OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS · model year

1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS

193 NHTSA complaints, 11 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1993OLDSMOBILECUTLASS carries 193 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 11 crashes, 6 fires, 8 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 1993 CUTLASS is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components with 11 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (11) and equipment:appliance:air conditioner (8). 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 1993 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.

193
Complaints
11
Crashes
6
Fires
8
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

193 filings

Crashes Reported

11 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS11
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP11
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER8
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER7
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL6
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR5
UNKNOWN OR OTHER5
SEATS4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR4

Recent Complaints

20180117EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

1993 CUTLASS CIERA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIR CONDITIONER CONVERSION KIT UPGRADE AND POWER STEERING ISSUES. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DECLINED ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE VEHICLE'S AGE AND MILEAGE. ALSO, THE A/C CONVERSION KIT WAS NOT INSTALLED AT A GMC DEALER. *JS

20180117STEERING

1993 CUTLASS CIERA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIR CONDITIONER CONVERSION KIT UPGRADE AND POWER STEERING ISSUES. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DECLINED ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE VEHICLE'S AGE AND MILEAGE. ALSO, THE A/C CONVERSION KIT WAS NOT INSTALLED AT A GMC DEALER. *JS

20130320EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR HAS A DECAL ON THE UNDERSIDE STATING THAT THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. A FUSE IS IN THE BOX, WHERE IT INDICATED AN AIR BAG FUSE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO AIR BAG. THE CONSUMER STATED GM FAILED TO NOTIFY CONSUMERS THAT SOME OF THE VEHICLES PRODUCED COULD HAVE AN ERRONEOUS DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DECAL STATING THAT THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG. UPDATED 04/18/13

Mileage: 206,000

20060608ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID WAS OBSERVED ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED ALONG THE FITTINGS. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STORED IN A GARAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 93V121000 REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES LINES, PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THE VEHICLES VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 6/23/2006 - THE VEHICLE'S OIL PAN, TRANSMISSION PAN AND GAS TANK ALSO RUSTED. . *NM

Mileage: 31,493

20060608POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID WAS OBSERVED ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED ALONG THE FITTINGS. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STORED IN A GARAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 93V121000 REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES LINES, PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THE VEHICLES VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 6/23/2006 - THE VEHICLE'S OIL PAN, TRANSMISSION PAN AND GAS TANK ALSO RUSTED. . *NM

Mileage: 31,493

20060608FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID WAS OBSERVED ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED ALONG THE FITTINGS. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STORED IN A GARAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 93V121000 REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES LINES, PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THE VEHICLES VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 6/23/2006 - THE VEHICLE'S OIL PAN, TRANSMISSION PAN AND GAS TANK ALSO RUSTED. . *NM

Mileage: 31,493

20060608SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID WAS OBSERVED ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED ALONG THE FITTINGS. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STORED IN A GARAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 93V121000 REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES LINES, PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THE VEHICLES VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 6/23/2006 - THE VEHICLE'S OIL PAN, TRANSMISSION PAN AND GAS TANK ALSO RUSTED. . *NM

Mileage: 31,493

20040910STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE HIS FRIEND WAS DRIVING SHE HEARD A NOISE, GOT OUT, AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUB FRAME ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BROKE. ALSO, ANOTHER CRACK STARTED ON THE A FRAME ON THE OTHER SIDE. *AK

20040612CrashSTEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR

ON JUNE 10TH, TWO DAYS AGO, I TOTALED MY 93 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME ON I-93 IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WHILE MY YEAR (93) HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED, 88 -91 WERE ALL RECALLED FOR SEPARATION OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FROM THE STEERING GEAR AS A RESULT OF CORROSION OF 2 BOLTS WHERE ROAD SALT USE IS HIGH, INCLUDING IN MASSACHUSETTS. I HAVE BEEN COMMUTING FROM BOSTON TO HANOVER NH TO TEACH FOR THE PAST 10 WEEKS. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO I STARTED WORRYING ABOUT STEERING. HAD TWO REAR TIRES REPLACED LAST WEEK AND ON THE DAY OF THE CRASH A BALL JOINT AND A TIE ROD REPLACED AND AN ALIGNMENT. BUT ON 93 SOUTH IN LONDONDERRY I STARTED TO MOVE INTO THE PASSING LANE, SAW A CAR THAT HAD BEEN IN MY BLIND SPOT SO SWERVED A BIT TO THE RIGHT. BUT I COULD NOT STRAIGHTEN MY CAR OUT - IT JUST KEPT GOING RIGHT, THEN IT SWERVED TO THE LEFT, I CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL, BOUNCED BACKWARDS AND STOPPED HORIZONTALLY TO THE TRAFFIC BLOCKING BOTH LINES OF TRAFFIC. AT FIRST I ASSUMED I WAS AT FAULT FOR

Mileage: 120,000

20040321ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY DIG. DASH WORK HALF THE TIME AND NOT THE REST. I CAN NOT SEE MY SPEED, GAS OR MILEAGE. ALSO EVERY NOW AND THEN SMOKE COME OUT FROM MY STEERING COLUMN. *JB

20030924UNKNOWN OR OTHER

AIR BAG SPLIT 1 1/2 INCHES. *MR THE VINYL WHICH COVERED THE AIR BAG SPLIT. *SCC *JB

20030910LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

DOOR HANDLES NO LONGER WORK FROM THE OUTSIDE. CHILDREN TRYING TO OPEN THEM AFTER THEY ARE BROKEN GET THEIR FINGERS PINCHED .*AK

Mileage: 110,000

20030830SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

MY 1993 OLDS CUTLASS SL HAS HAD BRAKE CALIPERS REPLACED TWICE IN A YEAR IN THE REAR WITH GM PARTS ONCE IN THE FRONT. ALL ROTORS REPLACED, TWICE IN THE FRONT. THE HOP I TAKE THE CAR FOR SERVICE SAYS THE CUTLASS HAS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE COMPONENTS ON THIS CAR. I WASN'T NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALL. ANY INFORMATION ON THIS YOU COULD GIVE TO ME WOULD BE GREAT. I FEEL I SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECOUP SOME OF THE COST FROM GM. THE SHOP TOLD ME THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ON THE BRAKE PROBLEMS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHO TO CONTACT. THANKS.*AK

20030829CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE FOR A TURNING CAR AND WAS UNABLE TO SLOW DOWN. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS WERE SEIZED.*AK

20030729WHEELS

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN REAR RIGHT AXLE BROKE AND THE WHEEL FELL OFF. ALL THE LUG S:NUTS AND STUDS THAT GO INTO THE DRUM WERE STILL IN TACK.*AK

Mileage: 136,000

20030729POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN REAR RIGHT AXLE BROKE AND THE WHEEL FELL OFF. ALL THE LUG S:NUTS AND STUDS THAT GO INTO THE DRUM WERE STILL IN TACK.*AK

Mileage: 136,000

20021118SEAT BELTS:FRONT

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN PUTTING ON THE SEAT BELT IT WOULD TIGHTEN UP ENOUGH FOR IT TO FIT THE CONSUMER PROPERLY. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED TS

20021031SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ENGINE AND ALSO STATED THAT HAS GONE TO A PRIVATE MECANIC AND HAD STATED THAT ARMONIC BALANCE HAD TO BE CHANGE BUT WAS NEVER DONE. ALSO STATED THAT VISITED A DEALER AND ALSO WAS TOLD THAT THE MODULE ON THE IGNITION HAD TO BE REPLACED BUT IT WAS NEVER DONE. TS

20020531SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING AND BRAKES DIDN'T HOLD WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. CONTACTED DEALER. RIGHT REAR BRAKE HOSE WAS LEAKING WHERE IT WAS NEXT TO THE CALIPER. RECOCKED CALIPER, AND BLED MASTER CYLINDER SYSTEM.

20020531SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING AND BRAKES DIDN'T HOLD WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. CONTACTED DEALER. RIGHT REAR BRAKE HOSE WAS LEAKING WHERE IT WAS NEXT TO THE CALIPER. RECOCKED CALIPER, AND BLED MASTER CYLINDER SYSTEM.

Compare 1993OLDSMOBILECUTLASS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS have?
The 1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS has 193 NHTSA complaints, 11 crashes, 6 fires, 8 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS?
The most-complained component for the 1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS with 11 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER.
Is the 1993 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.