1) the failure occurred under normal use of wipers in heavy rain. 2) during normal use, the passenger side wiper arm appeared to become dislodged and began moving erratically. After inspection of the wiper assembly it was discovered that the plastic housing that holds the wiper arm to the wiper motor was cracked and broken away from the linkage to the wiper motor. The consequences of this failure is that neither wiper arm operates and this causes hazardous driving conditions by reducing visibility during rain or frost. 3) after researching this apparent defect in the manufacturers original part, I discovered an open recall is already in effect for this particular year, make, and model (the federal safety agency campaign id# 01v068000). The description under this recall is identical to the problem I encountered and is for the same vehicle. I contacted the manufacturer, gm-oldsmobile, and the open recall was verified, but I was told my particular VIN# was not on their list. I was told that if gm happens to add other vehicles from the same year, make, and model to the list then I would be notified, but no repairs would be offered.
1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass: windshield wiper failure
6 of the 155 complaints about the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass describe windshield wiper failure.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 4%
- recalls
- 1
Windshield wiper failure by model year
- 19986
- 19974
- 19952
- 199410
- 19931
What owners say
Recall campaign#01v068000 windshield wiper linkage breakage will not cover my breakage because I am in a southern state, my VIN is not on their racall list.
I currently have the following problems with my 1998 olds cutlass gl. My power steering is stiff and makes a "wailing" noise. My coolent system has a leak. My heat and air have completey stopped working. I have had problems (in the past that have been repaired_ with my power window locking up (drivers side). The sound system shorted out. The cd player quit working. I have replaced my wiper blades several times and they still do not clear the windshield completely. One time when my teens were using my car, they were on the interstate and the car went completely dead...not only were they terrified, it was a very dangerous situation for them to be in.
While driving at 30 MPH on a down pour, the windshield wipers stopped working. The wipers began to work out of synch and ended crossed up on the windshield. Had to replace the wiper transmission. No recall notice was received.
Consumer brought vehicle in for inoperative right side windshield wiper, dealership replaced wiper blade assemblies and adjusted left and right wiper arms, consumer received recall notice, 01014s, after repairs were performed, but dealership stated that repair was not covered by recall, consumer is requesting reimbursement.
I was driving on route 9, a major highway here in the city of poughkeepsie and I had mywindshield wipers on because it was raining. Suddenly the passenger side wiper arm stopped moving, causing the driver side wiper to move across it forming an 'x' across the windshield. The wiper system stalled and I couldn't see through the windshield again. Luckily there wasn't too much traffic at the time and I was lucky enough to pull out of the road without crashing into anything. I had seen earlier in this website that there is or supposed to be a recall on the 98 cutlasses for their defective wiper systems and I've been waiting for a recall note but I haven't recieved one yet. My question is, is my dealer required to perform the repair/replacement for free or am I required to pay for the service?
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkages
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the "salt belt" states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, north dakota, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, utah, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and wyoming. If a buildup of snow or ice restricts the movement of the passenger side windshield wiper arm, the pivot housing can crack and the wipers will not operate.
- Risk
- Reduced visibility in inclement weather could lead to a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the passenger side windshield wiper pivot housing. Owner notification began august 14, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020 or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537.
Recall number 01V068000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass wipers
Is windshield wiper failure a common problem on the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass?
6 of 155 owner complaints about the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass (4%) mention windshield wiper failure. The model year with the most reports is 1994.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass?
There is 1 recall and 3 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass
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