1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cutlass years
- Fewer complaints than other years 4th of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 96 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass. That ranks 4th out of 5 Cutlass model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (24 complaints, 25%), typically at around 68,800 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 6 defect investigations involving it.
- 96owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 6NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 24 | 25% | 68,800 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 21% | 79,701 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 16% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 15 | 16% | 71,137 | — | — |
| Suspension | 8 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 7% | 205,583 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 7% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 6% | 166,675 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 6% | 205,583 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 4% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4% | 43,600 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | 201,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Risk: If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:linkages
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the "salt belt" states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, north dakota, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, utah, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and wyoming. If a buildup of snow or ice restricts the movement of the passenger side windshield wiper arm, the pivot housing can crack and the wipers will not operate.
Risk: Reduced visibility in inclement weather could lead to a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the passenger side windshield wiper pivot housing. Owner notification began august 14, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Windshield wiper failure (RQ04006) — opened Jul 7, 2004, closed Jan 13, 2005.
- Power rack and pinion steering failure (RQ03001) — opened Jan 2, 2003, closed Sep 15, 2003.
- Power rack and pinion steering failure (EA02003) — opened Apr 4, 2002, closed Dec 10, 2002, led to recall 02V286000.
- Steering rack and pinion (PE01038) — opened Nov 14, 2001, closed Apr 4, 2002.
- Windshield wiper (EA00019) — opened Jul 12, 2000, closed Mar 6, 2001, led to recall 01V068000.
- Windshield wiper (PE00009) — opened Feb 22, 2000, closed Jul 12, 2000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I purchased aftermarket fuel tank and sending unit from parts store :spectra premium brand #gm30a fuel tank and sp09d1h. After installing these parts into my car, i found i had a large gas leak when i filled the car with fuel like about a gallon went on the ground and it leaked as i drove the car…
Ignition failure when shutting off vehicle. Ignition stuck between acc and off position. Dashlights and radio lights stayed on steering wheel wont lock, shift lever wont lock freely moved. Unhooked battery to keep it from draining down
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 oldsmobile cutlass. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled in the middle of the highway. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 oldsmobile cutlass. While traveling approximately 35 mph, the driver side air bag inadvertently deployed with force and impacted the contact's face, causing limited visibility. The contact mentioned that a substance emitted in the vehicle when the air bag deployed. The…
Vechile recently started making groaning noise when steering and from power steering pump. Power steering pump was replace back in 2011. Took to goodyear and tech indicated pump was fine, problem point to the rack and pinion. *tr
Other Oldsmobile Cutlass years
← 1996 Cutlass · 1998 Cutlass →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 Cutlass | 80 | 0 |
| 1998 Cutlass | 155 | 2 |
| 1997 | 96 | 2 |
| 1996 Cutlass | 123 | 0 |
| 1995 Cutlass | 156 | 3 |
See all Oldsmobile Cutlass problems by year, every Oldsmobile model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Oldsmobile models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 24 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cutlass model years, the 1997 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.