Recalls (6)
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 1989 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 1989 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 1989 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 1989 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 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not checked against your VIN.
LIGHTING:SWITCH:BUTTON:RING:BRAKE LIGHTS
Exterior lighting · brake lights · switch
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- BRAKE STOPLAMPS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE OR, IN SOME CASES, STOPLAMPS WILL NOT STAY ILLUMINATED ALL THE TIME WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED DUE TO A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH. ALSO IN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL, A FAULTY STOPLAMP SWITCH CAN RESULT IN RESUMPTION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL.
- Consequence
- A TRAILING VEHICLE MAY NOT RECOGNIZE A BRAKING ACTIONIN TIME TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL WILL REENGAGE UPONRELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND RESUME THE SET SPEED. IN EITHER CASE, IT COULDRESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
- Remedy
- INSTALL AN IMPROVED DESIGN STOPLAMP SWITCH.
Repair progress not yet reported476,422 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 90V185000
Listed for 1989 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 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Not checked against your VIN.
AIR CONDITIONER:ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE
Equipment · appliance · air conditioner
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- THE ELECTRONIC AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL MAY NOT FUNCTION WHEN STARTING CAR THAT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR A FEW HOURS WITH IGNITION OFF.
- Consequence
- WINDSHIELD MAY NOT DEFROST AND CAR WOULD NOT CONFORMWITH FMVSS 103.
- Remedy
- REPLACE ELECTRONIC COMFORT CONTROL ASSEMBLY.
Repair progress not yet reported5,459 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 89V122000
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 (113)
113 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The service brakes is mentioned most often.
6involved a crash
5involved a fire
10injuries reported
1deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 113 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 43 | 38.1% |
| Electrical system | 20 | 17.7% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 17 | 15% |
| Seat belts | 11 | 9.7% |
| Steering | 9 | 8% |
| Structure | 9 | 8% |
| Suspension | 7 | 6.2% |
| Parking brake | 5 | 4.4% |
| Tires | 5 | 4.4% |
| Fuel system | 4 | 3.5% |
How 1989 compares with other Cutlass years
Best and worst Cutlass years →198518
198623
198716
198874
1989113
1990103
1991193
1992136
1993139
1994148
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 1994 | 148 | 4 |
This year (1989)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 1989 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
1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass FAQ
How many recalls does the 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass have?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns: 97V058000 (structure), 95V115000 (wheel), 94V041000 (wheel), 90V185000 (brake), 90V054000 (seat belt), 89V122000 (equipment). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass problems?
Owners filed 113 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (43), Electrical system (20), Engine and engine cooling (17) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1989 Cutlass compare with other years?
Among the 1985–1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass model years at least five years old, the 1987 drew the fewest complaints (16) and the 1991 the most (193). The 1989 drew 113. 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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