1998 Oldsmobile 88 Owner Complaints

IGNITION IS MESSED UP THE PREVIOUS OWNER SAID THERE IS A RECALL BUT NEVER SHOW ME PAPERS AND I WAS WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS ONE

NHTSA ID

11066173

Incident

Jan 31, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, SMOKE APPEARED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT OBSERVED OIL ON THE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10915750

Incident

Oct 13, 2015

Mileage

120,000 mi

ENGINE USING COOLANT BUT NO EVIDENT LEAK. AFTER A WEEK OF ADDING A LITTLE COOLANT TO RESERVOIR ENGINE RAN HOT AND HYDRO-LOCKED DUE TO CYLINDERS FLOODED WITH COOLANT. DISCOVERED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD HOLE IN IT WHERE THE EGR TUBE ENTERED PLASTIC MANIFOLD ALLOWING COOLANT TO FLOOD INTAKE. THIS ENGINE HAD 84K MILES. ALSO DISCOVERED INTAKE GASKETS WERE REPLACED AT 45K MILES BY DEALER. DEFINITELY AN ENGINEERING DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

10911055

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

Mileage

84,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TURNING ON THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE COOLANT IN THE VEHICLE FINDING THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT IN THE RESERVOIR. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE, THE EXHAUST PIPE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE RELEASED LARGE AMOUNTS OF WHITE SMOKE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHEN HAVING THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10839420

Incident

Feb 26, 2016

Mileage

36,000 mi

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE SHORTLY AFTER SHUTDOWN. INCIDENT 2015-00005013

NHTSA ID

10764472

Incident

Jul 31, 2015

BRAKES FAILED UPON EXITING ON RAMP FROM RTE. 95..DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL, BUT WENT RIGHT DOWN TO THE FLOOR BOARD..NO BRAKES...DOWNSHIFT/ PARKING BRAKE INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE..JUST LUCKY NO CAR COLLISION OCCURRED ...WAS FRIGHTENING !...I THINK GM VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE SO BADLY FAULTY..I'M JUST LUCKY I WASN'T HURT OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT ! *TR

NHTSA ID

10598706

Incident

Jun 10, 2014

Mileage

85,400 mi

TRAVELING SOUTH ON HWY 67 IN MISSISSIPPI. CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 65. VEHICLE SPEED SUDDENLY STARTED TO INCREASE. APPLIED BRAKES LIGHTLY TO TURN OFF CRUISE CONTROL. NO EFFECT. TURNED OFF CRUISE CONTROL ON STEERING COLUMN. NO EFFECT. REPEATEDLY TRIED BRAKES AND OFF SWITCH TO NO AVAIL. FINALLY TURNED OFF IGNITION AND COASTED FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS. RESTARTED ENGINE AND COULD RESUME SPEED NORMALLY WITH ACCELERATOR. DID NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL UNTIL HEADED BACK NORTH ON 67 LATER IN THE DAY. SET CRUISE CONTROL TO 65 AGAIN AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES VEHICLE SPEED BEGAN TO INCREASE. I TRIED BRAKES AND OFF SWITCH AGAIN TO NO AVAIL. TURNED VEHICLE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTED ENGINE. DID NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL AGAIN. AFTER ARRIVING HOME DISCONNECT BATTERY OVERNIGHT. APPARENTLY CORRECTED WHATEVER "GLITCH" HAD OCCURRED SINCE I HAVE USED CRUISE CONTROL SINCE WITH NO PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594197

Incident

Apr 24, 2014

Mileage

300,000 mi

WAS DRIVING DOWN A TOLL ROAD, DEAR JUMPED IN FRONT OF CAR HIT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT, CAR HIT MEDIAN, FLIPPED, AND ROLLED 3 TIMES. CAR IS TOTALED. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10552178

Incident

Nov 10, 2013

Mileage

124,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE ENGINE PLEMUN, WHICH WAS FRACTURED AND CAUSED FLUID TO PENETRATE THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,191 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. ..UPDATED 10/30/13 *BF UPDATED 10/31/2013 *JS

NHTSA ID

10538524

Incident

Apr 21, 2012

Mileage

45,191 mi

I JUST BOUGHT THIS USED CAR ON JAN 1, 2013. I NOTICED A SMELL FROM THE CAR BUT WASN'T SURE WHAT IS WAS AND BOUGHT THE CAR ANYWAYS. WELL A COUPLE WEEKS LATER MY BOYFRIEND WAS CHECKING MY FLUIDS ON THE CAR AND NOTICED A FUEL LEAK UNDER THE HOOD, SO WE WENT TO AUTO ZONE AND BOUGHT A FUEL LINE THAT COST AROUND $30, HE PUT IT ON, STILL LEAKING, WELL WE FIGURED SINCE THE FUEL LINE THAT WE BOUGHT WASN'T PRECRIMPED IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK, SO WE WENT TO THE JUNK YARD AND GOT THE EXACT SAME PART OFF ANOTHER 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88, FIGURED SINCE IT WAS PRECRIMPED IT WOULD WORK, NOT THE CASE, FUEL STILL LEAKING UNDER THE HOOD, SO WE WENT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP IN NASHVILLE AND BOUGHT THE VERY LAST FUEL LINE IN THE STATE AROUND $120, WHICH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS ONE AND THE OTHER TWO IS THAT IT IS 6 FT. LONG, SO WE PUT THE NEW 6FT FUEL LINE ON, WELL IT STOPPED LEAKING UNDER THE HOOD, AND DISCOVERED 1 WEEK LATER THAT MY VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL UNDER THE CAR BY THE BACK PASSENGER WHEEL, SO WE PUT A FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR ON THE VEHICLE FIGURING THAT WOULD CONTROL THE FUEL, BECAUSE WE HEARD THAT IF THAT GOES OUT IT WILL CAUSE FUEL TO LEAK FROM WEAK SPOTS, WELL ALMOST 4 MO. LATER MY VEHICLE IS STILL LEAKING GAS FROM UNDER THE CAR BY THE PASSENGER BACK WHEEL.THIS IS MY DAILY DRIVER BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. I FOUND A RECALL ON THIS AND WOULD LIKE MY ISSUE TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504705

Incident

Jan 21, 2013

Mileage

190 mi

YESTERDAY OUR CAR BEGAN OVERHEATING. WE ADDED A BOTTLE OF COOLANT YESTERDAY AND ANOTHER TWO GALLONS TODAY ALONG WITH A BOTTLE OF STOP LEAK AND HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US IT SEEMS LIKE THE ENGINE HAS SEIZED COMPLETELY AND HE IS NOT EQUIPPED TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10460856

Incident

Jun 6, 2012

Mileage

93,000 mi

ENGINE HYDRO LOCKED WHEN A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWED COOLANT TO BE SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE CYLINDERS, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT. FORTUNATELY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW BY GM. WE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED, AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, AT A COST OF $5,400.00. WE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT PEOPLE WERE JUST AFFORDED A SHORT TIME TO ACT ON IT, AND WE WERE NOT EVEN NOTIFIED. IS THERE ANOTHER SUIT THAT WE CAN BE A PART OF? WE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AN ENGINE WITH JUST 44,000 MILES ON IT. *JS

NHTSA ID

10455916

Incident

Apr 14, 2012

Mileage

44,000 mi

MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE LATEST GM RECALL IN CARS WITH THE 3.8 L MOTOR IN WHICH OIL LEAKS OUT ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE NUMBER GIVEN BUT IT SHOWED MY 1998 OLDS 88 IS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE SAME MOTOR AND PROBLEM IN THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10265731

Incident

Jan 2, 2009

GRADUALLY YOU WILL SEE A DEPLETION OF THE ANTI-FREEZE FROM THE HOLDING RESERVOIR. THIS IS COULD BE A SIGN THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS BEGINNING TO LEAK ANTI-FREEZE (JUST A LITTLE) INTO THE ENGINE. SOONER OR LATER WHEN THE EROSION IS LARGE ENOUGH THEN A PLUME OF WHITE SMOKE WILL COME OUT OF THE EXHAUST AND YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PULL OVER AND CALL THE TOW TRUCK. I HAVE REPLACED THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD TWICE ON MY 1998 OLDS 88 DUE TO DEGRADING OF THE INTERIOR WALL WHERE THE ANTI-FREEZE FLOWS BACK INTO THE ENGINE. BOTH TIMES THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR (INCLUDING PLUGS, WIRES, NEW MANIFOLD, LABOR) WAS AROUND $1,200. ON THE LAST MANIFOLD GM HAD ESTABLISHED ADDING A PIECE OF METAL WHERE THE ANTI-FREEZE WAS ERODING THE "SPACE AGE PLASTIC" INTAKE MANIFOLD. BASED ON THIS, GM KNOWS THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM, BUT THEY WILL NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT AND OR PAY FOR IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207093

Incident

Aug 11, 2003

Mileage

114,284 mi

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT JAMMED AND IS UNUSABLE. GM WEBSITE LIMITS CONTACT TO EXISTING BRANDS. THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR OLDSMOBILE OWNERS, AND NO DEALERSHIPS TO CONTACT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10201705

Incident

Sep 2, 2007

Mileage

64,469 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 LS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE THE PLASTIC NUT THAT SECURED THE SPARE TIRE WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE NUT WAS BROKEN WITH A HAMMER SO THAT THE TIRE COULD BE CHANGED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN BECAUSE HE NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. UPDATED 09/12/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10200909

Incident

Apr 20, 2006

Mileage

190,000 mi

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING I'LL HIT BRAKES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BRAKES GRIND LOUDLY AND ENGINE STALLS. ALSO THE ENGINE WILL STALL AT ANY CRUISING SPEED OVER 40 MPH. CAUSING FULL POWER LOSS INCLUDING BRAKES MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE RECEIVED INJURIES FROM THIS IN THE PAST. NEED HELP ASAP *TR

NHTSA ID

10189426

Incident

Mar 18, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE DELTA EIGHTY EIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND SHUT DOWN AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED GASOLINE IN THE FUEL LINE. THIS SAME FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED ON TWO PRIOR OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ONCE BEFORE ,AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AGAIN AND HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS STATED IN RECALL # 04V09000. THE CONTACTWAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 113,000.*AK

NHTSA ID

10186984

Incident

Apr 3, 2007

Mileage

113,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 LS. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, THE STEERING DIDN'T LOCK AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SIX OCCASIONS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE ABLE DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,435. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES HAS TAKEN VEHICLE INTO DEALER FOR 2 DIANOSTICS CHECKS NO FAILURES FOUND. ENGINE STILL CONTINUES TO STALL. UPDATE *4/23/07TR

NHTSA ID

10185910

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

Mileage

79,000 mi

DT: THE METAL BRACKETS THAT HOLD THE SEAT TO THE FLOOR RIPPED IN HALF, THEY WERE 4 INCHES OFF THE FLOORBOARD, RIGHT UNDER THE SEAT. THE SEAT CONTROLS WERE DAMAGED FROM THE SEAT. CONSULTED WITH THE MANUFACTURER, WHO HAD NO IDEA WHY THE SEAT BROKE OR WHTAT WAS THE STRESS ON THE SEAT. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THE SEAT CAME UP AND FELL INTO THE BACK FLOORBOARD. THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP AT THIS POINT FOR REPAIRS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10121992

Incident

May 13, 2005

Mileage

63,300 mi

1998 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY EIGHTY HAS PROBLEM WHERE THERE IS LEAKAGE OF BATTERY FLUID FROM THE POSITIVE POLE OF THE BATTERY. *MR THE POSITIVE POLE HAD COME OUT OF THE BATTERY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THREE BATTERY'S HAD BEEN REPLACED, THE FIRST WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. (AC DELCO BATTERY) *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10117436

Incident

Nov 7, 1998

1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 RECALL CONCERNING DEFECT ON THE 3.8 V6 ENGINE.*MR THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE SAME RECALL REPAIRED TWICE, THE FIRST TIME THE MANUFACTURER REIMBURSED THE CONSUMER SOME OF HIS MONEY, BUT THE SECOND TIME THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER. RECALL#04V090000 *JB

NHTSA ID

10117454

Incident

Jan 27, 2003

Mileage

93,769 mi

CONSUMER SMELLED ANTI FREEZE FUMES OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, LEAKING ON THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK THE EGR PIPING DEGRADED AND CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10111582

Incident

Nov 15, 2004

Mileage

91,300 mi

VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE FUEL REGULATOR REPAIRED ON TWO VEHICLES, SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. A RECALL WAS RECEIVED BY THE MANUFACTURE INVOLVING ONLY ONE OF THE VEHICLES, AND REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE FOR THE ONE VEHICLE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE FUEL REGULATOR RECALL. THE CONSUMER'S SECOND VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FUEL REGULATOR NHTSA RECALL 04V09000. *AK

NHTSA ID

10115782

Incident

Jan 13, 2003

Mileage

65,000 mi

MY OLDSMOBILE 88 WAS LOOSING ANTI-FREEZE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, SO I TOOK IT IN FOR RECALL REPAIR AND HAD THE DEALER CHECK THE COOLANT SYSTEM. THEY SAID MY INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1200. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THIS DONE TO THE CAR. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AT 60000 MILES.APPARENTLY THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD IS NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE HEAT. MY CAR HAS NEVER OVERHEATED AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. I HAVE 133,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS MANIFOLD TWICE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10112037

Incident

Feb 23, 2005

Mileage

130,000 mi