1992 Oldsmobile Achieva recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Electrical systemFire

  DT: THE CONTACT STATED ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WASHING VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS SLIPPING. THE VEHICLE STARTED FILLING UP WITH SMOKE. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED A FIRE UNDER THE TRUNK. THE RUBBER HANGER THAT HOLDS THE EXHAUST SYSTEM MELTED, BUT THE MUFFLER WAS STILL ON. THERE WAS A FOOTBALL SIZE HOLE IN THE TRUNK. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE HIMSELF, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME, APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A MECHANIC TO DETERMINE WHERE THE FIRE HAD STARTED. *AK

  Nov 9, 2005
• Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedalCrash

  THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE CRAHED INTO A POLE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

  Oct 26, 2004 · 59,000 miles
• Exterior lighting › Headlights › High/low beam dimmer switch

  WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK SHE SAW SMOKE FROM UNDER THE DASH. SHE DROVE HOME IN A SNOW STORM FOR 1.5 HOURS AND AFTER GETTING HOME TURNED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, AND CAR OFF. I NOTICE THE LIGHTS WERE STILL ON. IT SMELLED LIKE A FIRE WAS GOING TO START. I DROVE IT INTO MY SHED AND CHECKED IT OUT AND IT WAS A SHORT IN THE SWITCH. I REPLACED THE SWITCH AND IT COST ME OVER $100 TO REPLACE IT. IT PROBRABLY WOULD OF COST ME OVER $200 DOLLARS IF I WERE TO HAVE A DEALER OR GARAGE DO IT. THIS TO ME IS A VERY HIGH SAFETY CONCERN AND DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. THANK YOU

  Jan 18, 2004
• Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control

  WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, STRONG GAS FUMES CAME THROUGH THE VENTS. *AK THE SMELL WORSENED PER CONSUMER. THE MECHANIC TIGHTENED THE GROUND TO THE COMPUTER, CHECKED FOR EXHAUST LEAKS AND FOUND NONE. THERE WERE CRACKS IN THE FLANGE AT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS, THE WIPERS DID NOT WORK, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK WERE INOPERATIVE AS WELL, AND NOISE OCCURRED WHEN THE A/C WAS IN USE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF REPAIRS THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRED. *SC THE BATTERY, TIRES, LOWER RADIATOR HOSE, FRONT STRUTS,WATER PUMP, DISC BRAKE, CALIPERS, PADS AND STARTER SOLENOID WERE ALL REPLACED. *JB

  Apr 11, 2003 · 35,000 miles
• Steering

  WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND WILL TAKE ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO RESTART. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK IGNITION MODULE FAILED, BRAKE SENSOR FAILED, STEERING WHEEL BROKE AND WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE, HOOD CABLE BROKE, STARTER FAILED, RADIATOR CRACKED, FUSES CONTINUE TO BLOW AND THE GEAR SHIFT BUTTON BROKE. *MJ

  Mar 25, 2002
• Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

  BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY FAIL, BRAKES DO NOT TAKE HOLD IMMEDIATELY , COMPLETE FAILURE DURING INLCLEMENT WEATHER. ABS LIGHT ON. *AK

  Feb 1, 2002
• Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  THIS CAR FROM THE GET GO WAS A LEMON. I CONTACTED THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM, THEY SAID THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE CAR, SO THERE WAS NOTHING THAT ANYONE COULD DO FOR ME. I NEVER EVEN KNEW THAT NTSA EXISTED BEFORE TODAY. I AM NOT SURE THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO BUT I DO KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE WITH A "BAD" ACHIEVA. ANOTHER THING WRONG WITH THE CAR IS THE PAINT CHIPS RIGHT OFF!!! THIS CAR HAS BEEN FALLING APART AS SOON AS I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT!! IT MAY BE TOO LATE FOR ME BUT THESE CARS SHOULD BE PULLED OFF THE ROAD SO PEOPLE DONT GO BROKE LIKE I DID KEEPING THEM RUNNING. NOT TO MENTION THAT THE HEAD ON THE ACHIEVA IS ALUMINUM AND THE…

  Jan 10, 1996
• Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  I TRIED TO START MY CAR TO GO TO WORK ON 3/12/01 AND I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A PROBLEM. I APPEARED TO WORK FINE THE DAY BEFORE. THE CAR DID START BUT IMMEDIATELY IT STARTED TO POOR SMOKE OUT THE EXAUST PIPE. I ALSO NOTICED THE SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE. I DROVE IT APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE TO MY NORMAL SERVICE STATION WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BLOWN CYLINDER HEAD GASKET. AFTER RECEIVING THIS INFORMATION I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR (REGENCY OLDSMOBILE) AND THEY TOLD ME THE CAR DID NOT MEET THE CRITRIA BECAUSE OF ITS AGE. THEY CONFIRMED THE VIN NUMBER I GAVE THEM HAD THE PROBLEM, BUT MY PROBLEM WAS THAT MY CAR WAS TO OLD. I THEN CALLED OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE OFFICE AT…

  Mar 12, 2001

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.