1985 Oldsmobile CALAIS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1985 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 3 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 1 | 33.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch | 1 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch | 1 |
| Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch: 1; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch: 1; Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 2 |
1995: 1; 1996: 2
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 481330 · 1995-03-10 (March 10, 1995)
HOOD LATCH FAILED AFTER RECALL REPAIRS, CAUSING HOOD TO FLY UP. (86V-1210) *AW
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 481330 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 491010 · 1996-01-04 (January 4, 1996)
SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 491010 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 977766 · 1996-01-18 (January 18, 1996)
STEERING COLUMN WHEEL HAS CRACKED ON TWO OCCASIONS, INDICATOR LIGHT LEVER ALSO BROKE OFF. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 977766 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
85V047000 · Visibility:Windshield
Reported: 1985-04-26 (April 26, 1985)
A LOSS OF BONDING ADHESION BETWEEN THE PAINT AND THE WINDSHIELD OPENING AREA COULD ALLOW THE WINDSHIELD TO SEPARATE DURING A 30 MILE PER HOUR FRONTAL BARRIER TEST REQUIRED BY FMVSS 212, WINDSHIELD RETENTION. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: WINDSHIELD SEPARATION DURING AN ACCIDENT COULD RESULT IN AN UNBELTED OCCUPANT BEING EJECTED FROM THE CAR AND SEVERLY INJURED.
Remedy: REMOVE AND REINSTALL WINDSHIELD IF A LACK OF PAINT BONDING IS EVIDENT.
NHTSA campaign record ↗86V030000 · Vehicle Speed Control:Springs
Reported: 1986-02-21 (February 21, 1986)
THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING ASSEMBLY MAY FAIL PREVENTING THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE CLOSED (IDLE) POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: ENGINE SPEED MAY NOT DECREASE AND LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: REPLACE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING.
NHTSA campaign record ↗86V121000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch
Reported: 1986-08-28 (August 28, 1986)
THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY BE INCORRECTLY ALIGNED, OR MAY EXHIBIT A BINDING CONDITION OF THE LATCH PIVOT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH NOT BEING COMPLETELY ENGAGED TO THE HOOD, THE HOOD COULD UNEXPECTEDLY OPEN WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE HOOD MAY CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD REDUCING THE FORWARD VISION AREA OF THE DRIVER AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH WILL BE REPLACED AND INSPECT THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH POP-UP LEVER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗87V124000 · Structure
Reported: 1987-08-10 (August 10, 1987)
SMALL CRACKS MAY DEVELOP IN THE BODY PILLAR AROUND THE DOOR STRIKER BOLT HOLE.
Consequence: CRACKS WOULD INCREASE LEADING TO DIFFICULTY IN CLOSINGTHE DOOR AND MIGHT ALLOW DOOR TO COME OPEN DURING A CRASH, INCREASINGLIKELIHOOD OF INJURY TO OCCUPANTS.
Remedy: INSTALL INNER AND OUTER REINFORCEMENT PLATE ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT BODY PILLARS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 133.3% | 114.3%ODI 969568THE VEHICLE HAS A CRACKED HEAD AT 62,000 MILES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT | 120.0%ODI 484191TIMING GEAR REPLACED DUE TO TEETH SHEARING, CAUSING NO POWER STEERING/BRAKES/ENGINE. *SD | 738.9% | 422.2% | 18.3%ODI 489256OIL PAN MADE OF ALUMINUM, CAUSING AN OBJECT FROM STREET TO KNOCK A HOLE IN OIL PAN, LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE, RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. *AW |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 525173ENGINE STALLES WHEN IT OVERHEATS. VEHICLE FAILS TO START WHEN HOT UNTIL ENGINE COOLS DOWN. ALSO, REPLACED IGNITION/COIL AND STARTER. *AK | 360.0% | 422.2%ODI 484763ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING LEAK, RECALL WORK REFUSED PRIOR TO FAILURE. | 422.2% | 216.7%ODI 601595ENGINE FAILED DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE OIL. (SECOND VEHICLE ON 508114) |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 228.6%ODI 525173ENGINE STALLES WHEN IT OVERHEATS. VEHICLE FAILS TO START WHEN HOT UNTIL ENGINE COOLS DOWN. ALSO, REPLACED IGNITION/COIL AND STARTER. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 211.1% | 15.6% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 15.6% | 211.1%ODI 486603INTERMITTENT SUDDEN ACCELERATIONS FROM COMPLETE STOP, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ONE ACCIDENT. *SKD | 216.7%ODI 562717THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN THE DRIVER PUT GEAR IN REVERES TO BACK OUT OF PARKING LOT, AND CAUSED ACCIDENT SERIOUSLY INJURING THE DRIVER AND DAMAGING THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INVESTIGATION BY THE MANUFACTURER. (THE ADDRESS IS THE OWNERS FATHER)*YH *TR |
| Electrical System:Starter Assembly | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 525173ENGINE STALLES WHEN IT OVERHEATS. VEHICLE FAILS TO START WHEN HOT UNTIL ENGINE COOLS DOWN. ALSO, REPLACED IGNITION/COIL AND STARTER. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 316.7%ODI 484763ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING LEAK, RECALL WORK REFUSED PRIOR TO FAILURE. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 114.3%ODI 10071286 · 221,000 miI HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I BOUGHT IT USED 2 YEARS AGO FOR $1000.00 AND HAVE SPEND CLOSE TO $2000.00 JUST KEEPING THE THING RUNNING. I NOW AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE ELECTRIC COMPUTER MODULAR AND THAT IS COSTING ME ANOTHER $440.00 AND NOT THERE IS A LOUD GRINDING AND BANGING COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN I DRIVE IT. I HEARD THAT THIS CAR WAS A GOOD MODEL AND FOUND OUT ON MY OWN IT IS A NIGHTMARE ON WHEELS. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER, STUDENT WITH NOT MUCH MONEY AND I DEPEND ON A RELIABLE CAR . THIS MODEL HAS SPENT MO… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 15.6% | 211.1% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seats | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 211.1% | 18.3%ODI 963016WHEN REAR ENDED, DRIVERS SEAT BOLT SEVERED ALLOWING SEAT TO FLIP BACKWARDS. DRIVER RECEIVED LOWER LEG INJURIES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 15.6%ODI 983525WHEN BACKING OUT THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE OFF AND THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN INTO THE REAR SEAT WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK | 211.1%ODI 513015PASSENGER'S SEATBACK LATCH FAILED, ALLOWING SEATBACK TO COME FORWARD TOWARD WINDSHIELD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1989: 0 complaints · 1990: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 14 | 4 | 0 |
| 1990 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch | Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch | 0 | — | 0 | 1ODI 977766STEERING COLUMN WHEEL HAS CRACKED ON TWO OCCASIONS, INDICATOR LIGHT LEVER ALSO BROKE OFF. TT |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 0 | 1ODI 977766STEERING COLUMN WHEEL HAS CRACKED ON TWO OCCASIONS, INDICATOR LIGHT LEVER ALSO BROKE OFF. TT | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.