1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS Suspension Problems

WHILE DRIVING MY FIANCES OLDSMOBILE, I NOTICED A BAD SHUDDER UNDER LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKING. UPON INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE FRONT LEFT CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED SO BADLY THAT IT HAD CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY HAD BEEN SO BADLY COMPROMISED I AM SURE THAT HAD I NEEDED TO BRAKE SUDDENLY THE CONTROL ARM WOULD HAVE FAILED CAUSING THE RIGHT WHEEL TO COME OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO FLEX PART OF THE CONTROL ARM BY HAND UPON REMOVAL FROM THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A VERY EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF DECAY ON SUCH A CRITICAL PART ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM WAS RUSTY, BUT IT SEEMED STRUCTURALLY SOUND. THIS LEADS ME TO SUSPECT THE LEFT ONE MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE AND THAT THERE COULD BE MORE DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARMS OUT THERE. I REPLACED THE CONTROL ARM BUT KEPT THE OLD ONE IN CASE GM OR THE NHTSA WISHES IT TO BE SHIPPED TO THEM FOR ANALYSIS. I ALSO HAVE DETAILED PICTURES OF THE PART TO PROVIDE UPON REQUEST. I LIVE IN MN WHICH IS A STATE WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED IN THE WINTER. *TR

Mileage: 69,600

THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE BLOWING OUT THE TIRE. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING, AND IT WAS A GOOD THING I WAS ONLY GOING AROUND 25 MPH AND ON A SIDE STREET. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A MAIN ROAD THERE VERY WELL MAY HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES TO MYSELF, MY PASSENGERS, AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I AM NOT SURE AS TO HOW MANY RECENT REPORTS THERE HAVE BEEN MADE ON THIS ISSUE BUT I SEE THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS OF SPRINGS BREAKING ON 1999 CHEVY MALIBU'S IN THE PAST. AND I FEEL THIS IS AN UNCALLED FOR SAFETY DEFECT. WHILE MY CAR IS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS IT'S AN EXACT TWIN TO THE CHEVY MALIBU. *TR

Mileage: 132,000

THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE BLOWING OUT THE TIRE. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING, AND IT WAS A GOOD THING I WAS ONLY GOING AROUND 25 MPH AND ON A SIDE STREET. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A MAIN ROAD THERE VERY WELL MAY HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES TO MYSELF, MY PASSENGERS, AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I AM NOT SURE AS TO HOW MANY RECENT REPORTS THERE HAVE BEEN MADE ON THIS ISSUE BUT I SEE THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS OF SPRINGS BREAKING ON 1999 CHEVY MALIBU'S IN THE PAST. AND I FEEL THIS IS AN UNCALLED FOR SAFETY DEFECT. WHILE MY CAR IS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS IT'S AN EXACT TWIN TO THE CHEVY MALIBU. *TR

Mileage: 132,000

ON APRIL 26,2005 WHILE DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD THE FRONT RIGHT SPRING BROKE AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK THE SPRING WAS REPLACED, FRONT END ALIGNED AND THE TIRE REPLACED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION HAD I BEEN DRIVING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE IS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS WITH APX. 42000 MILES. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING TO OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL AUTOMOBILE. THANK YOU, HAROLD OLIVER

Mileage: 41,534

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE I HEARD A SNAPPING NOISE AND FELT THE CAR BOUNCE. THINKING THAT IS WAS JUST THE ICE RIDGES IN THE DRIVE WAY I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE CAR. I DROVE ONLY A FEW BLOCKS WHEN I SMELT SOMETHING BURNING SO I RETURNED HOME AND PARKED THE CAR UNTIL MY HUSBAND RETURNED. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR MECHANIC WERE HE REPLACED THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND THE FRONT TIRE BECAUSE THE BROKEN COIL SPRING LEFT A DEEP GASH IN IT.*AK

Mileage: 112,689

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH COIL SPRING BROKE. THIS RESULTED IN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE GOING UP INTO THE FENDER, AND THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKING UP. STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT, THEN, VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY NOTICED THAT THE RUST DEVELOPED ON THE EDGE OF THE COIL SPRING. *AK

Mileage: 18,000

HARNESS, WHEEL SPEED SENSOR JUMPER WIRING, REPLACED LEFT FRONT HUB AND SENSOR ASSEMBLY. *AK

Mileage: 60,205

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING FRONT COIL SPRING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SNAPPED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK WHEN THE FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED, IT CUT AND FLATTENED THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER PUT THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE TIRE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T HELP, ALL THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID WAS 3 YEARS/36,000 MILES NO CONCERN AT ALL. *PH

THE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: TRANSMISSION, WATER PUMP, ALTERNATOR, ENGINE FAN, SHOCKS, MOTOR MOUNTS HAD BROKEN, BRAKES, FOG LIGHT NEVER WORKED, CABLE AND HINGES ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGER SIDE SEATS WERE BREAKING, THE ARM REST WAS HOLLOW, THE VEHICLE CONTINUOSLY RAN HOT, EVEN AFTER THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED, WHICH WAS DUE TO THE ENGINE FAN NOT WORKING. MR SCC

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL MAKE A SCREECHING NOISE, WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. HAD VEHCILE SERVICED. UPPER STRUT MOUNTS WERE BAD. MR

VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT, DEALER PERFORMED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. *SLC

EXTREME ROAD NOISE. *AK