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1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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: 4 of 136 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports7 fire reports6 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

22 reports
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135,000 miles · Jun 22, 2005
Electrical System

DT: PROBLEM BEGAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. PROBLEM WAS NOTICED WHILE IN MOTION. IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN WHEN IT WAS HOT OUTSIDE. VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERHEATING. THEN, LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS WENT OUT AS WELL AS THE HORN. UPON INSPECTION BY THE MECHANIC, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A BA…

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DT: PROBLEM BEGAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. PROBLEM WAS NOTICED WHILE IN MOTION. IT SEEMED TO HAPPEN WHEN IT WAS HOT OUTSIDE. VEHICLE WAS NOT OVERHEATING. THEN, LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS WENT OUT AS WELL AS THE HORN. UPON INSPECTION BY THE MECHANIC, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A BAD SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN ,AND THE WIRES WERE FRAYED. VEHICLE IS NOW IN THE SHOP. OWNER CONTACTED GM, AND PROVIDED HER VIN, WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO RECALLS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10126258

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2005
Electrical System

OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME 1992 COMPUTER IN DASH MALFUNCTION. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE HOW FAST SHE WAS TRAVELING OR HOW MUCH GAS SHE HAD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10113445

130,000 miles · Jul 7, 2004
Electrical System

MY CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING OR PRIOR OCCURANCE. WOULD NOT RE-START. AFTER 6-8 DANGEROUS MINUTES STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, THE CAR STARTED AND I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY IGNITION MODULE AND WAS REPAIRED. A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH ON THE …

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MY CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING OR PRIOR OCCURANCE. WOULD NOT RE-START. AFTER 6-8 DANGEROUS MINUTES STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, THE CAR STARTED AND I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY IGNITION MODULE AND WAS REPAIRED. A SHORT TIME PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, I WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF A SUDDEN POWER FAILURE AND STALLED CAR IN THE MIDST OF FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC. WHILE I REALIZE THAT 12-YEAR-OLD PARTS WILL FAIL DUE TO AGE, I WONDER IF A BACK-UP POWER SOURCE COULD NOT BE MADE AVAILABLE AT LEAST TO BE ABLE TO BRING THE CAR SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. OR IS THE POSSIBILITY OF STALLING JUST A PRESUMED AND ACCEPTED HAZARD OF DRIVING? *AK

NHTSA ODI #10080523

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
Electrical System

STARTER AND ALTERNATOR GOING BAD AND JUST REPLACED BATTERY IM TRYING TO FIND IF STARTERS OR ALTERNATORS HAVE BEEN RECALLED ON AN 1992 OLDS. CUTLASS SUPREME SL. *CB

NHTSA ODI #10053279

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2003
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

PROBLEMS WITH FENDER SCRATCHES ON BODY, DAMAGE AXLE BOOT, MOTOR DAMAGE, SPARK PLUGS, EXHAUST, ETC...*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE REPAIR SHOP DAMAGED THE VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THEIR CARE. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND THE BATTERY EXPLODED. *PH THE RPM'S ON THE VEHICLE RACED E…

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PROBLEMS WITH FENDER SCRATCHES ON BODY, DAMAGE AXLE BOOT, MOTOR DAMAGE, SPARK PLUGS, EXHAUST, ETC...*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE REPAIR SHOP DAMAGED THE VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THEIR CARE. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED AND THE BATTERY EXPLODED. *PH THE RPM'S ON THE VEHICLE RACED EXTREMELY HIGH, IT WAS DETERMINED THERE WAS A VACUUM LEAK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, ALSO THE OIL PAN GASKET WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH WERE CAUSED BY THE REPAIR SHOP AS WELL AS OTHER DAMAGES INCURRED BY THEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10042081

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2002
Electrical System

THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8017499

Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2002
Electrical System

SMOKE POURS OUT STEERING COLUMN EACH TIME VEHICLE IS STARTED UP. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED AFTER IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED 2 YEARS AGO. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8011389

Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2001
Electrical System

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #754246

Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 2001
Electrical System

CONSUMER WAS TURNING A CORNER WHEN SMOKE CAME FROM STEERING COLUMN AND DIRECTIONAL LIGHT FAILED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #887156

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 1999
Electrical SystemFire

VEHICLE WAS NOT IN A CRASH, IGNITION MODULE AND DISTRIBUTOR WIRES CAUGHT ON FIRE, CAUSE UNKNOWN

NHTSA ODI #713366

Official recalls

3

95V173000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

Sep 15, 1995

THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH REAR OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGES THAT MAY NOT WITHSTAND THE REQUIRED LOAD. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO.210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN A COLLISON, STRESS CAN CAUSE THE ATTACHMENT METAL TO TEAR AND ALLOW THE ANCHORAGE TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT PROTECT AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING ANCHOR BOLTS WITH A NEW SHOULDER BOLT AND THREAD LOCKING ADHESIVE. ADDITIONALLY, NOISE CONTROL PATCHES WILL BE APPLIED AT EACH ANCHORAGE.

92V066000 · Electrical System:wiring

May 11, 1992

THE OPTIONAL REMOTE ENTRY MODULE MAY HAVE A FAULT WHICH CAUSES RANDOM ACTUATION OF INTERIOR LAMPS, DOOR LOCKS, AND/OR TAILGATE RELEASE. THIS ACTUATION MAY OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN USE OR UNATTENDED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE TAILGATE RELEASE ACTUATES, THE TAILGATE WILL OPEN.UNRESTRAINED PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT AREA COULD FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLEWHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, AND RECEIVE SERIOUS INJURIES.

Remedy: REPLACE THE REMOTE ENTRY MODULE WITH A NEWLY REVISED MODULE TO PREVENT RANDOM ACTUATION.

91V214000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Dec 6, 1991

THE REVERSE SERVO APPLY PIN MAY BIND IN THE CASE WHICH COULD CAUSE REVERSE BAND DISTRESS (LOSS OR SLIPPING OF REVERSE), REVERSE BAND DRAG IN DRIVE RANGE (POOR PERFORMANCE -- POOR POWER), OR THE TRANSMISSION TO REMAIN IN REVERSE WHILE THE SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS NEUTRAL GEAR POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE TRANSMISSION REMAINS IN REVERSE WHILE THE SHIFTINDICATOR SHOWS NEUTRAL, THE VEHICLE MAY UNEXPECTEDLY MOVE REARWARD AND RESULTIN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE TRANSAXLE WHERE REQUIRED.

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

2

PE94063 · Corroded Rear Disk Brakes

Opened Aug 12, 1994 · Closed Dec 21, 1994

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

There is no summary currently available

PE94048 · SUB-FRAME Absorber Failure

Opened Jun 21, 1994 · Closed Dec 30, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

There is no summary currently available