NHTSA vehicle safety data

1996 Oldsmobile Ciera Recalls & Complaints

The 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 83 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Oldsmobile dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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1996 Oldsmobile Ciera owner complaints

Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera, describing incidents dated January 1, 1996 to January 30, 2004.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 20 complaints
Engine 15 complaints
Power Train 10 complaints
Air Bags 8 complaints
Electrical System 7 complaints
Structure 6 complaints

Of the 83 complaints on file, 10 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 83 complaints, owners report 10 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10070401 · Filed January 15, 2004
LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK INTO OIL
ODI #10057248 · Filed January 30, 2004
HEAD GASKET LEAKED. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT WHEN HE WENT INTO GARAGE THERE WAS WATER ON THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE CHECKED OUT BY MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS A HEAD GASKET LEAK. CONSUMER WAS QUOTED A PRICE TO HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED. CONSUMER FELT THAT OLDSMOBILE SHOULD REPAIR THE PROBLEM…
ODI #10023537 · Filed June 22, 2003
LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK ON GM 3.1 L V6. *NLM

Read all 83 complaints

Seat Belts — Front — Anchorage

NHTSA #95V173000 · NHTSA notice

Reported September 15, 1995 · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Potentially affected: 2,216,325 vehicles

Owners notified October 19, 1995 · Vehicles built August 1, 1988 – August 30, 1995 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH REAR OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGES THAT MAY NOT WITHSTAND THE REQUIRED LOAD. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO.210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."

Safety consequence

CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN A COLLISON, STRESS CAN CAUSE THE ATTACHMENT METAL TO TEAR AND ALLOW THE ANCHORAGE TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT PROTECT AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING ANCHOR BOLTS WITH A NEW SHOULDER BOLT AND THREAD LOCKING ADHESIVE. ADDITIONALLY, NOISE CONTROL PATCHES WILL BE APPLIED AT EACH ANCHORAGE.

Notes

SYSTEM: INTERIOR; ACTIVE RESTRAINTS; BELT ANCHOR AND ATTACHMENT; FMVSS NO.210.VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES.NOTE: 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 BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020; PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737; OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-800-424-9393.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

83 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10070401

Incident: December 15, 2001 · Filed: January 15, 2004

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK INTO OIL

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10057248

Incident: January 30, 2004 · Filed: January 30, 2004

HEAD GASKET LEAKED. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT WHEN HE WENT INTO GARAGE THERE WAS WATER ON THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE CHECKED OUT BY MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS A HEAD GASKET LEAK. CONSUMER WAS QUOTED A PRICE TO HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED. CONSUMER FELT THAT OLDSMOBILE SHOULD REPAIR THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE SINCE THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10023537

Incident: December 14, 2002 · Filed: June 22, 2003

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK ON GM 3.1 L V6. *NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10017614

Incident: December 1, 2002 · Filed: April 28, 2003

THE ENGINE STOPPED WORKING IN DECEMBER OF 2002. WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

Power Train

ODI #8011954

Incident: May 9, 2002 · Filed: June 17, 2002

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT FOR 2 MINUTES AND START BACK UP, AND STALL BACK OUT AGAIN WITHOUT ANY WARNING.CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, CANNOT FIND PROBLEM.*AK

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #8008609

Incident: April 24, 2002 · Filed: April 25, 2002

WHILE YIELDING ONTO HIGHWAY, STEPPED ON GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, AFTER RELEASING PEDAL, ACCELERATED AT 80MPH. THROTTLE BECAME STUCK AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, HAD TO GEAR INTO NEUTRAL TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. *AK *TT

Power Train

ODI #8008111

Filed: April 19, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING DEALERSHIP HAS SERVICED THE VEHICLE LIGHT ANF FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. NLM

Structure

ODI #983788

Incident: January 5, 1996 · Filed: April 30, 1996

HOOD ASSEMBLY FAILURE, CANNOT LIFT HOOD, IT IS VERY HEAVY. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #983482

Filed: April 23, 1996

WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED DIMINISHED POWER ASSIST BOOSTER WHEN BRAKE ACTION SEEMED INEFFECTIVE, ALLOWING VEHICLE TO ROLL FORWARD, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*AK

Unknown or Other

ODI #979841

Incident: January 28, 1996 · Filed: February 28, 1996

BUTTON TO SET THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING WAS VERY HOT AND BURNT DRIVERS FINGER WHEN TRYING TO ADJUST BRIGHTNESS. *AK

Other Oldsmobile Ciera model years

Check your 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Oldsmobile Ciera at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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