1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY WITH THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER STRUGGLED TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *SCC *JB

I HAVE A 97 AND 99 OLDSMOBILE CUTLAS WITH V6-191 3.1L VIN M SFI ENGINES. THEY BOTH LEAK COOLANT FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. I AM TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND IS CAUSED BY THE DEX COOL ANTI-FREEZE INSTALLED BY THE MFG. THE COST EST. FROM THE OLDS DEALER IS $850.00 TO REPLACE THE GASKET. THESE CARS EACH HAVE 50,000 MI. IF THIS IS IN FACT A COMMON PROBLEM I SHOULD GET SOME RELIEF FROM THE MANUFACTURE. *LA

WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT AT 10 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. THE DEALER NEVER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT, IT FAILED AGAIN ONE MONTH LATER AND THE REPAIR SHOP REALIGNED THE POWER STEERING FLUID LINE. *SCC *JB

THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS TURN CORNERS.*AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. *NLM

WHEN PULLING TO THE LEFT OUT OF A PARKING PLACE I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO TURN. EVENTUALLY THE WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN EVEN WITH FORCE. WHILE TRYING TO TURN THE WHEEL A "SQUOOSHING" NOISE WAS HEARD. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE STEERING WHEEL DID TURN, BUT WITH EXTREME DIFFICULTY, AND I IMMEDIATELY WENT STRAIGHT HOME (APPROXIMATELY 14 MILES). DURING THAT TIME I DID NOT MAKE ANY ABRUPT TURNS AND WAS VERY CAUTIOUS DRIVING ONLY 45 MPH AT THE MAXIMUM. UPON REACHING HOME I CONTACTED THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, SINCE THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO BE DRIVEN ANY MAJOR DISTANCE. AFTER THE CAR WAS INSPECTED I WAS TOLD THE RACK AND PINION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO BE OPERABLE. I DON'T FEEL THAT THIS ITEM SHOULD HAVE FAILED AT 6 YEARS SINCE THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED. I ALSO FEEL THAT THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE FULLY REIMBURSED BY THE MANUFACTURER SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. DEALER REPLACED RACK AND PINION AND RIGHT AXLE.*AK 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. THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED AT THE LEFT REAR. THE BRAKE HOSE WAS TWISTED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HOSE. *TS *NLM

PROBLEMS WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH DASH. REQUEST INFORMATION ON VEHICLE AS FAR AS ACCURATE MILEAGE, LEMON CHECK AND RECALL CHECK.*MR DEALER REFUSED TO LET CONSUMER TRADE IN THE VEHICLE OR GIVE HER ANSWERS TO HER QUESTION. IN ADDITION, SHE REQUESTED INFORMATION ON ANY ACCIDENTS/RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. *PH THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. *JB

THE VEHICLE'S IAC SENSOR CONNECTOR WIRE WAS TOO SHORT WHICH CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 634780 IS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. *AK *PH *NLM

SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1997, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, ONCE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED, AN $800 REPAIR. THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED, A $400 REPAIR. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING HOME THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, I WAS WITHIN A MILE OF HOME, SO I JUST KEPT GOING. AS I WAS TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY, ALL OF THE CONTROLS ON THE DASHBOARD FAILED, SPEED LIMIT, GAS GAUGE, ETC. I ALSO APPARENTLY HAD NO LIGHTS BECAUSE THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST RAN INTO ME WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS DIDN'T WORK.*AK

ABS LIGHT COMES ON AT RANDOM TIMES, USUALLY DURING A TURN, BUT NO ADVERSE CONDITIONS OCCUR. WHEN DIAGNOSED, IT WAS STATED THAT THE SPEED SENSOR WAS BAD. I HAVE HAD BOTH FRONT SPEED SENSORS REPLACED ABOUT 3-4 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, AND SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT, I JUST DEAL WITH THE LIGHT. I JUST BROUGHT IT IN FOR THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO, AND AGAIN THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS SAID THAT IT WAS A SPEED SENSOR. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. *NLM