RoadVitals

1988 Oldsmobile 88 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
37
Latest Sep 9, 2002
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
9
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Mar 9, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 37 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Oldsmobile 88. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 37 · page 1 of 2

Engine
Filed Sep 9, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND IF TEST REGISTERS A HALF OF TANK OF GASOLINE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND SHUTDOWN. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
8018239
Incident
Sep 1, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Apr 30, 2001

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT OUT OF RETRACTOR MECHANISM, CAUSING SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
887166
Incident
Apr 30, 2001
Engine
Filed May 30, 2000

THE ENGINE CRADLE FALLING TO THE GROUND DUE TO RUSTED OUT BOLTS. YH

NHTSA ID
552430
Incident
Mar 1, 1999
BrakesSteering
Filed May 1, 2000

RACK & PINION STEERING WOULD LOCK UP IF VEHICLE SATTOO LONG. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE WEATHER WAS COLD OR HOT. ALSO, BRAKE PADS WORE OUT THE ROTORS. PADS WERE HARDER THAN THE ROTORS. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR REPAIRS OF RACK & PINION STEERING, AND EACH TIME MECHANIC REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
861186
Seat belts
Filed Oct 25, 1999

HEAD REST DESIGN DOES NOT PROPERLY PROTECT FROM INJURY, DOES NOT SUPPORT HEAD. MJS

NHTSA ID
549160
Filed Sep 22, 1999

THE PAINT ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE CAR TURNED A CHALKY WHITE COLOR AND APPEARED THAT THE CLEAR COAT FAILED COMPLETELY OVER MOST OF THE CAR. WE HAD TO HAVE THE WHOLE CAR REPAINTED.

NHTSA ID
711825
Seat belts
Filed Sep 2, 1999

FRONT SEATBELT BUCKLED UP AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO UNDO. OWNER HAS TO PLAY WITH THE BUCKLE FOR AWHILE TO GET THEM LOOSE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, BUT STILL NO SOLUTION. *AK

NHTSA ID
846408
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 31, 1998

IGNITION MODULE AND CRANK SENSOR FAILED CAUSING STALLING.

NHTSA ID
538645
Incident
Feb 23, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 12, 1998

HAD PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC. PRESSED ON ACCELERATOR & NOTHING HAPPENED. SUDDENLY VEHICLE ACCELERATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. THE MECHANIC TOOK VEHICLE FOR TEST DRIVE & NOTHING WAS FOUND. *AK

NHTSA ID
824256
Incident
Feb 8, 1998
Brakes
Filed Oct 15, 1997

MASTER CYLINDER FAILED.

NHTSA ID
604645
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 14, 1997

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
604332
Steering
Filed Jul 29, 1997

CONSUMER STATED THAT ONLY IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS THE POWER STEERING WILL NOT TURN TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THE STEERING COLUMN BOX JUST LOCKS UP. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
814527
Body & structure
Filed Jul 1, 1997

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK FAILED.

NHTSA ID
520125
Steering
Filed Jun 19, 1997
4 injuries reported

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING ACCIDENT AND ROLL OVER.

NHTSA ID
603404
Incident
May 7, 1997
Steering
Filed Apr 4, 1997

THE STEERING IS TIGHT AND HARD TO TURN.

NHTSA ID
516171
Steering
Filed Jan 29, 1997

STEERING COLUMN: HAD SILENT RECALL IN 1993 ON STEERING COLUMN. HAD NEW STEERING COLUMN PUT IN. WHEN DRIVING ONE CAN FEEL THE STEERING COLUMN SHIMMERING AND IT MOVING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. REAPAIR SHOP SAID IT SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS IF IT WAS REPLACED . *AK

NHTSA ID
808305
Incident
Jan 8, 1997
Engine
Filed Dec 20, 1996
Crash reported

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WITH THE LAST OCCURRANCE RESULTING IN A CRASH THAT TOTALED VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
513154
Body & structureOther / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Oct 15, 1996

TIRES SLOWLY LEAKING, WHEELS MADE OF ALUMINUM STEEL WITH ALUMINUM CAPS, NOTICED THAT CAPS WERE STRIPPED AND/OR MISSING; DOOR PANELS/ARM REST FELL APART AFTER USING IT MANY TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
802865
Incident
Sep 16, 1996
Steering
Filed Aug 22, 1996

FAILURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN CRACKS/SPLITS IS ON THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK

NHTSA ID
800216
Incident
Jul 26, 1996
Interior & seats
Filed May 29, 1996
Crash reported2 injuries reported

UPON IMPACT, DURING REAR END COLLISION STANDING STILL AT INTERSECTION, DRIVERS SEATBACK REST COLLAPSED REARWARD AND LAID DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID
985015
Engine
Filed May 7, 1996
Fire reported

VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER, RAINY WEATHER LIFTED HOOD AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE.

NHTSA ID
984162
Incident
Apr 12, 1996
Transmission
Filed May 3, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported

TRANSIMISSION: CONSUMER WAS PLACING THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
984009
Incident
Apr 12, 1996
Steering
Filed Apr 19, 1996

POWER STEERING SEALS LEAK. *DSH

NHTSA ID
503424
Incident
May 1, 1992
Steering
Filed Jan 24, 1996

COLD POWER STEERING. *AK

NHTSA ID
500912
Incident
Oct 1, 1995
Steering
Filed Dec 11, 1995

THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN CAN NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL IN BAD WEATHER. TT

NHTSA ID
976425
Incident
Dec 10, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .