Recalls (6)
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not checked against your VIN.
GM/REAR CRADLE BOLTS
Structure
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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
- IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.
- Remedy
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
Repair progress not yet reported676,535 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 97V058000
Listed for 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not checked against your VIN.
WHEELS
Wheels
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
- Consequence
- 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
- 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.
Repair progress not yet reported22,361 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 95V115000
Listed for 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not checked against your VIN.
WHEELS
Wheels
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
- Consequence
- 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
- 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.
Repair progress not yet reported198,163 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 94V041000
Listed for 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not checked against your VIN.
INTERIOR SYSTEMS:PASSIVE RESTRAINT:BELTS
Seat belts
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT FASTENER MAY PULL THROUGH DOOR MOUNTED ANCHOR PLATE.
- Consequence
- 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
- REPLACE FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT NUTS AND INSTALL NEW GUIDE COVER.
Repair progress not yet reported673,000 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 90V054000
Listed for 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not checked against your VIN.
EQUIPMENT:SPEED CONTROL
Vehicle speed control
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- 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
- SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY COULD CATCH ON ENGINE COMPONENTS ANDRESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE WITH POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.
- Remedy
- INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.
Repair progress not yet reported1,755,897 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 89V102000
Listed for 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not checked against your VIN.
EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE:MECHANICAL:LINKAGES AND CA
Parking brake · conventional · mechanical · linkage and cable
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE MAY BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER.
- Consequence
- PARKING BRAKE CANNOT BE PROPERLY APPLIED AND VEHICLEWILL NOT MEET THE GRADE HOLDING REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 105.
- Remedy
- INSTALL A RETAINER ON LEFT REAR CALIPER IF CABLE IS NOT ALREADY RETAINED WITH A COTTER PIN AND ADJUST PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM.
Repair progress not yet reported3,857 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 88V175000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (74)
74 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The service brakes is mentioned most often.
5involved a crash
2involved a fire
2injuries reported
2deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 74 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 34 | 45.9% |
| Structure | 9 | 12.2% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 8 | 10.8% |
| Suspension | 8 | 10.8% |
| Electrical system | 6 | 8.1% |
| Parking brake | 6 | 8.1% |
| Steering | 5 | 6.8% |
| Fuel system | 4 | 5.4% |
| Power train | 3 | 4.1% |
| Seat belts | 3 | 4.1% |
How 1988 compares with other Cutlass years
Best and worst Cutlass years →198416
198518
198623
198716
198874
1989113
1990103
1991193
1992136
1993139
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 16 | 2 |
| 1985 | 18 | 3 |
| 1986 | 23 | 3 |
| 1987 | 16 | 2 |
| 1988 | 74 | 6 |
| 1989 | 113 | 6 |
| 1990 | 103 | 6 |
| 1991 | 193 | 6 |
| 1992 | 136 | 3 |
| 1993 | 139 | 4 |
This year (1988)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 1988 Cutlass for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass FAQ
How many recalls does the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass have?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns: 97V058000 (structure), 95V115000 (wheel), 94V041000 (wheel), 90V054000 (seat belt), 89V102000 (vehicle speed control), 88V175000 (brake). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass problems?
Owners filed 74 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (34), Structure (9), Engine and engine cooling (8) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1988 Cutlass compare with other years?
Among the 1984–1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass model years at least five years old, the 1984 drew the fewest complaints (16) and the 1991 the most (193). The 1988 drew 74. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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