Total Complaints
37 filings
OLDSMOBILE CIERA · model year
1989 OLDSMOBILE CIERA
37 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989OLDSMOBILECIERA carries 37 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 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 CIERA is vehicle speed control with 4 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (3) and seat belts:front:anchorage (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 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.
37
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020514STRUCTURE:BODY
WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH DURING HIGH WINDS, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE LANDAU ROOF HAD BLOWN OFF, MANUFACTUER NOTIFIED. *TT
20020214STRUCTURE:BODY
WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH DURING HIGH WINDS, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE LANDAU ROOF HAD BLOWN OFF, MANUFACTUER NOTIFIED. *TT
20010525SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
BRAKES LOCK WHEN WET, EVEN AFTER NEW BRAKES AND MASTER CYCLINDER INSTALLED , DOING IT SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW AND BOUGHT BY MY MOTHER WITH 3 MILES ON IT. ONE BRAKE OR ANOTHER WILL LOCK AFTER A RAIN STORM. AFTER CONTINUAL PUMPING THEY WILL DRY AND STOP LOCKING TILL THEY GET WET AGAIN. HAVE HAD ALL NEW PARTS PUT ON OVER YEARS OF WORK ON IT AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IT IS .
20010525SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
BRAKES LOCK WHEN WET, EVEN AFTER NEW BRAKES AND MASTER CYCLINDER INSTALLED , DOING IT SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW AND BOUGHT BY MY MOTHER WITH 3 MILES ON IT. ONE BRAKE OR ANOTHER WILL LOCK AFTER A RAIN STORM. AFTER CONTINUAL PUMPING THEY WILL DRY AND STOP LOCKING TILL THEY GET WET AGAIN. HAVE HAD ALL NEW PARTS PUT ON OVER YEARS OF WORK ON IT AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IT IS .
19991230FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
FUEL LINE RUSTED, CAUSING A FUEL LEAK WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE IF THERE WAS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. *AK
19990930ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE CROSSING A MAIN INTERSECTION CAR DIED, AND CONSUMER HAD TO MANUALLY GET OUT OF CAR. *AK
19990112ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
COMPUTER FAILED.
19981005TIRES:SIDEWALL
ALL 4 TIRES HAD DEEP CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALLS BY 30,000 MILES AND WERE REPLACED.
19980301VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL COMES ON BY ITSELF, EVEN WHEN TURNED COMPLETELY OFF, DURING HUMID OR DAMP DRIVING CONDITIONS.
19971229STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
BODY IS CRAKCING AT THE B-PILLAR, NEAR THE DOOR STRIKER BOLT, CAUSING THE DOORS TO CLOSE HARD AND MAY COME OPEN IN A CRASH.
19971104PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL
WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE BRAKE LEVER MAY RELEASE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC
19970714CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR THE VEHICLE'S THROTTLE STUCK IN A POSITION AND LOST CONTROL. THE CAR HIT A CAR/LAMP POST AND A HOUSE. *AK CAR ALSO HIT 2ND CAR. CAR WENT THROUGH LIVING ROOM WINDOW. *YH
19970611ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
HORN IS INOPERATIVE.
19970325SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN SEAT BELT RECALL PARTS.
19961231ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
COMPUTER FAILED TWICE.
19961115SEAT BELTS
CONSUMER STATES THAT DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER AND LAP BELTS ARE INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19960711WHEELS:RIM
ALL FOUR RIMS BROKEN. *SD
19960612SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PLASTIC CLIP ON REAR SEAT BELTS HAS DISINTEGRATED. *AK PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
19960509SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEATBELT RECALL REPAIRS DELAYED DUE TO SCHEDULING. *DSH
19960326CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DURING REAR IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK FELL BACKWARDS INTO THE REAR SEAT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Compare 1989OLDSMOBILECIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 OLDSMOBILE CIERA have?▼
The 1989 OLDSMOBILE CIERA has 37 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 OLDSMOBILE CIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 OLDSMOBILE CIERA is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE.
Is the 1989 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.