Most common 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass problems
Share of the 155 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Oldsmobile Cutlass complaints by model year
Best Cutlass years: 1999, 1997. Years to avoid: 1998, 1995. Compare all years →
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass recalls (2)
Steering › Rack and pinion
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.
Remedy: 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.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Linkages
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,…
Remedy: 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…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass:
Windshield wiper failure
In March 2001, GM notified NHTSA that it is conducting a safety recall (NHTSA number 01V068) on certain model year (my) 1997-1998 Chevrolet malibu and Oldsmobile cutlass vehicles to replace defective windshield wiper pivot housings.GM reported the wiper failure was triggered by loads placed on the wipers when operated under conditions of moderate to heavy snowfall.GM conducted the recall in 28 states and the…
Power rack and pinion steering failure
GM conducted a safety recall (NHTSA # 02V286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 Pontiac grand prix vehicles built between March 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, 1996-1998 Pontiac trans sport, Chevrolet lumina apv, Chevrolet venture, Oldsmobile silhouette minivans, and Chevrolet…
Inadvertent air bag deployments
There is no summary currently available
Windshield wiper
There is no summary currently available
Oversensitive air bag deployment
There is no summary currently available
Windshield wiper
On February 22, 2000, the office of defects investigation (odi) initiated pe00-009 based on seven reports of windshield wiper failure in certain model year (my) 1997 & 1998 Chevrolet malibu & Oldsmobile cutlass vehicles.the investigation was upgraded to ea00-019 on July 12, 2000.during the course of the investigation, it was found that the failures were the result of fracture of the passenger-side windshield wiper…
What 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass owners say
Brakes all 41 →
A week after I bought the car used in October 2002 there was noise from front left end of vehicle....there is another noise that comes from the steering when turning the wheels trying to park the car.....I took the car back to the dealer and they said they don't hear anything...also I had the car checked out the same day for the brakes...there was a squealing noise on the front left side and the car wouldn't brake properly...the dealer replaced the left brake pad..I haven't had any trouble with the brakes since...three weeks later I took the car back to the dealer for the steering noises and they said it would be costly for the labor to find out the problem and that it May not be covered by warranty...they said since it's only minor and is not causing any problems it would probably be better to keep driving it until something went wrong to where they would know where the problem was …
I had the car into the dealer three times prior to the warranty expiration with complaints about the brakes. My concern was that the brake light (ABS) kept coming on and off. Finally, the end of August they agreed to replace the rotors if I paid to replace the brake pads. This was done. The next week, I was driving down the highway and the brake light came on again. I immediately picked up the cell phone and called the dealer. I was told that it was probably a computer glitch and to bring it in at my convenience. I scheduled it to go in on Friday, three days later. On Wednesday night, I was driving, came to a stop sign and had no brakes. A tree stopped me! The dealership and Oldsmobile would accept no responsibility, so I paid for the repairs myself. Today, after I have had it on the road again for about three months, the ABS light came on as soon as I started the car. …
Engine & cooling all 32 →
A week after I bought the car used in October 2002 there was noise from front left end of vehicle....there is another noise that comes from the steering when turning the wheels trying to park the car.....I took the car back to the dealer and they said they don't hear anything...also I had the car checked out the same day for the brakes...there was a squealing noise on the front left side and the car wouldn't brake properly...the dealer replaced the left brake pad..I haven't had any trouble with the brakes since...three weeks later I took the car back to the dealer for the steering noises and they said it would be costly for the labor to find out the problem and that it May not be covered by warranty...they said since it's only minor and is not causing any problems it would probably be better to keep driving it until something went wrong to where they would know where the problem was …
Tl 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
Steering all 21 →
A week after I bought the car used in October 2002 there was noise from front left end of vehicle....there is another noise that comes from the steering when turning the wheels trying to park the car.....I took the car back to the dealer and they said they don't hear anything...also I had the car checked out the same day for the brakes...there was a squealing noise on the front left side and the car wouldn't brake properly...the dealer replaced the left brake pad..I haven't had any trouble with the brakes since...three weeks later I took the car back to the dealer for the steering noises and they said it would be costly for the labor to find out the problem and that it May not be covered by warranty...they said since it's only minor and is not causing any problems it would probably be better to keep driving it until something went wrong to where they would know where the problem was …
Tl contact owns a 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass. The contact stated that the steering wheel would tighten when making right and left turns. He received a recall letter pertaining to the steering rack and pinion, which stated that the lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly were not crimped properly. This is where the retainer tabs were located. The failure could allow the ball bearings to escape. The dealer repaired the vehicle according to NHTSA campaign id number 03V527000 (steering:rack and pinion); however, the contact felt no change in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer a second time for repairs, but the failures still persisted. In addition, the contact heard a loud continuous banging noise coming from the steering column. The failure mileage was 66,051 and current mileage was less than 125,096.
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 30 / 24 |
| 3.1L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass a good car?
Based on 155 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Cutlass rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Cutlass at the same age. It is one of the Cutlass years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass?
The brakes — 41 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about foundation components › disc › rotor. Next are the engine & cooling (32) and steering (21).
How many recalls does the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass, the most recent from December 11, 2003 (rack and pinion). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Oldsmobile Cutlass?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1999 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1998 and 1995. See the full Oldsmobile Cutlass years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 61,000 miles; 41% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.