RoadVitals

1989 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.
27
Latest Mar 11, 2003
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.
3
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 Jan 18, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 27 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1989 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 27 · page 1 of 2

Tires & wheels
Filed Mar 11, 2003

THE FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER REPLACED THE TIRES TWICE.*JB

NHTSA ID
10011383
Incident
Nov 16, 2002
Mileage
95,626 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Nov 28, 2001

MICHELIN, RADIAL, DOTB9CTCRPE-299; WHILE TRAVELING AT 55MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE, THEN LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, WENT ACROSS A LANE AND HIT GUARD A RAIL. *AK WHEN THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE LANE, IT WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON DRIVER SIDE AND THE TIRE BLEW NEAR WHITE SIDE WALL. *YH

NHTSA ID
899579
Incident
Jul 13, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Dec 5, 2000

GAS LINES AND FITTINGS BADLY CORRODED AND LEAKING. NLM

NHTSA ID
557876
Engine
Filed Jan 6, 2000

WHEN YOU ARE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE ENGINE DIES CLEANLY. THAT IS THERE IS NO SPUTTERING/COUGHING OR ERRATIC FIRING. OFCOURSE YOU LOOSE ALL BRAKING AND STEERING CONTROL DUE TO THE DEAD ENGINE . AFTER YOU COAST TO TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, YOU CAN TURN THE KEY TO START AND THE ENGINE STARTS WITH NO HESITATION AT ALL. THE CAR MAY GO 100, 350 OR 400 MILES BEFORE IT DOES THE SAME THING AGAIN. THIS IS EXTEMELY DANGEROUS AS YOU COULD EASILY REAR END SOME ONE AT HIGH SPEEDS. I CALLED THE OLDSMOBILE DEALER AND HE SAID THERE WAS LITTLE HE COULD DO UNLESS THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. SINCE I MENTIONED THE SITUATION TO MY FRIENDS THEY HAVE SAID THEY KNEW OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
716984
Incident
Aug 14, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Oct 28, 1999

CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR RECALL (89C-01) REPAIR OF THE FUEL PUMP. NLM

NHTSA ID
551179
Incident
Aug 21, 1997
Transmission
Filed Sep 28, 1999

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE OR STALL WHILE DRIVING WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
848938
Incident
Nov 22, 1993
Steering
Filed Apr 30, 1998

TILT STEERING WHEEL COLUMN BOLTS LOOSE.

NHTSA ID
534959
Incident
Feb 25, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 11, 1997

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
520931
Incident
Apr 8, 1997
Brakes
Filed Feb 26, 1997

THE STEEL RAKE LINE RUSTED IN TWO WHERE IT CROSSES UNDER THE EXHAUST SYSTEM UNDER A HEAT SHIELD ABOUT THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL . *AK

NHTSA ID
808028
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 11, 1996

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE, RESULTING IN SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
508382
Seat belts
Filed Aug 30, 1996
1 injury reported

BROKEN SPRING IN THE LATCH MECHANISM ON THE SEAT BELT FAILED RESULTING IN CONSUMER EJECTION FROM VEHICLE DURING COLLISION. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).

NHTSA ID
508258
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 17, 1996

WHEN TAKING HIS FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN 7 TIMES WITHIN A MILE. *AK

NHTSA ID
986112
Incident
Jun 15, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Apr 25, 1996

DRIVERS SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED, CAUSING SHOULDER BELT TO BE LOOSE. *DSH

NHTSA ID
503724
Incident
Apr 16, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Mar 28, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported

CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAME LOOSE THE SPRING WAS BROKEN CONSUMER WAS INJURIED . TT

NHTSA ID
972972
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 21, 1996

WHEN DRIVING, SOMETIMES VEHICLE ACCELERATES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
981051
Incident
Mar 20, 1996
Visibility
Filed Feb 21, 1996

WHILE DRIVING THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED AND BROKE WITHOUT BEING HIT WITH ANY FOREIGN OBJECT. THE REAR WINDOW DEFROESTER WAS ON PREVEOUSLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA ID
979460
Incident
Feb 4, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Jan 2, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BECAME LOOSE IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. TT

NHTSA ID
977198
Incident
Feb 14, 1993
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 20, 1995

RADIATOR CAP EXPLODED. *SD

NHTSA ID
490549
Incident
Dec 20, 1995
Brakes
Filed Nov 7, 1995

EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEM, ROTOR HAS TO BE TURNED EVERY 5000 MILES. TT

NHTSA ID
974739
Incident
Oct 4, 1994
Airbags
Filed Sep 19, 1995

AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS ON. *SD

NHTSA ID
483487
Incident
Apr 3, 1995
Body & structure
Filed Aug 22, 1995

PROBLEM WITH DASH HINGE PILLAR. *AW

NHTSA ID
483602
Incident
Aug 22, 1995
Visibility
Filed Jul 20, 1995
1 injury reported

HEATER CORE LEAK HOT FLUID ON PASSENGER FEET. TT

NHTSA ID
969153
Incident
Jul 20, 1995
Heating & air conditioningFuel system
Filed May 26, 1995

DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE.

NHTSA ID
486495
Incident
Feb 1, 1995
Fuel system
Filed Mar 2, 1995

FUEL FLEX HOSE BROKE, CAUSING GASOLINE TO LEAK, ENGINE TO STALL. *SKD

NHTSA ID
481318
Incident
Jan 13, 1995
Airbags
Filed Feb 24, 1995
Crash reported

CAR WAS ACCIDENT AND AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOYED. TT

NHTSA ID
960533
Incident
Feb 20, 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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .