Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 155 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #07E021000 AFTERMARKET FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #03V527000 GM/STEERING GEAR BEARINGS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #01V068000 GM/WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 36 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 32 complaints
- Steering 21 complaints
- Suspension 18 complaints
- Electrical System 15 complaints
- Equipment 11 complaints
Of the 155 complaints on file, 7 report a crash; across all 155 complaints, owners report 4 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,500–$7,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass has a below-average reliability record. It faces frequent issues with brakes, engines, and steering, corroborated by high complaint counts and known recalls on steering components and fuel system pressure devices.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| service brakes | 70,000–100,000 miles | $250–$600 | very common |
| engine cooling | 80,000–110,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| power steering | 60,000–90,000 miles | $350–$700 | common |
| suspension system | 80,000–120,000 miles | $200–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- oil and filter change
- brake inspection
- coolant flush
- timing belt replacement
- tire rotation and balancing
- transmission fluid change
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- brake squealing or grinding
- steering wheel vibration
- engine overheating
- suspension creaking sounds
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.