POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
1993 Oldsmobile 88
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 74 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1993 Oldsmobile 88, most frequently naming the brakes, transmission and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 17 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 1995 | 3 | 4 |
| Apr 1995 | 4 | 8 |
| Aug 1995 | 1 | 9 |
| Sep 1995 | 2 | 11 |
| Oct 1995 | 2 | 13 |
| Nov 1995 | 1 | 14 |
| Apr 1996 | 1 | 15 |
| May 1996 | 5 | 20 |
| Jul 1996 | 1 | 21 |
| Aug 1996 | 1 | 22 |
| Sep 1996 | 1 | 23 |
| Oct 1996 | 1 | 24 |
| Dec 1996 | 1 | 25 |
| Jan 1997 | 1 | 26 |
| Mar 1997 | 2 | 28 |
| Apr 1997 | 2 | 30 |
| May 1997 | 4 | 34 |
| Jul 1997 | 2 | 36 |
| Oct 1997 | 1 | 37 |
| Mar 1998 | 1 | 38 |
| Jun 1998 | 2 | 40 |
| Oct 1998 | 3 | 43 |
| Nov 1998 | 2 | 45 |
| Apr 1999 | 1 | 46 |
| Jun 1999 | 1 | 47 |
| Jul 1999 | 2 | 49 |
| Aug 1999 | 1 | 50 |
| Sep 1999 | 1 | 51 |
| Dec 1999 | 1 | 52 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 53 |
| Mar 2000 | 1 | 54 |
| Apr 2000 | 1 | 55 |
| Nov 2000 | 1 | 56 |
| Jul 2001 | 2 | 58 |
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 59 |
| Jul 2002 | 2 | 61 |
| Sep 2002 | 1 | 62 |
| Jan 2003 | 3 | 65 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 66 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 67 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 68 |
| Jul 2005 | 1 | 69 |
| Feb 2006 | 1 | 70 |
| Apr 2007 | 1 | 71 |
| Aug 2008 | 1 | 72 |
| Feb 2010 | 1 | 73 |
| Jun 2011 | 1 | 74 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Brakes2123.6%
- Transmission1618.0%
- Engine1112.4%
- Airbags77.9%
- Electrical77.9%
- Fuel system66.7%
- Body & structure44.5%
- Seat belts44.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govSafety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
FUEL LEAKS
There is no summary currently available
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER (96V015000) POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: COOLING UNIT AND LINES WAS RELATED TO THE SAFETY ISSUE, BUT THE MANUFACTURED STATED THE RECALL WAS CLOSED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10408456
- Incident
- Jun 10, 2011
- Mileage
- 164,000 mi
1993 88 OLDS TROTTLE CABLE BROKE WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE. PROCEEDED AT FULL SPEED (IN CIRCLES AS WHEEL WAS TURNED) UNTIL CRASHED INTO TREE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10307437
- Incident
- Dec 21, 2009
- Mileage
- 42,000 mi
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS IS FROM AN INDEPENDENT DEALER. ONE WEEK LATER, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH IN THE RAIN, WATER FLOODED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE REAR FLOORBOARD WAS SOAKED WITH WATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ONE WEEK AFTER THE WATER DAMAGE AND WAS REPLACED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONTINUE TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LINES WERE SALT RUSTED AS WELL AS THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPONENTS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE BELTS WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE COMPONENTS THAT CONTROL THE AIR CONDITIONING. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10-07-08 *BF UPDATED 10/15/08. *JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10240200
- Incident
- Feb 10, 2008
- Mileage
- 120,000 mi
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING. THE VEHICLE HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN CMP95C1101. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OVER 1000 MILES THE VEHICLE FAILED 75 TIMES AND BECAME WORSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10189264
- Incident
- Apr 26, 2007
- Mileage
- 47,000 mi
THIS CAR, LIKE MANY FRONT-DRIVE CARS, USES A FRONT SUBFRAME TO CARRY THE ENGINE, TRANSAXLE, STEERING GEAR AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THE SUBFRAME IS ATTACHED TO THE BODY WITH SIX RUBBER ISOLATORS, EACH OF WHICH IS FASTENED IN PLACE WITH A LARGE RETAINING WASHER AND A BOLT. ONE OF THE SIX RETAINING WASHERS RUSTED THROUGH AND THE OUTER HALF OF IT FELL OFF THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO A GM DEALER AND ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO INSPECT AND REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF THE OTHER FIVE WASHERS. AS I SUSPECTED FROM MY VISUAL INSPECTION,ALL FIVE WERE SERIOUSLY WEAKENED BY RUST AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THE SUBFRAME HAD ALSO RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT, TO THE POINT THAT THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN COULD EASILY POKE A SCREWDRIVER THROUGH THE RUSTED SECTIONS. THE REST OF THE UNDERBODY, INCLUDING THE FLOOR PAN, ROCKER PANELS, STRUT TOWERS, FUEL TANK, TANK STRAPS AND REAR SUSPENSION PARTS, WAS VIRTUALLY FREE OF RUST. IF THE RETAINERS OR SUBFRAME HAD FAILED ON THE ROAD AND THE REAR OF THE SUBFRAME HAD DROPPED DOWN, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE LOST STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MODE AND CONSEQUENCES ARE SIMILAR TO SAFETY RECALL 98V323000, WHICH COVERED SUBFRAME RETAINERS ON 2.6 MILLION FORD, MERCURY AND LINCOLN FRONT-DRIVE VEHICLES. I PAID FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE SUBFRAME, THE SIX RETAINERS, THE SIX MOUNT BOLTS, AND SEVERAL OF THE RUBBER ISOLATORS THAT EXHIBITED RUST DAMAGE TO THEIR INTERNAL METAL SLEEVES. WITH LABOR CHARGES FOR THE PARTS REPLACEMENTS AND THE FRONT-END ALIGNMENT THAT WAS REQUIRED AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THOSE PARTS, THE TOTAL BILL CAME TO $1558. I HELD ONTO THE RUSTED RETAINER THAT FELL OFF THE CAR; THE DEALER DISPOSED OF THE REMAINING PARTS, SINCE I DID NOT HAVE STORAGE SPACE AVAILABLE FOR THE LARGE SUBFRAME. I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY TO HAVE FOUND AND REPAIRED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IT LED TO AN INJURY OR FATALITY ACCIDENT. THIS SUBFRAME AND RETAINER DESIGN IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE OLDS 88, BUT IS SHARED BY THE GM H-BODY AND C-BODY PLATFORMS.*JB
- NHTSA ID
- 10151163
- Incident
- Feb 17, 2006
- Mileage
- 147,700 mi
DT: THE CONTACT STATED ENGINE MOUNTS CAME OUT WITH CHASSIS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 5-7 MPH. THE SERVICE DEALER AND THE AAA MECHANIC STATED THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, SO IT WILL HAVE TO BE JUNKED. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10129428
- Incident
- Jul 19, 2005
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BRAKE LINE FAILED. *AK *NM
- NHTSA ID
- 10059573
- Incident
- Feb 12, 2004
WHEN STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ENGINE IDLED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10050282
- Incident
- Oct 15, 2003
- Mileage
- 35,200 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN STANDING IN PARK ON A HILL OR SLOPE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT APPLIED. *TT
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN IN PARK ON INCLINE. *TT
STRUCTURE:BODY
SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THERE IS CORROSION ( RUST ) APPEARING ON THE LEFT AND /OR RIGHT ROCKER PANEL(S). *YC
SUSPENSION
SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE VEHICLE
STRUCTURE:BODY
CONCERNS OF DOOR HANDLES ON WHITE PAINTED VEHICLES TRUNING YELLOW. *YC
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1999 | 77 | 2 | 3 | 60.1 |
| 1998 | 164 | 1 | 1 | 51.5 |
| 1997 | 101 | 0 | 1 | 46.3 |
| 1996 | 92 | 2 | 1 | 56.8 |
| 1995 | 117 | 1 | 0 | 46.5 |
| 1994 | 63 | 1 | 0 | 41.0 |
| 1993Viewing | 74 | 1 | 1 | 54.5 |
| 1992 | 73 | 1 | 5 | 60.1 |
| 1991 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 57.7 |
| 1990 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 49.6 |
| 1989 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 53.9 |
| 1988 | 37 | 0 | 4 | 53.6 |
| 1987 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 70.9 |
| 1986 | 19 | 1 | 8 | 49.9 |
| 1985 | 7 | 2 | 2 | — |
| 1984 | 9 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 1982 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1974 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.