1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS Complaints

3/18/99 COMPLAINED TO DEALER THAT TIRES WERE WORE OUT AT CENTER TREAD AS THOUGH TIRE WAS OVERINFLATED BUT THE PSI WAS 29 IN FRONT 26 IN BACK LIKE IT STATES ON THE DOOR. ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED. I PAID FOR 2 G.M. PAID FOR 2. 12/22/99 AT 35,669 MILES 2 TIRES AGAIN WERE REPLACED BY G.M. AND I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO EITHER PAY FOR 2 MORE OR SEE IF I COULD GET A FIRESTONE DEALER TO REPLACE THEM. AT 38,660MILES FIRESTONE REPLACED THE OTHER 2 TIRES. AT 45,000 MILES THESE TIRES ARE SHOWING WEAR AND ESPECIALLY ONE THAT THE CENTER TREAD IS SMOOTH. I TOOK IT BACK TO FIRESTONE AND WAS TOLD I AM ON MY OWN AS THEY HAD ALREADY REPLACED 2 AND WOULD NOT DO ANY MORE. THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED AT 4,300...9,625...14,133...20,449.....25,030.....31,264.....35,669......40,725....AND 45,300. THE ALINGMENT WAS DONE 9,625 MILES. WAS CHECKED AND RECHECKED BY SHARPNACK AND FIRESTONE. I AM TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHY THE TIRES ARE WEARING THEY WAY THEY ARE . HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A FIRESTONE REP THAT THE TIRE IS THE WRONG SIZE FOR THE RIM, BUT THIS IS THE SIZE TIRE THAT CAME ON THE CAR ORIGINALLY. SHARPNACK SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THIS IS NORMAL WEAR. I KNOW IT IS NOT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/60R15 )

ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS HAVE RUSTY PITTED SURFACES. THE RIGHT REAR IS ALMOST TOTALLY POCK MARKED WITH PITS AND CAUSES THE CAR TO PULSATE AND SHAKE SEVERELY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY THREE TIMES FOR FAULTY SENSORS OR WIRING. *AK

BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED 7 TIMES, THERE WAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES BTWEEN SETS OF BRAKES BEING REPAIRED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY COULN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BINDING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM, POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE LOCK UP, FINAL REPAIR OF THE RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP. *MJS

SERVICE DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES $1,200.00 FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIR. MY QUESTIONS TO THIS ARE: 1. ARE THERE ANY HISTORIES OF SALVAGE, FLOOD DAMAGE, ODOMETER FRAUD, ETC., FOR THIS VEHICLE? 2. IS IT REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT A 3-YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES (TWO-THIRDS TO THREE-QUARTERS OF WHICH ARE HIGHWAY MILES) SHOULD DEVELOP MAJOR MECHANICAL (TRANSMISSION) PROBLEMS? 3. WHAT OTHER COURSE(S) OF ACTION DO I HAVE BEYOND FILING THIS REPORT? *AK

WHILE MAKING A TURN VEHICLE RAN INTO A 4 FOOT CURVE AT ABOUT 10 MPH, AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CAR DIDN'T COME TO A DEAD STOP BEFORE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS SENSORS. INSPECTOR SAID THERE WERE NO OUTSIDE SENSORS. *AK

BRAKES FAILED 3 OTHER TIMES SINCE MAY 1998. AFTER 4TH TIME, CALIPERS WERE FOUND TO BE THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS FIXED AT OTHER THAN DEALERSHIP AS DEALER DENIES PROBLEM WITH BRAKES.

BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT MORE FREQUENTLY WHICH CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. CURRENTLY ON 5TH PAIR OF BRAKE PADS. ALSO ABS LIGHT COMES ON WHILE MAKING SOME TURNS. *AK

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEMS- DRIVERS SIDE REAR WINDOW REPLACED AT DELIVERY DUE TO LARGE SCRATCH. TAIL LIGHT COVER REPLACED DUE TO MOISTURE BUILD UP. DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS WINDOW MOTORS REPLACED DUE TO MALFUNCTION. BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT 2000 MILES, CV JOINTS REPLACED AT 1000 MILES, CONTROL ARMS REPLACED ONCE AT 5800 MILES AND AGAIN AT 10000 MILES. STEERING RACK REPLACED AT 12400 MILES, BY THIS TIME THE COMPLETE FRONT END HAD BEEN REPLACED FROM THE FACTORY ORIGINAL. AND AT 19000 MILES IT IS MAKING NOISE AGAIN. *AK

WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE "BUCKED" OR LUNGED FORWARD AND BACKWARD WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. . *AK