Trending Problems

A few problems that keep popping up. There's plenty more where that came from.

  1. Passlock Security

    One of GM's solutions for stopping thieves from driving away with a car is, coincidently, doing the same thing to the actual owner.

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  2. What Are We Missing?

    We know there's more problems than this. Let us know which one you'd like to see us cover next.

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All Problems

What Owners Complain About the Most

Sorting out which topics, problems, and model years have the most overall complaints from owners on CarComplaints.com.

The Least Reliable Oldsmobile Models

Some models just can't seem to get out of their own way. We've created a list of the least reliable GMC models using data such as complaint volume, average cost of repairs, age of the car when it breaks down, and recall frequency.

All Models

  1. Oldsmobile Alero

    Reliability
    12th of 12
    PainRank
    17.93
    Complaints
    960
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  2. Oldsmobile Cutlass

    Reliability
    11th of 12
    PainRank
    4.94
    Complaints
    39
    Continue
  3. Oldsmobile Aurora

    Reliability
    10th of 12
    PainRank
    4.93
    Complaints
    64
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  4. Oldsmobile Intrigue

    Reliability
    9th of 12
    PainRank
    4.25
    Complaints
    88
    Continue

Key Numbers

  1. 12 models

    Each with their own trim levels, bodystyles, and special blend of headaches.

  2. 18 generations

    A group of years for a specific model with the same design, features, and problems.

  3. 15 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  4. 1,395 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  5. 2,969 service bulletins

    Documenting the process of troubleshooting common problems.

  6. 106 recall campaigns

    Time-sensitive, free repairs for widespread safety problems.

Worst Generations

A generation is a group of model years where little, if any, changes were made. They tend to have the same problems and some generations have horrible reputations for reliability. Here's a handful you should avoid.

See All Generations

  1. 1st Generation Alero

    Years
    2000–2004
    Reliability
    18th of 18
    PainRank
    16.34
    Complaints
    959
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  2. 1st Generation Intrigue

    Years
    1998–2002
    Reliability
    17th of 18
    PainRank
    4.12
    Complaints
    88
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  3. 6th Generation Cutlass

    Years
    1997–1999
    Reliability
    16th of 18
    PainRank
    3.83
    Complaints
    39
    Continue
  4. 1st Generation Aurora

    Years
    1995–1999
    Reliability
    15th of 18
    PainRank
    3.24
    Complaints
    40
    Continue

Recent Oldsmobile News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Olds

    obile brought the Cutlass nameplate back for one last hurrah after a divergence into the Calais/Ciera/Supreme era. There was hope that the [6th generation](/models/cutlass/generations/6.md %}) could compete with the Accords and Camrys of the world, but after a mind-numbingly boring three-year run the Cutlass was retired.

    Or was it? I honestly don't know. If a new Cutlass was released I doubt anyone would notice anyway. As Jason Torchinsky explains, the car really was the dullest of blades:

    The styling of the car is timeless, in the sense that it was eye-injuringly boring back in the 1990s and is still as bad now, and no amount of time will ever, ever change that.

    Even owners couldn't muster up the energy to complain about the darn thing, there are only a few dozen complaints about the entire generation. I'm guessing owners had more problems than that but simply ran out of the energy to care.

    keep reading
  2. combined

    population of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont (Yes, there are people -- not just cows -- in VT) and Wyoming.

  3. The number of calories my Uncle Hank ate over the holiday weekend. Seriously, that man is a bottomless pit.
  4. According to GM, this latest round of problems involves mostly ignition switch related issues that are responsible for at least 7 crashes, 8 injuries and 3 deaths. The full list and details can be found here.

    Unintended Key Rotation

    The largest part of the recall involves 7.6 million vehicles that suffer from, what GM is calling, "unintended ignition key rotation." Of course, there's another name for that too -- "unintended holy %$#! my car just shut itself off on the highway." This is dangerous and affects a wide range of cars:

    • 1997-2005 Chevrolet Malibu
    • 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue
    • 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero
    • 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am
    • 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala
    • 2000-2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
    • 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix

    What To Do Next

    1. GM has not announced when the recall will begin
      It should be in the next couple months but it's probably hard to gauge when you have 29 million vehicles in your repair queue.
    2. Keep an eye on your mailbox for an official recall notice with more details
      Not literally, though. Putting your eye on the mailbox sounds painful and will probably worry the neighbors.
    3. GM is stressing the importance of removing all items from your key ring, leaving only the vehicle key
      At least until your ignition is fixed. Sorry bowling league keychain -- you have to go.
    keep reading

See More News

Have a complaint about your vehicle?

The best way to find out what's wrong with a vehicle is from the people who drive them. Not only do owner complaints help us rank vehicles by reliability, but they're often used to spark class-action lawsuits and warranty extensions. Plus, they're a great way to vent.

Add a complaint