AI Damage1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass: common problems
Owners of the 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 33% of all complaints
- 3 Tires 33% of all complaints
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Tires: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 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.
Consumer was traveling about 10 to 15 mph when there was a malfunction in the master cylinder which caused the brakes to lock up, causing the consumer to have an accident. Consumer has contacted the dealer, parts have been replaced.
They said that my rims were bent, they replaced them and it still didn't stop the vibration. Next, they said my rear axle was bent and that was the cause of the vibration. I didn't have the funds at the time to replace my rear alxe I would have to put up with the rough ride.
La vegas dealer adjusted it to ignore problem. Took 2 times to fix. More info if bob young wants to email me... Alex
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
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
- Cutlass 19763 sources
- Cutlass 19773 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 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, service brakes, tires. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (33%), vibration (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1980 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 1980 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.