1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO START AND EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT START AT ALL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS NEEDING A NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD AND MADE THE REPAIR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEGUN TO ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY STARTING. THE LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS NEEDING ANOTHER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN, POWERTRAIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 140,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 07/10/07 *TR

I HAVE A 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS WITH 55,000 MILES--THE CAR HAS A 3.1 LITER V6 WITH A BLOWN INTAKE GASKET-- IT COST ME $550 TO HAVE THIS FIXED. PER 3 MECHANICS --"ALL"L 3.1 INTAKE GASKETS GO OUT AT AROUND 50,00 MILES I FEEL THE GM SHOULD PAY FOR DEFECTS THAT EFFECTS ALL 3.1S I'VE HAD 40+ CARS IN MY LIFE AND NEVER EVER HAD AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GO OUT ON ANY OF THEM---------TO ME THAT'S A MFG DEFECT!!! *JB

I SUBMITTED MY COMPLAINT TO GM AND TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MICHIGAN. MY COMPLAINT STEMS FROM PROBLEMS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED OVER THE LAST 3-4 YEARS WITH MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS RELATED TO RUST ON AND AROUND THE GAS FILLER PIPE AND DOOR. I HAVE A CONTINUOUS WARNING LIGHT (CHECK ENGINE) ON MY DASHBOARD THAT ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL MAY IMPACT THE EMISSION CONTROLS IN MY ENGINE. THIS WARNING LIGHT APPEARS TO BE DUE TO THE POOR FIT OF THE GAS CAP ON THE FILLER PIPE DUE TO RUST. CAP REPLACEMENT HAS NOT HELPED. THERE IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RUST THAT HAS DEVELOPED SURROUNDING THE GAS FILLER PIPE DOOR ON THE RIGHT REAR BODY PANEL. I SPOKE WITH A BODY SHOP AND THEY MENTIONED THEY HAD SEEN SEVERAL VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE WITH SIMILAR DAMAGE AND WAS DUE TO THE INSULATION COLLECTING MOISTURE UNDER THE BODY PANEL AND RUSTING THROUGH FROM THE BACK SIDE. I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN TWO OTHER SAME MAKE/MODEL VEHICLES WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUES. GM RESPONDED TO MY COMPLAINT STATING THE RUST-THROUGH PROTECTION ON MY VEHICLE HAD EXPIRED AND THERE ARE NO CURRENTLY NO RECALLS ISSUED. MY CONTENTION IS THIS ISSUE IS NOT ISOLATED TO MY VEHICLE REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE AND AGE AND PRESENTS NOT ONLY UNSIGHTLY DAMAGE AND COST TO REPAIR, BUT A SAFETY ISSUE SURROUNDING THE GAS FILLER PIPE. *NM

THEFT-LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAD TO WAIT TEN MINUTES FOR SYSTEM TO RESET BEFORE STARTING CAR. HAD KEY-LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED TWICE, FOR A TOTAL OF OVER $1400 IN REPAIRS. NOW THE LIGHT IS ON SEEMINGLY PERMANENTLY. ALWAYS WONDER IF IT WILL START OR NOT. CAN'T GET ANYONE BESIDES A DEALER TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. THE DEALER HAS ENOUGH OF MY MONEY FOR NOW...I HAVE TO DEAL WITH BEING INCONVENIENCED REGULARLY BY THIS PROBLEM. *JB

TOTAL FAILURE OF STEERING SYSTEM. MECHANICAL LOCK UP. STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE TURNED BY HAND. PROBLEM OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED CLOSE TO HOME. THE STEERING RACK BRACKET SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. GM COMPLAINT # 1-399 751 487 MARCH 18,2006. *JB

BOTH REAR SEAT BELT SHOULDER BUCKLE LATCHES BROKE IN MY CAR. THE PLASTIC PIECE BROKE OFF AND THEIR IS NO WAY TO KEEP A CAR SEAT PROPERLY SECURED WITHOUT REPLACING THEM. CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE DEATH TO ANYONE IN THE CAR SEAT IF THERE WAS A CRASH. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND OVER 250 DOLLARS FOR PARTS AND LABOR TO GET THIS FIXED. *NM

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AFTER VEHICLE HAS WARMED UP. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MIN. OR SO, IF ONE STOPS THE VEHICLE SHIFT TO PARK THEN SHIFT TO DRIVE AGAIN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE RIGHT AWAY. ONE CAN HEAR THE ENGINE ACCELERATE, THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD MOVE SLOWLY UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY ENGAGES, SOMETIMES IN A ABRUPTLY MANNER. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN MY VEHICLE SINCE THE DAY I GOT IT. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I CONTACTED THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY (GMC) THEY SUGGESTED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP, WHICH I DID AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG EITHER. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO SHOW THE SAME PROBLEM. II HAVE CONTACTED OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL AND TYPE OF VEHICLES AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM(S), IN OTHER CASE THE TRANSMISSION HAS SIMPLY GONE BAD. *JB

RECALL ON 1998 OLDS CUTLASS- I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF SUCH RECALL ON STEERING: RACK AND PINION. I AM PAYING OUT OF POCKET FOR THIS REPAIR AND AM GETTING A RUN AROUND FROM OLDSMOBILE. MY CAR IS BEING SERVICED AT A NON-GM FACILITY. OLDSMOBILE IS VERY INCONSISTANT AND UNRELIABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WILL NEVER BUY A GM VEHICLE, AND RECOMMEND THAT MY FRIENDS/FAMILY NOT BUY ONE EITHER. GM IS NOT CUSTOMER ORIENTED AND THIS IS VERY DISSAPPOINTING.

DT: CALLER WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN HE STARTED TO TAKE OFF. HE HIT A DIP AND BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOT RECALL, BUT CALLER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAGS. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK

RECALL CAMPAIGN#01V068000 WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BREAKAGE WILL NOT COVER MY BREAKAGE BECAUSE I AM IN A SOUTHERN STATE, MY VIN IS NOT ON THEIR RACALL LIST.