12. Oldsmobile Cutlass Diesel
In the late ’70s, American manufacturers were all about fuel efficiency and downsizing. The era of big cruisers and powerful gasoline engines of the ’60s was gone. Everybody was busy trying to find a way to introduce new and innovative technologies. Oldsmobile was at the forefront of this new trend with the introduction of the diesel engine in passenger cars. They introduced the 4.3-liter V8 diesel engine as an option for the Cutlass line, and soon, this model was subject to enormous amounts of recalls and engine swaps.
Simply put, the 4.3-liter had the tendency to explode and shatter during normal driving. Even though there were no injuries, the car was unusable and only good for scrap. Oldsmobile later introduced the 5.7-liter diesel that was somewhat better and more durable. However, most people consider the 4.3-liter to be the worst diesel engine in history.