AI Damage1987 Oldsmobile Ciera: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Oldsmobile Ciera filed 17 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 17
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 24% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 18% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 18% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 18% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 12% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 12% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- Steering: 4 complaints (24% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (18% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 17 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Consumer was driving pulling in the driveway car accelerate hit fence . Tt
Put vehicle in reverse and vehicle suddenly accelerated and hit a brick wall. Tt
Vehicle suddenly accelerated out of control, brake did not respond, turned off car and restarted again resulted in accident. Tt
When driving at any speed the vehicle stalls, consumer has to put the vehicle into neutral. Consumer has had numerous parts replaced to stop vehicle from stalling such as, engine mounts,timing chain, fuel injectors were cleaned, fule filter was replaced,throttle sensor was also replaced, however problem still seems to…
Whenever driving steering malfunctioned due to the rack & pinion failure, making it very hard to control vehicle. Also makes loud noises. Will be taking vehicle to dealer to check it out.
Leaking power steering fluid caused the rack and pinion teflon to nylon joint to fail.
While backing out of garage a major frame component broke loose at both front mounting points, causing engine and most everything connected to it to drop almost to the ground.
Fuel pressure regulator failed, causing fuel to be released directly into engine.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,823 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Ciera has 26 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 17, below average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Oldsmobile Ciera?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, engine and cooling, seat belts. Total complaints: 17. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (18%), seat belts (12%), steering or power steering problems (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Oldsmobile Ciera?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Oldsmobile Ciera from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.