← New search

1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Cutlass years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 3 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Tires complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2000
Tires

ABOUT A 1.5 TO 2 YEARS AGO I PURCHASE A FIRESTONE 721 PASSENGER CAR TIRE. I ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR RIDING RUFF. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE TIRE AND TOLD THEM THAT MY TIRE WERE OUT OF BALANCE AND THAT THEY NEEDED REBALANCING. THEY SAID THAT MY RIMS WERE BENT, TH…

Read full complaint

ABOUT A 1.5 TO 2 YEARS AGO I PURCHASE A FIRESTONE 721 PASSENGER CAR TIRE. I ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR RIDING RUFF. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE TIRE AND TOLD THEM THAT MY TIRE WERE OUT OF BALANCE AND THAT THEY NEEDED REBALANCING. THEY SAID THAT MY RIMS WERE BENT, THEY REPLACED THEM AND IT STILL DIDN'T STOP THE VIBRATION. NEXT, THEY SAID MY REAR AXLE WAS BENT AND THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE VIBRATION. I DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS AT THE TIME TO REPLACE MY REAR ALXE I WOULD HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THE ROUGH RIDE. SHORTLY THERE AFTER, ON A TRIP TN THE VIBRATION GOT ALOT WORSE, UNTIL I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED SOMEONE HITTING THE SIDE OF MY CAR WITH A BASEBALL BAT I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND FOUND THAT THE NEW 721 THAT I BOUGHT THREADS CAME OFF AND HIT THE SIDE OF MY CAR KNOCKING THE TRIM OFF OF IT. I DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY TO MEMPHIS ON THE DONUT, ALSO, I NOTICE AS SOON AS I PUT THE SPARE ON AND WAS ON THE HIGHWAY THE VIBRATION I HAD PUT UP WITH FOR THE LAST YEAR COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED. IN MEMPHIS THEY GAVE ME ANOTHER 721 FIRESTONE TIRE THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE NOW, THAT WAS OVER A YEAR AGO. IN THE LAST WEEK, I HAVE NOTICED ANOTHER VIBRATION CROPPING UP IN MY CAR. I HAVE 3 NEW MICHELINS AND THE 721 THAT I GOT IN MEMPHIS ON MY CAR. WHEN I GET UP TO ABOUT 55MILES/HR THE VIBRATION GETS ALOT WORSE. I AFRAID THE 721'S BELTS ARE ABOUT TO SPLIT AGAIN. ALTOUGH THE 721 HAS OVER 60 TO 70 PERCENT OF IT'S THREAD LEFT. WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IN MY CASE?( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 195R14 )

NHTSA ODI #731764

Official recalls

4

85V048000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:drum:wheel Cylinders

Apr 29, 1985

EXCESSIVE ENLARGEMENT OF THE WHEEL CYLINDER PILOT HOLE IN THE REAR BRAKE BACKING PLATE COULD ALLOW THE WHEEL CYLINDER TO ROTATE AND CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID LEADS TO LOSS OF REAR BRAKE ACTION, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT. FRONT BRAKES WOULD REMAIN OPERATIONAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: ADD A PART TO PREVENT WHEEL CYLINDER FROM ROTATING.

84V149000 · Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft

Nov 24, 1984

REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE AXLES THAT WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE AXLE SHAFT AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY FROM THE VEHICLE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE REAR AXLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT WAS MANUFACTURED AT THE BUFFALO PLANT. IF SO, THEY WILL MAKE AXLE MEASUREMENTS AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE OR MODIFY AFFECTED AXLE COMPONENTS WITHOUT CHARGE.

81V025000 · Suspension:rear

Feb 25, 1981

THE BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE LOWER REAR CONTROL ARM TO THE FRAME MAY FRACTURE. THE REAR CONTROL ARM SUPPORTS AND POSITIONS THE REAR AXLE. FRACTURE OF THE BOLTS WOULD ALLOW THE CONTROL ARM TO DROP FREE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: BOTH REAR CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BOLTS WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE.

81V022000 · Visibility:glass, Side/rear

Feb 11, 1981

THE ELECTRO-CLEAR REAR WINDOW DEFOGGERS CONTAIN A DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE GLASS TO SHATTER WITHOUT IMPACT DURING OR SOME TIME AFTER USE OF THE DEFOGGER. VERTICAL ELECTRICAL STRIPS MAY DETERIORATE AND CAUSE HOT SPOTS THAT CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE REAR GLASS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED FOR PRESENCE OF A PARTICULAR WEATHERSTRIP. IF PRESENT, A LAYER OF A SPECIAL CONDUCTIVE EPOXY WILL BE ADDED TO THE VERTICAL BAR ON THE REAR WINDOW GLASS. THIS EPOXY IS A NEW CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL WHICH WILL NOT REACT WITH THE WEATHERSTRIP.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA86006 · Brake Backing Plate

Opened Nov 27, 1985 · Closed Nov 28, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

SUMMARY:GM IS CONDUCTING A VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN (85V-048)INVOLVING 2,136,826 VEHICLES. THE RECALL IS LIMITED TO VEHICLES BUILT ATCERTAIN ASSEMBLY PLANTS WHICH, ACCORDING TO GM, OVERTORQUED THE BRAKEPIPE NUT,THEREBY OVERSTRESSING THE WHEEL CYLINDER SUPPORT AREA OF THEBACKING PLATE.ANALYSIS:FRONT BRAKES PROVIDE SUFFICIENT BRAKING FOR PASSENGER CARSIN MOST NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. ALL AFFECTED TRUCKS ARE INCLUDED INTHE CURRENT RECALL.IN MOST CASES THE PROBLEM IS DISCOVERED DURING BRAKEMAINTENANCE.THE RECALL APPEARS TO COVER THOSE GROUPS OF CARS WITH THEHIGHEST FAILURE RATES.STATUS:ANALYZING GM IR RESPONSE AND NEW COMPLAINT DATA. DRAFT CLOSINGREPORT BY 5/15/88.===