Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic21
- Engine and engine cooling15
- Power train11
- Air bags8
- Electrical system8
- Structure6
- Vehicle speed control5
- Fuel system, gasoline4
- Suspension4
- Visibility3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 10 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 1996 Ciera vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 2 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.8 L/100 km (about 20 mpg US), CO₂ 271 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ciera SL · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 9.3 | 11.8 |
| Ciera SL Wagon · Station wagon: Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 9.3 | 11.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH REAR OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGES THAT MAY NOT WITHSTAND THE REQUIRED LOAD. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO.210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Oldsmobile told its dealers about the 1996 Oldsmobile Ciera: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 52935 | INFORMATION CONCERNING ENGINE KNOCK/RATTLE OR TAP NOISE BEFORE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE (REPLACE PISTON AND/OR ROD ASSEMBLIES). AK |
| 51497 | COLD START RATTLE NOISE (DIAGNOSIS/SERVICE PROCEDURE). *TW |
| 51302 | KNOCK, RATTLE OR TAP NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BEFORE THE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE KNOCK, RATTLE OR TAP NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BEFORE THE ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE OR UNDER LIGHT LOAD CONDITIONS AT RATURE (REPLACE PISTON AND/OR ROD ASSEMBLIES). *TW |
| 50571 | COLD START RATTLE NOISE. *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)