1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme problems
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Brakes is the most reported problem area, at 31% of complaints. Next are steering (24%) and engine (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 62 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 31% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 3 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 3 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 53,000 miles 22 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 9 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 5 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 3 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 1 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 1 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 22 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 52,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 3 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 3 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 5 model years of the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with enough data (23 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
My wife was traveliing southbound on il tollway I94 when she proceded to brake for a toll plaza. She applied her brakes and had no response. She began attempting to brake about 500 feet from the plaza. The anti-lock brakes never responded and to her recollection the brakes never went on. She hit a cement barrior while trying to find a clear lane to pass through. This problem has been intermittant throughout the ownership of the car. When I have the vehicle looked at, no problems are found.
Consumer was injured when her vehicle crashed into a telephone pole after she experienced lower pinion bearing separation.
The passenger's door caught on fire for no apparent reason, without prior warning and no previous problems with the door. Cause unknown. Dealer cannot determine problem. Please provide details.
While driving and without warning steering wheel locked up. Dealer replaced rack and pinion and right axle. The vehicle was taken tot he dealer where they found the lower pinion bearing damaged, dust cap missing, power steering pump leaking, serpentine belt cracked and the right axle boot torn, which caused axle noise. The dealer replaced the rack and pinion, axle seal, replaced and resealed the power steering pump, replaced the serpentine belt and flushed the brake and power steering fluid.
When braking heard a grinding noise. Vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that rear pistons were stuck and engaged the rear brakes. Rear calipers and rotors were replaced. It was not known how long the vehicle was in this condition because there was no warning of this problem besides the noise.