RoadVitals

1998 Oldsmobile 88 Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints 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.
9
Latest Aug 2, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 164 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Oldsmobile 88 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Fuel systemTransmission
Filed Aug 2, 2004

WHILE ENTERING MY GARAGE AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 OR 4 TIMES WHEN COMING TO A RED LIGHT OR STOPPED VEHICLES OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. I REMEMBER THE AUDI THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I REALLY THOUGHT I'D END UP IN MY LIVING ROOM. I QUICKLY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL ON ALL OCCASIONS. IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION ISN'T DROPPING DOWN TO IT'S LOW RANGE. HELP. *AK

NHTSA ID
10083141
Incident
Aug 1, 2004
Mileage
40,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 16, 2002

CONSUMER TRIED TO PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PUT IN DRIVE, STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. CONSUMER CUT OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED, AND IT WENT INTO GEAR. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AKTHE FAULTY PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *JG

NHTSA ID
8018700
Incident
Sep 15, 2002
Transmission
Filed Sep 13, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION STOPS OPERATING WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEALER CONTACTED. *NLM

NHTSA ID
8018587
Incident
Jun 15, 2001
Body & structureTransmission
Filed Aug 23, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT 25MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE SHUT OFF. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AKTHE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT WOULD NOT MOVE INTO GEAR. ALSO THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT SWITCH PLATE. *JG

NHTSA ID
8017095
Incident
Aug 14, 2002
BrakesTransmission
Filed Sep 4, 2001

THE "ABS" AND "TRACTION CONTROL OFF" INDICATOR LIGHTS STARTED TO COME ON AND STAY ON SOME TIME IN NOVEMBER 2000. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT. AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE ICE BUILDUP WHICH CAUSES THE SPEED SENSORS TO GO OFF. THE COST TO REPLACE ANY ONE SPEED SENSOR WAS APPROX $450-$500 PER WHEEL HUB. IN JULY 2001 I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE THE ABS AND TRACTIONCONTROL ISSUES FIXED. THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ISSUES WERE FIXED BY REPLACING THE "BRAIN BOX" FOR THE SPEED SENSORS. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FIX, THE ABS/TRACTIONCONTROL OFF LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND THEY THEN FOUND THE BREAK PRESSURE MODULATOR VALVE HAD A DEAD SPOT IN THE ARMATURE. TO REPLACE THE BPMV WILL COST APPROX $1600. THESE ISSUES ALL SEEM TO BE ELECTRONIC. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY ISSUES WITH THE ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL IN THIS CAR? THANK YOU.*AK

NHTSA ID
751625
Incident
Nov 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Oct 24, 2000

VEHICLE WAS IN PARKED GEAR WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING IN CONSUMERS GARAGE, CONSUMER LEFT VEHICLE TO GO INTO HOUSE AND UPON RETURNING FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE HAD JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO GARAGE DOOR. *MJS

NHTSA ID
556391
EngineTransmission
Filed Aug 8, 2000

TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER BLADES, WHICH WERE SPOT WELDED, HAD BROKEN LOOSE AND PIECES OF METAL WERE CONTAMINATING THE TRANSMISSION. *MJS

NHTSA ID
553590
Incident
Jun 26, 2000
BrakesTransmission
Filed Aug 16, 1999

WHILE DECENDING A STEEP GRADE THE TRANSMISSION (IN LOW GEAR) AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. NLM

NHTSA ID
547964
Transmission
Filed Dec 28, 1998

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUAL NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION, UNABLE TO RECTIFY.

NHTSA ID
543139

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .