The 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,329,813 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. Last updated July 5, 2026.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULL THROUGH…
IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
IF WHEEL SEPARATION OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OCCURS, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING DATE CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL ASSEMBLY.
CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
IF WHEEL SEPARATION OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OCCURS, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL ASSEMBLY.
FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT FASTENER MAY PULL THROUGH DOOR MOUNTED ANCHOR PLATE.
SEAT BELT MAY NOT SUSTAIN LOADS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, AND IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT MAY NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN A PASSENGER, RESULTING IN INCREASED RISK OF GREATER INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT.
REPLACE FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT NUTS AND INSTALL NEW GUIDE COVER.
A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF).
SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY COULD CATCH ON ENGINE COMPONENTS ANDRESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE WITH POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.
INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.
THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE MAY BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER.
PARKING BRAKE CANNOT BE PROPERLY APPLIED AND VEHICLEWILL NOT MEET THE GRADE HOLDING REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 105.
INSTALL A RETAINER ON LEFT REAR CALIPER IF CABLE IS NOT ALREADY RETAINED WITH A COTTER PIN AND ADJUST PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“While driving the vehicle became fully engulfed in fire. *ph *nm”
“Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 mph the steering went out in the vehicle. The vehicle was pulled off the side of the road without incident. The vehicle was towed to independent repair shop and the rack and pinion was replaced. There is a nhtsa recall, # 03v527000, regarding the steering…”
“Brakes failed, and vehicle started to surge forward.*ak”
“Brakes failed, and vehicle started to surge forward.*ak”
“Fuel lines are rusting and will need to be replaced. Please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak”
“1.) the drivers side door sags and the hinges are rusty. The door looks as though it will fall off at any time. The passenger door has already fallen off once, I have replaced the hinges. When it fell off, we were stopped, but it almost fell on my cousin's leg. 2.) the car does not start like…”
“1.) the drivers side door sags and the hinges are rusty. The door looks as though it will fall off at any time. The passenger door has already fallen off once, I have replaced the hinges. When it fell off, we were stopped, but it almost fell on my cousin's leg. 2.) the car does not start like…”
“1.) the drivers side door sags and the hinges are rusty. The door looks as though it will fall off at any time. The passenger door has already fallen off once, I have replaced the hinges. When it fell off, we were stopped, but it almost fell on my cousin's leg. 2.) the car does not start like…”
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ON APRIL 1, 1997, GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION FILED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO RECALL THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, REGISTERED IN 14 HIGH CORROSION STATES, TO REPLACE THE REAR ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.THE REAR ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS WOULD EITHER FRACTURER OR PULL THROUGH THE RETIANERS DUE TO CORROSION.AS OF…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.