMOBILECIERA carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 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 1986 CIERA is steering:hydraulic power assist system with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:drum (2). 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 1986 CIERA. 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.
15
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001016STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WHEN TRYING TO AVOID A CRASH BY SWERVING TO THE LEFT FRAME OF VEHICLE BROKE. DRIVER NOTICED FRAME WAS BROKEN WHEN VEHICLE BEGAN OVERHEATING. ENGINE FELL FORWARD AND CUT RADIATOR HOSE. MOTOR MOUNTS ARE THE ONLY ONES HOLDING UP THE ENGINE. A DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED BY THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY THE DEALERSHIP . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
19980730STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING UNIT IS FAILING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SOMETIMES BE HARD TO TURN AT RANDOM OR CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO WAIT A FEW MINUTE BEFORE STEERING RETURNED. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AT 66000 MILES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
19961231FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
19960925STEERING
WHEN TRYING TO PARK THE STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT DURING TIME THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BEEN BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN IN TO PARKING OR OUT OF A STREET AND BEHIND AND BETWEEN CARS, CONSUMER STATES GREAT EFFORT IS NEEDED IN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. *SLC
19960425ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAM NOISY. *DSH
19960425VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD CRACKED.
19960417STEERING:RACK AND PINION
STEERING LOCKS UP BRIEFLY WHEN CAR IS BEGINNING TO MOVE. *DSH
19960123VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
WHEN USING HEATER, SMELL OF ANTI FREEZE/GAS LIKE ODOR ENTERS INTO INTERIOR COMPARTMENT; CAUSES FILM TO BUILD UP ON WINDSHIELD; IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFROST. TT
19951031STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT THE STEERING FEELS STUCK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19951023STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THE STEERING EFFORT INCREASES DURING COLD WEATHER STARTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950620ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN YOU TRY TO START IN THE MORNING. TT
19950515SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
VEHICLES FRONT PASSENGER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE. TT
19950301SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
VEHICLES REAR BRAKING SYSTEM LOCK-UP WHEN HARD BRAKING OCCURS. TT
19950109SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REAR BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE. TT
19950105ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CAR STALLING INTERMITTENTLY. TT
Compare 1986OLDSMOBILECIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 OLDSMOBILE CIERA have?▼
The 1986 OLDSMOBILE CIERA has 15 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 OLDSMOBILE CIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 OLDSMOBILE CIERA is STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM.
Is the 1986 OLDSMOBILE CIERA 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.