OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME · model year

1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME

54 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996OLDSMOBILECUTLASS SUPREME carries 54 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 2 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 1996 CUTLASS SUPREME is air bags:frontal with 8 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (6) and electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (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 1996 CUTLASS SUPREME. 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.

54
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

54 filings

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

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES2
STEERING:RACK AND PINION2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE2
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1

Recent Complaints

20040820STEERING:RACK AND PINION

THE CONSUMER IS DISABLED WHICH PRECLUDES HER FROM DRIVING 30-40 MILES TO THE NEAREST OLDSMOBILE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A RACK AND PINION RECALL AND THE CONSUMER WANTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE THE NEAREST CHEVROLET DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE CHEVROLET DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT THAT THE REPAIRS COULD NOT BE DONE THERE. *PH *CB

20040430ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

WHILE DRIVING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT HOT. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC BEFORE THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SERVICED THE VEHICLE 4 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE, IN WHICH THE THERMOSTAT, THE WATER PUMP, THE RADIATOR AND THE INTAKE GASKET WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *LA

Mileage: 75,000

20040407ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE FOR A REGULAR MAINTENANCE TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING COOLANT, INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $410.00. *AK *NM

Mileage: 97,451

20040405ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

THE CONSUMER HEARD A TICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE NOISE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY NOTICED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE OIL. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE MANIFOLD IS MAKE OF PLASTIC. *NM

Mileage: 60,000

20040329ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CAR PROBLEMS WITH 1996 CUTLASS KEEPS STALLING I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED INTAKE GASKET PUT NEW BATTERY IN AN HAD OTHER REPAIRS THIS CAR ONLY HAS 96000 MILES. *AK

20040205CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES

THIS HAPPENED SOME TIME AGO BUT I RECENTLY READ OF AN INVESTIGATION THAT YOU HAVE UNDERTAKED AND DECIDED THAT THIS MAY BE RELEVANT. I ALSO HAVE SEEN SERVICE BULLETINS FOR THIS ISSUE. WHILE DRIVING, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BECAME DETACHED FROM THE ACCELERATOR AND I LOST ALL ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON A FREEWAY IN MORNING TRAFFIC. IT SEEMS THAT THIS SHOULD RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A RECALL. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE REGULAR LANE OF TRAFFIC AND THEN TO THE BERM BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND BEFORE I WAS REAR ENDED BY THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME. SINCE THERE IS DECELERATION WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS, THIS IS A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE WRECKER, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE ADVISED ME THAT THE CABLE WAS INSTALLED WTIHOUT A CLIP AND THAT THE MANUFACTURERER WAS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DEFECT BUT HAD NOT RECALLED THE VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM.

Mileage: 26,000

20040116STEERING:RACK AND PINION

WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE RIGHT IT LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE INSPECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINION AS STATED IN THE RECALL. *JB

20030930STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. DRIVER HAD MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND STOPPED VEHICLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP.*AK

Mileage: 58,675

20030924STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

STEERING IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN DURING LOW SPEED LEFT HAND TURNS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT.

Mileage: 78,000

20030923ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY

VEHICLE DID NOT GIVE ANY WARNING THAT THE BATTERY WAS DISCHARGING. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 55MPH ON INTERSTATE 95 IN MA. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AS I EXITED THE ROAD. SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED IN 4 YEARS. NO ICONS CAME ON TO WARN ME. FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE TO HAVE CAR STALLED AT EXIT WITH TRUCKS EGRESSING THE ROAD.

Mileage: 46,138

20030703ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

WHEN MAKING TURNS AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU DRIVE OVER A SLIGHT BUMP THE HEATER FAN WILL TURN ON BY ITSELF OR IF LISTENING TO THE RADIO THE STATION WILL CHANGE BY ITSELF. ALSO WHILE DRIVING THE AUTO DOOR LOCKS WILL SUDDENLY CLICK.THIS VEHICLE HAS TEMPERATURE AND RADIO CONTROLS INSTALLED ON STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO SERVICE THE RECALL IN REGARDS TO THE AIR BAG DEFECT I INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE PROBLEM THINKING IT MAY RELATE TO THE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG WIRING BUT I WAS TOLD THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS AND WERE ONLY REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT HAND WHICH WAS THE AIR BAG INFLATER.

Mileage: 54,000

20030305ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WE GOT A LOW COOLANT LIGHT ON OUR DASHBOARD, AND FOUND THE COOLANT RESEVOIR TO BE COMPLETELY EMPTY. THIS WAS LESS THAN 3K MILES SINCE THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS SERVICED - DRAINED, REFILLED, AND NEW RADIATOR HOSES INSTALLED. AFTER REFILLING, WE FOUND A SMALL COOLANT LEAK ON THE GROUND UNDER THE ENGINE (WHEN PARKED ON A DRY SURFACE INDOORS - NORMALLY THE CAR IS IN THE DRIVEWAY, WHERE SNOW, ICE, AND RAIN MAY HAVE MASKED A LONG-TIME SMALL LEAK). ON 3/3/03, OUR LOCAL MIDAS REPAIR SHOP FOUND THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS FAILING, CAUSING THE LEAK. IT WAS REPLACED (ALONG WITH THERMOSTAT AND SOME OTHER GASKETS, WHICH WERE LITTLE ADDITIONAL EXPENSE), AT A COST OF OVER $900. NOTE THAT THIS IS THE VEHICLE PRIMARILY USED BY MY (PREGNANT) WIFE AND OUR 2 YEAR OLD SON, AND THAT I MYSELF WORK ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME, SO WE WERE HEADED FOR INCOVENIENCE AT BEST, DISASTER AT WORST. NOTE THAT THE VEHICLE USES DEXCOOL COOLANT, AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR PROPER TREATMENT OF ITS ALUMINUM R

Mileage: 77,950

20030228VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES

THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE IN HALF, WHICH CAUSED THE GEARS TO STICK. *JB

Mileage: 92,000

20021011ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER RECALL WAS DONE THE AIRBAG SENOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE TO DO A TEST TO SEE WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. MR

20020925STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHILE STARTING UP THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A PUFF OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE RESTART ON IT OWN THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

20020829SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 TO 40 MPH, CONSUMER'S WIFE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ABS MODULATOR FAILED CAUSING TOTAL FAILURE OF THE BRAKES.*AK *JB

20020828ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL DEALER WHERE A FAULTY MODULE WAS REPLACED POSSIBLY RELATING TO THE RADIATOR HOUSING. CONSUMER CONTINUES TO RECEIVE RECALL O-00058S NOTICES AFTER THE DEALER SAID THEY DID THE RECALL WORK. MANUFACTURER SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE WORK BEING DONE. MANUFACTURER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY NOW SHOW THAT RECALL WORK HAS BEEN DONE AND THE MATTER IS CLOSED, HOWEVER, WHEN CONSUMER ASKED FOR A WRITTEN STATEMENT OF THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED, THEY REFUSED TO SEND A LETTER AND REFERRED CONSUMER BACK TO THE DEALER WHO RECENTLY STILL SENT REMINDER CARDS TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECALL WORK TO BE DONE. *TT

20020822UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE LIGHT WILL STAY ON. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

20020322AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

NHTSA# 00V171000 & MFR'S# 00058/INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT: CONSUMER STATES DEALER (TERRY CAPITAL OLDSMOBILE CADILLAC SUBARU; TRAVERSE CITY, MI; PHONE# 231/947-9090) INFORMED THAT THE RECALL REPAIRS WAS DONE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATES THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT DONE. DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR MANUFACTURUER RECALL. *AK *YH

20010823ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

VEHICLE STALLED AT ANY TIME/ ANY SPEED. MECHANIC REPLACED WIRING HARNESS, WIRES WERE MELTED. VEHICLE HAS NOT STALLED SINCE. CONSUMERS CONCERN WAS THAT SAME QUALITY WIRES MIGHT FAIL IN OTHER LOCATIONS OF VEHICLE.*AK

Compare 1996OLDSMOBILECUTLASS SUPREME to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME have?
The 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME has 54 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME?
The most-complained component for the 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH.
Is the 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME 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.