1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass. The newest campaign is 97V058000. NHTSA received the report on 8 Apr 1997. The NHTSA record gives the component Structure. NHTSA has 74 complaints on file for this model year. 7 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 97V058000, in the NHTSA record

Dealers will replace the rear cradle bolts and retainers.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

6 campaigns, newest first. 3,329,813 units in total.

97V0580008 Apr 1997Structure
95V1150005 Jun 1995Wheels
94V04100028 Mar 1995Wheels
90V05400014 Mar 1990Seat Belts
89V10200016 Jun 1989Vehicle Speed Control
88V1750004 Nov 1988Parking Brake / Conventional / Mechanical / Linkage and Cable

97V058000Received 8 Apr 1997. 676,535 units.
Structure
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini vans originally sold or currently registered in the following states: connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont and wisconsin. The rear cradle bolts pull through the retainers due to corrosion of the retainer. If both bolts pull through, the rear cradle would not longer be supported at these mounting locations and the steering intermediate shaft can separate from the steering gear.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If this were to occur while the vehicle was in motion, a vehicle crash could result.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the rear cradle bolts and retainers.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 97016. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 11 Jun 1997.
95V115000Received 5 Jun 1995. 22,361 units.
Wheels
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface. If these cracks become severe enough, the wheel will completely separate from the vehicle.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If wheel separation occurs while the vehicle is in motion, loss of steering and brake control of the vehicle occurs, and a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the manufacturing date codes stamped on each wheel of the vehicle and if a wheel falls within the specified date code range, the dealer will replace that wheel assembly.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 14 Jun 1995.
94V041000Received 28 Mar 1995. 198,163 units.
Wheels
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface. If these cracks become severe enough, the wheel will completely separate from the vehicle.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If wheel separation occurs while the vehicle is in motion, loss of steering and brake control of the vehicle occurs, and a vehicle crash could result without prior warning.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the manufacturing codes stamped on each wheel of the vehicle and if a wheel falls within the specified date code range, the dealer will replace that wheel assembly.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP..
90V054000Received 14 Mar 1990. 673,000 units.
Seat Belts
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Front shoulder belt guide loop attachment fastener may pull through door mounted anchor plate.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Seat belt may not sustain loads required by FMVSS 210, and in a vehicle accident, the seat belt may not properly restrain a passenger, resulting in increased risk of greater injury to an occupant.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Replace front shoulder belt guide loop attachment nuts and install new guide cover.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 23 Jul 1990.
89V102000Received 16 Jun 1989. 1,755,897 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
Defect, in the NHTSA record
A small nylon bushing in the cruise control servo bail may slip out of place, causing intermittent and unexpected increases in engine speed or dieseling (engine run on with ignition off).
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Servo rod assembly could catch on engine components andresult in a stuck throttle with potential for a vehicle crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a new bushing in cruise control servo bail.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Jul 1989.
88V175000Received 4 Nov 1988. 3,857 units.
Parking Brake / Conventional / Mechanical / Linkage and Cable
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The parking brake cable may be disconnected from the left rear brake caliper.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Parking brake cannot be properly applied and vehiclewill not meet the grade holding requirements of FMVSS 105.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a retainer on left rear caliper if cable is not already retained with a cotter pin and adjust parking brake system.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 22 Nov 1988.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

74 complaints, 107 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass
All 1988 vehicles

1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1988 Cutlass	All 1988 vehicles	Cutlass, all years	Mentions
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	383.2	96.1	251.4	41
Suspension	84.1	29	48.4	9
Structure	84.1	51.8	48	9
Engine and Engine Cooling	74.8	118.1	105.3	8
Electrical System	65.4	158.7	106.2	7
Parking Brake	56.1	5.1	7.6	6
Seat Belts	46.7	117.9	52.9	5
Steering	46.7	58.9	52.4	5
Power Train	37.4	64.7	47.1	4
Fuel System, Gasoline	37.4	67.1	28	4

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 17.

Complaints that report a crash: 5
Complaints that report a fire: 2
Injuries in the complaints: 2
Deaths in the complaints: 2
Date of the newest complaint: 2 Mar 2006

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1995, with 32 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
RQ99002	Recall query	ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATION	Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine	4 Mar 1999	Open	97V058000
RQ97017	Recall query	CRADLE BOLT FAILURES	Structure	2 Oct 1997	Open	97V058000
PE94063	Preliminary evaluation	CORRODED REAR DISK BRAKES	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	12 Aug 1994	21 Dec 1994
EA91005	Engineering analysis	REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAIL	Suspension	31 Oct 1990	31 Dec 1991
EA90041	Engineering analysis	BRAKE PERFORMANCE	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	29 Aug 1990	30 Mar 1992
PE90088	Preliminary evaluation	FAILURE STOP LAMP SWITCH	Exterior Lighting	11 Jun 1990	31 Oct 1990	90V185000
PE89145	Preliminary evaluation	PARKING BRAKE CABLE	Parking Brake	21 Jul 1989	22 Sep 1989

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1988 Oldsmobile CutlassThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/oldsmobile/cutlass/1988/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass?: 3,329,813 units in 6 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Oldsmobile Cutlass have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 58 recall campaigns for the Oldsmobile Cutlass, model years 1967 to 1999. 6 of them name the 1988 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass name most often?: Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 41 of 107 component mentions, or 383.2 per 1,000. For all 1988 vehicles the figure is 96.1 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass open?: 2 investigations have no closing date in the NHTSA file, of 7 that name this model year.