FaultScore

1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass electrical problems

23 of the 182 complaints about the 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass are about the electrical system — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 132,500 miles.

F

23

Complaints

0

Crashes

6

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Module 4 17.4%
Wiring 3 13.0%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 3 13.0%
12V/24V/48V Battery 2 8.7%
Front Underhood 2 8.7%
Ignition 2 8.7%
Interior/Under Dash 2 8.7%
Switch 2 8.7%
Electrical System 2 8.7%
Fuses AND Circuit Breakers 1 4.3%

Electrical System across every Oldsmobile Cutlass year

1989 22 9.6%
1990 12 5.3%
1991 25 11.0%
1992 23 10.1%
1993 25 11.0%
1994 22 9.6%
1995 21 9.2%
1996 15 6.6%
1997 19 8.3%
1998 18 7.9%
1999 26 11.4%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 135,000 miles Detroit, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

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.

NHTSA complaint #10126258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Freedom, ME

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.

NHTSA complaint #10113445 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Washington, DC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

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?

NHTSA complaint #10080523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Flushing, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

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.

NHTSA complaint #10053279 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Worth, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

NHTSA complaint #10042081 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cahokia, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

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

NHTSA complaint #8017499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Toccoa, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

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.

NHTSA complaint #8011389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Orange Park, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #754246 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Omaha, NE

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

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

NHTSA complaint #887156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Palm Desert, CA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

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

NHTSA complaint #713366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arlington, TX Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WHILE DRIVING, OPERATOR NOTED ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASH FLASHED SIMULTANEOUSLY AND WENT OUT. OPERATOR IMMEDIATELY NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, STOPPED VEHICLE. OPENED HOOD. FLAMES WERE COMING FROM LEFT FRONT SIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT, MIDWAY BETWEEN DASH & LEFT FRONT TIREWELL. FIRE MELTED WIRING, BATTERY, LIQUID CONTAINERS AND DAMAGED REMAINING COMPONENTS. NO PRIOR INDICATION NOR WARNING OF POTENTIAL PROBLEM OBSERVED.

NHTSA complaint #706523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kailua-Kona, HI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

REAR BRAKE CALIPERS REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION; ALSO REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS/ROTORS/ VALVE COVER GASKET/WATER PUMP/TORQUE CONVERTER/ALTERNATOR.

NHTSA complaint #806190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jefferson, MD Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA.

NHTSA complaint #810412 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kings Park, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FAILED TWICE.

NHTSA complaint #602313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Palatine, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #505774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Palatine, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #507597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albany, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE WILL STALL W/REPLACEMENTS ONLY TEMPORARILY RELEIVING FAILURE. ONCE STALLED, VEHICLE MUST SIT FOR AN HOUR OR MORE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA complaint #977017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Machias, ME Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE FUSE BOX CAUGHT FIRE, ELECTRICAL FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #976424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Machias, ME Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE FUSE BOX CAUGHT FIRE, ELECTRICAL FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #976424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saratoga SPR, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

DISCONNECTING BATTERY RESULTS IN MEMORY ERASED FROM ECM AND IAC. THIS CONTRIBUTES TO ERRATIC PERFORMANCE AND REPEATED STALLING OF VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA complaint #975380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LOS Vegas, NV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

QUESTION METHOD OF SERVICE FOR RECALL # 92V-066. TT THE DEALER DID NOT INSTALL LABEL THAT INDICATE RECALL REPAIR ON THE RADIATOR.

NHTSA complaint #974789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenburg, PA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

UNDER THE HOOD FIRE ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN FOR 2 MILES, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. TT

NHTSA complaint #965959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Springfield, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY FAILURE DUE TO THE LACK OF VEHICLE USE CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DISCHARGE POWER. TT

NHTSA complaint #965255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass problems

← Full 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass report