FaultScore

Oldsmobile Calais engine problems

50 of the 124 complaints filed about the Oldsmobile Calais are about the engine — 40% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1989.

50

Complaints

40%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

4

Fires

Engine & Cooling complaints by model year

1985 Calais 1 2.0%
1986 Calais 4 8.0%

Median failure at 221,000 miles

1987 Calais 6 12.0%

Median failure at 120,000 miles

1988 Calais 14 28.0%
1989 Calais 20 40.0%
1990 Calais 5 10.0%

What owners said

1987 Oldsmobile Calais at 120,000 miles Lone Jack, MO

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

OIL PUMP/BALANCER ASSEMBLY ON 2.5L 151CI. TECH 4 (NOT SURE ON SPECIFIC YEARS) CAN CRACK FROM NORMAL WEAR, AND DESTROY CRANK SHAFT AND ENGINE. THE BALANCER ASSM. AND OIL PUMP ARE LOCATED IN OIL PAN. A SIMPLE REPLACEMENT OF OIL PUMP ASSM. WHEN LIFTER NOISE IS PRESENT, OR WHEN METAL FILINGS ARE FOUND IN OIL, WILL SAVE YOU FROM REPLACING ENGINE. THIS ASSEMBLY WILL EVENTUALLY STOP PUMPING OIL AND RUIN ENGINE. SAVE YOURSELF TIME AND MONEY AND DO-IT-YOURSELF. BUT DON'T DRIVE THE CAR WITH THESE PROBLEMS! THIS PUMP WILL RUN YOU $275 AT DEALERSHIP, BUT THIS BEATS A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE SEEN THIS TO BE THE MAIN CAUSE OF FAILURE IN HIGH MILEAGE ENGINES OF THIS KIND. GM DOESN'T COVER OR CLAIM TO KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10070058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1986 Oldsmobile Calais at 221,000 miles Pitt Meadows, UN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I BOUGHT IT USED 2 YEARS AGO FOR $1000.00 AND HAVE SPEND CLOSE TO $2000.00 JUST KEEPING THE THING RUNNING. I NOW AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE ELECTRIC COMPUTER MODULAR AND THAT IS COSTING ME ANOTHER $440.00 AND NOT THERE IS A LOUD GRINDING AND BANGING COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN I DRIVE IT. I HEARD THAT THIS CAR WAS A GOOD MODEL AND FOUND OUT ON MY OWN IT IS A NIGHTMARE ON WHEELS. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER, STUDENT WITH NOT MUCH MONEY AND I DEPEND ON A RELIABLE CAR . THIS MODEL HAS SPENT MORE TIME PARKED THAN IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN. I WOULD LOVE TO SET THIS CAR ON FIRE IT HAS MADE MY LIFE SO STRESSFUL. I WILL NEVER IN MY LIFE EVER OWN ANOTHER OLDSMOBILE.

NHTSA complaint #10071286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1986 Oldsmobile Calais at 221,000 miles Pitt Meadows, UN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I BOUGHT IT USED 2 YEARS AGO FOR $1000.00 AND HAVE SPEND CLOSE TO $2000.00 JUST KEEPING THE THING RUNNING. I NOW AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE ELECTRIC COMPUTER MODULAR AND THAT IS COSTING ME ANOTHER $440.00 AND NOT THERE IS A LOUD GRINDING AND BANGING COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN I DRIVE IT. I HEARD THAT THIS CAR WAS A GOOD MODEL AND FOUND OUT ON MY OWN IT IS A NIGHTMARE ON WHEELS. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER, STUDENT WITH NOT MUCH MONEY AND I DEPEND ON A RELIABLE CAR . THIS MODEL HAS SPENT MORE TIME PARKED THAN IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN. I WOULD LOVE TO SET THIS CAR ON FIRE IT HAS MADE MY LIFE SO STRESSFUL. I WILL NEVER IN MY LIFE EVER OWN ANOTHER OLDSMOBILE.

NHTSA complaint #10071286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais SAN Diego, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON A STREET APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, ROUGH IDLE/ VEHICLE RAN HOT, AND TURNED OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #874596 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Oldsmobile Calais Riverdale, GA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CRACKED ENGINE HEAD. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #550649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Oldsmobile Calais Temperance, MI

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR ALL QUAD-4 ENGINE HEADS. NO HELP FROM OLDSMOBILE DUE TO AGE/MILEAGE.

NHTSA complaint #704764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais Columbus, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #703485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1986 Oldsmobile Calais Lansing, IL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE STALLES WHEN IT OVERHEATS. VEHICLE FAILS TO START WHEN HOT UNTIL ENGINE COOLS DOWN. ALSO, REPLACED IGNITION/COIL AND STARTER.

NHTSA complaint #525173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Oldsmobile Calais Newark, DE

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

OWNER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, OWNER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET VEHICLE REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #808773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais Mandeville, LA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #510406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais DU Quoin, IL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FAILED DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE OIL. (FIRST VEHICLE ON 601595)

NHTSA complaint #508114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Oldsmobile Calais DU Quoin, IL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FAILED DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE OIL. (SECOND VEHICLE ON 508114)

NHTSA complaint #601595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Oldsmobile Calais NEW Rochelle, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

INTERMITTENT STALLING.

NHTSA complaint #508209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Oldsmobile Calais NEW Rochelle, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE MOUNT REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #508209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Oldsmobile Calais Grand Prai, TX Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #504475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais Ocala, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CAR STALLS CONTINUALLY.

NHTSA complaint #500042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais Ocala, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CRANKSHAFT EXPLODED.

NHTSA complaint #500042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais Ocala, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

FAN MOTOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #500042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais Ocala, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS

COOLANT TUBE FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #500042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Oldsmobile Calais Ocala, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VALVE COVER GASKET LEAKING

NHTSA complaint #500042 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.