1989 Oldsmobile 88 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1989 Oldsmobile 88, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system516.7%
- Driver assistance413.3%
- Seat belts413.3%
- Engine26.7%
- Visibility26.7%
- Brakes26.7%
- Electrical26.7%
- Tires & wheels26.7%
- Airbags26.7%
- Body & structure13.3%
- Steering13.3%
- Transmission13.3%
- Heating & air conditioning13.3%
- Interior & seats13.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
GAS LINES AND FITTINGS BADLY CORRODED AND LEAKING. NLM
CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR RECALL (89C-01) REPAIR OF THE FUEL PUMP. NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE, RESULTING IN SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
BROKEN SPRING IN THE LATCH MECHANISM ON THE SEAT BELT FAILED RESULTING IN CONSUMER EJECTION FROM VEHICLE DURING COLLISION. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
DRIVERS SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED, CAUSING SHOULDER BELT TO BE LOOSE. *DSH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
RADIATOR CAP EXPLODED. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED AND BROKE WITHOUT BEING HIT WITH ANY FOREIGN OBJECT. THE REAR WINDOW DEFROESTER WAS ON PREVEOUSLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
HEATER CORE LEAK HOT FLUID ON PASSENGER FEET. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEM, ROTOR HAS TO BE TURNED EVERY 5000 MILES. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN TAKING HIS FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN 7 TIMES WITHIN A MILE. *AK
RADIATOR CAP EXPLODED. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER REPLACED THE TIRES TWICE.*JB
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS ON. *SD
CAR WAS ACCIDENT AND AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOYED. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
PROBLEM WITH DASH HINGE PILLAR. *AW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
TILT STEERING WHEEL COLUMN BOLTS LOOSE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BROKE AT U BASE OF THE SEAT AND SEAT FELL BACKWARDS, RESULTING IN INJURIES. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .