AI Damage1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass: common problems
Owners of the 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 33% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 33% of all complaints
- 3 Tires 33% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Tires: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
Linkage adjustment rod in steering column failed, causing vehicle to slip into drive from neutral and lunge forward/loss of control/accident/injury.
Consumer noticed pieces of rubber on their garage floor and feels the firestone tire recall is too limited. Nlm
Shifter cable binds intermittently, causing vehicle to fail to go into park.
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 17,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Cutlass has 67 complaints (24 years in the data). This year has 3, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
- Cutlass 19763 sources
- Cutlass 19803 sources
- Cutlass 19813 sources
- Cutlass 19835 sources
- Cutlass 198416 sources
- Cutlass 198518 sources
- Cutlass 198623 sources
- Cutlass 198716 sources
- Cutlass 198874 sources
- Cutlass 1989113 sources
- Cutlass 1990103 sources
- Cutlass 1991193 sources
- Cutlass 1992136 sources
- Cutlass 1993139 sources
- Cutlass 1994148 sources
- Cutlass 1995156 sources
- Cutlass 1996123 sources
- Cutlass 199796 sources
- Cutlass 1998155 sources
- Cutlass 199980 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, steering, tires. Total complaints: 3.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass?
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 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass 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.
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 2026-11-05.