1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Problems and Recalls (46 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme is Airbags (22% of 46 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 46 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme?

10 of 46 filings named Airbags (22% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Engine (8 reports).

There are 2 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags and Steering. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1995 has 77 reports on file; this year has 46. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  3. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  4. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Airbags. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Airbags 10 complaints · 21.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 2
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 2
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 1995 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Airbags (AIR BAGS) appears in 10 of 46 owner complaints (21.7%) in this vehicle snapshot. Airbags (AIR BAGS): 10 complaints, 21.7% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 10 · 21.7% Engine (ENGINE): 8 complaints, 17.4% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 8 · 17.4% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 8 complaints, 17.4% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 8 · 17.4% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 7 complaints, 15.2% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 7 · 15.2% Steering (STEERING): 5 complaints, 10.9% of reports Steering (STEERING) 5 · 10.9% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 2 complaints, 4.4% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 crash reports 2 · 4.4% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 1 complaints, 2.2% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 · 2.2% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 2.2% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 2.2% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 1 complaints, 2.2% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 · 2.2% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 39 complaints, 84.8% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 39 · 84.8% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 10 21.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 8 17.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 8 17.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 7 15.2% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Steering (STEERING) 5 10.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 2 4.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 2.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 2.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 2.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 39 84.8% 2 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 1997; the first recall shown was reported in Jul 2000. 1997-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1998-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2000-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2001-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2001-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2002-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2002-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2004-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2004-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 Owner reports Jul 1997 Apr 2004 Recall campaign 00V171000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V171000 Recall campaign 03V527000 ◆ Recall campaign 03V527000 Investigation EA99026 ● Investigation EA99026 Investigation RQ03001 ● Investigation RQ03001 Investigation EA03019 ● Investigation EA03019
  • Campaign 03V527000 was reported 442 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1997-Q3 Owner reports 2
1997-Q4 Owner reports 1
1998-Q4 Owner reports 2
1999-Q1 Owner reports 2
1999-Q2 Owner reports 1
1999-Q3 Owner reports 1
1999-Q4 Owner reports 1
2000-Q1 Owner reports 1
2000-Q2 Owner reports 1
2000-Q3 Owner reports 6
2000-Q4 Owner reports 3
2001-Q1 Owner reports 3
2001-Q2 Owner reports 1
2001-Q3 Owner reports 2
2002-Q1 Owner reports 1
2002-Q3 Owner reports 4
2002-Q4 Owner reports 1
2003-Q1 Owner reports 2
2003-Q3 Owner reports 4
2004-Q1 Owner reports 3
2004-Q2 Owner reports 4
Recall campaign 1 00V171000
Recall campaign 1 03V527000
Defect investigation 1 EA99026
Defect investigation 1 RQ03001
Defect investigation 1 EA03019
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags and Steering.

  1. Recall campaign 00V171000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    IF THE CONSUMER IS TOO CLOSE TO AN INFLATING AIR BAG, SERIOUS INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE INFLATORS ON THESE AIR BAGS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 03V527000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    Consequence:
    IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES EVEN FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER EFFORT TO TURN LEFT AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED. WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT, WHICH REQUIRES INTERNAL GEAR COMPONENT DAMAGE, THE DRIVER CAN ENCOUNTER HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT. IN ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 46 complaints · page 1 of 2
2004-05-17Engine (ENGINE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10066715
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2004-04-30Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10071946
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2004-04-15Steering (STEERING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10067471
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2004-04-05Engine (ENGINE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10065565
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2004-03-29Engine (ENGINE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10064092
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2004-02-19Steering (STEERING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10055254
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2004-02-05Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10056596
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2003-09-30Steering (STEERING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10042007
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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
2003-09-24Steering (STEERING)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10039435
CrashFireInjuryDeath
STEERING IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN DURING LOW SPEED LEFT HAND TURNS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT.
2003-09-23Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10039389
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme?

Owners named Airbags most often — 10 of 46 reports (22%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags and Steering. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources