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1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 Cutlass Cruiser.

The 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser, a station wagon on the GM A-body platform, requires 4 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil. With 92 total owner complaints and six recalls, the model year’s reliability is most frequently challenged by issues in the Service Brakes, Hydraulic system, placing it among vehicles with a moderate but notable repair history centered on braking components.

Model year1990 1989 1988 1987 1983 1982

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	190.6 in
Overall width	69.3 in
Overall height	54.3 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Curb weight	2846 lb

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	4.3 qt
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1050017 OR EQUIVALENT

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser dominate in one area — the service brakes, hydraulic, 35 of 92 reports (38%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 6 recall campaigns target the service brakes, hydraulic, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 5 of the reports describe a crash and 2 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes, hydraulic pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

5 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 92 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic35

Structure8

Engine & Engine Cooling7

Suspension6

Electrical System5

Steering4

Seat Belts4

Parking Brake4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V115000WheelsReported 05/06/1995

CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING DATE CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT…

94V041000WheelsReported 28/03/1995

CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
476147	1994-12-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	RATTLING NOISE/ENGINE OVERHEATING. *TW

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Cutlass Cruiser. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 4 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1988 Cutlass Cruiser take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1988 Cutlass Cruiser have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.