Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 37 | 41% |
| Service brakes | 16 | 18% |
| Power train | 7 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 3 | 3% |
| Steering | 2 | 2% |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% |
| Fuel system | 2 | 2% |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO A DEFECTIVE BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THREE DAYS LATER, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS TIME, THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *MR
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN TURNING CORNERS POWER STEERING FAILED, AND CONSUMER HAD TO STRUGGLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE TURN WAS MADE, A FEW SECONDS LATER, POWER STEERING RESUMED. *AK *JB
NHTSA complaint: Steering
SECURITY SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE IGNITION TO LOCK, AND VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Equipment
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS RUINED THE ENGINE AND NEEDED REPLACING. IT WAS 3.1L GM MOTOR IN A 1995 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME GL SI. *JB
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND NO PRIOR SYMPTOMS. SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ASSIST WHILE TURNING LEFT CAUSED MAJOR ACCIDENT. CAR WAS DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD INTO A BRICK RETAINING WALL CAUSING OVER $3,
NHTSA complaint: Steering
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOW WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES AS IT TRAVELED DOWN A STEEP ROCK AND SHRUB
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA RECALL 00-V-171-000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 00058: RECALL HAS NOT BEEN SERVICED ON VEHICLE DUE TO PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. CONSUMER WAS WAITING SINCE MARCH 2002.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I REALIZE THAT AT THE TIME OF FILLING OUT THIS QUESTIONAIRRE THAT THIS MODEL IS NO LONGER BEING MADE BY GM BUT I DID SEE I STORY ABOUT THE OLDSMOBILE ALERO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND FELT COMPLELLED TO WRITE. WE HAVE
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CORROSION OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR'S INTERNAL WIRING, WHICH CAN OCCUR OVER TIME, COULD CAUSE THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG. THIS DEPLOYMENT COULD OCCUR DURING VEHICLE START-UP, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED OR IDLING, OR WHILE IN OPERATI
Risk: IF THE CONSUMER IS TOO CLOSE TO AN INFLATING AIR BAG, SERIOUS INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE INFLATORS ON THESE AIR BAGS.
| Reliability raw | 84 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 78 | good |
| Depreciation | 60 | average |
| Performance | 54 | average |
| Efficiency | 38 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 37 of them (41%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 84/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1995 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.