Total Complaints
24 filings
OLDSMOBILE CIERA · model year
1990 OLDSMOBILE CIERA
24 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990OLDSMOBILECIERA carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 0 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 1990 CIERA is vehicle speed control with 4 filings, followed by electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator (2) and structure:body:door:hinge and attachments (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 1990 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.
24
Complaints
7
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
7 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 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020822STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
BEGAN NOTICING STEERING COLUMN WOULD NOT STAY LOCKED INTO DESIRED ANGLE. FURTHER NOTICED ENTIRE WHEEL WOULD HAVE SIDE-TO-SIDE MOVEMENT. AT THIS STAGE IT HAS ABOUT 1-INCH PLAY IN ALL DIRECTIONS, FEEL UNSAFE WHEN STEERING. REPAIR SHOP SAID IT IS COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS CAR; REPAIR INVOLVES REMOVING MOST UPPER COMPONENTS AND TIGHTENING 2 BOLTS AT BASE OF COLUMN AT DASHBOARD. BECAUSE OF COMPLEXITY OF DISASSEMBLY, REPAIR REQUIRES 2 TO 3 HOURS @ $75/HOUR NYC RATES. I FEEL THIS TYPE OF DEFECT SHOULD HAVE SOME RECOURSE THROUGH MANUFACTURER SINCE THIS IS A MAJOR DRIVEABILITY ISSUE WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF NOT CORRECTED.*AK
20000405STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
BACK DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE. WHILE DRIVING, DOOR MAY COME OPEN WHEN CHILDREN ARE IN THE BACK. *AK
19981204CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
CONSUMER STARTED AUTOMOBILE AND THE PAWL WAS IN PARK. WHEN SHE PLACED IT IN DRIVE THE AUTOMOBILE SUDDLENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. *AK
19971017VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FUEL THROTTLE LINKAE SYSTEM PROBLEM.
19970627ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINES STALLS.
19970627VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
ENGINE RACES WHEN FIRST STARTED.
19970310CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHEN TAKING VEHICLE OUT OF PARK WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKE, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO INCREASE ITS SPEED, RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK
19961231ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP FAILED 3 TIMES.
19961231ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
19961231EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
A/C LEAKS DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION AT FACTORY.
19961231VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS INOPERATIVE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
19960601STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FELL ALMOST 3 INCHES DUE TO RUSTY HINGE/POOR WELDING. *SD
19960212ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND BRAKE AND STEERING ABILITY IS LOST, DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS. TT
19960131SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS BROKEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19951108CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING AND CAR ACCELERATED CAUSE AN ACCIDENT . TT
19951102CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD FROM PARKED POSITION, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *SKD
19951101CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SHOULDER/LAP BELT DOES NOT LOCK UP UPON IMPACT; VEHICLE REARENDED, SHOVED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE; OCCUPANTS HIT WINDSHIELD AND STEERING WHEEL
19950828ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE CAMSHAFT BROKE. TT
19950711ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK
19950711EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT
FLASHERS FAILED, ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. *AK
Compare 1990OLDSMOBILECIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 OLDSMOBILE CIERA have?▼
The 1990 OLDSMOBILE CIERA has 24 NHTSA complaints, 7 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 OLDSMOBILE CIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 OLDSMOBILE CIERA is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS.
Is the 1990 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.