Total Complaints
22 filings
OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS · model year
1987 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS
22 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987OLDSMOBILECUTLASS carries 22 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 1987 CUTLASS is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 4 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (3) and steering:rack and pinion:rack (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 1987 CUTLASS. 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.
22
Complaints
2
Crashes
3
Fires
5
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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:GASOLINE | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 3 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010813POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO REAR AXLE DISCONNECTING FROM VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO CRASH INVOLVED, AND NO ONE WAS INJURED. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHTMENTS.*AK
20000918CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL HAS SLIPPED OUT, CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO GET STUCK. CONSUMER HAD TO QUICKLY SHUT OFF VEHICLE, BUT ENDED UP HITTING GUARDRAIL. *AK THE ROD SLIPPED OUT OF SERVO BAIL AND LODGED ON INTAKE MANIFOLD. *YH
20000918CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL HAS SLIPPED OUT, CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO GET STUCK. CONSUMER HAD TO QUICKLY SHUT OFF VEHICLE, BUT ENDED UP HITTING GUARDRAIL. *AK THE ROD SLIPPED OUT OF SERVO BAIL AND LODGED ON INTAKE MANIFOLD. *YH
19981014FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILURE CAUSING FIRE. OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT.
19980424ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.
19980424ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MUFFLER FAILED.
19980424ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED.
19980424STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
HOOD WAS REPLACED.
19980205SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
THE ENTIRE BACK OF THE FRONT BENCH SEAT HAS BENT BACKWARDS.
19971009FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE FRONT GRILL OF THE VEHICLE.
19961022SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HOUSING IS BROKEN AND IT KEEPS JAMMING. *AK
19961010FireFatalENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, CAUSING FATALITY.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)
19960725SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL NOT EXTEND SO THAT IT WILL FIT AROUND THE DRIVER. *AK
19960725SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL NOT EXTEND SO THAT IT WILL FIT AROUND THE DRIVER. *AK
19960315SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILS, NOT ALLOWING SEAT BELT TO BE PULLED OUT AND WORN. PARTS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. *AK
19951227SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT RETARCTORS. TT
19951025SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
FEMALE BUCKLE BASE SEPARATED THEREBY MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCK MALE PORTION OF SHOULDER LAP BELT INTO FEMALE BUCKLE BASE. TT
19950619STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL BOLTS ARE LOOSENING AND COMING OUT. TT
19950223POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. *AK
19950209STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
STEERING RACK BINDS. *AK
Compare 1987OLDSMOBILECUTLASS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS have?▼
The 1987 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS has 22 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK.
Is the 1987 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS 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.