1999 Oldsmobile 88

BY LETTER DATED MARCH 12, 2008, GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (GM) HAS NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (IDENTIFIED BY NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 08V-118) TO ADDRESS A DEFECT IN APPROXIMATELY 207,542 MODEL YEAR (MY) 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL GS AND PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE L67 SUPERCHARGED VERSION OF GM'S 3800 SERIES II V6 ENGINE.THE RECALLED REGAL GS VEHICLES WERE BUILT FROM AUGUST 1996 TO JUNE 2003 AND THE GRAND PRIX GTP FROM MARCH 1996 THROUGH JANUARY 2003.ACCORDING TO GM, OIL MAY ESCAPE PAST THE VALVE COVER GASKET ON THE FRONT CYLINDER BANK (CYLINDERS 1-3-5) AND DEPOSIT ONTO HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM COMPONENTS.UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THIS OIL TO IGNITE A SMALL PILOT FLAME, WHICH MAY SPREAD TO THE ADJACENT PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL, THE SPARK PLUG WIRES THEMSELVES, THE PLASTIC ENGINE COVER, AND OTHER UNDER HOOD COMPONENTS.REPORTS INDICATE THIS MOST OFTEN OCCURS ON HIGHER-MILEAGE VEHICLES SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND THEN PARKED.TYPICALLY, THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED WITHIN 5 TO 15 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED.DURING THIS TIME WINDOW, UNDER HOOD TEMPERATURES MAY BECOME ELEVATED.SUCH ELEVATED TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH A LACK OF AIRFLOW THROUGH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAY PERMIT A SMALL PILOT FLAME TO PROPAGATE AND IGNITE OTHER FUEL SOURCES.TO CORRECT THE SAFETY DEFECT, GM WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED DESIGN FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET AND SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINER.THIS REMEDY WILL BE SUPPLIEDFREE OF CHARGE FOR ALL RECALLED VEHICLES.UNTIL SUFFICIENT PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO REPAIR ALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, GM STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT OWNERS OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS: (1) THEY STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT OWNERS DO NOT PARK THEIR VEHICLE IN A GARAGE, CARPORT, OR OTHER STRUCTURE; (2) IF OWNERS NOTICE A BURNING ODOR, THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE - THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT CHARGE; AND (3) USE PREMIUM FUEL (91 OCTANE OR HIGHER) IN THE VEHICLE AS RECOMMENDED IN THE VEHICLE'S OWNER MANUAL.THE ACTION TAKEN BY GM IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE SUBJECT FIRE INCIDENT RATE ON THE C-, G-, AND H-PLATFORM SUBJECT VEHICLES IS LOW.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

The contact owns a 1999 Oldsmobile 88. The contact stated that while reversing out of a driveway, the front end of the vehicle lowered without warning. Due to the failure, the contact lost power steering assist as the steering wheel would spin with no control. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired for the failure. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,300.

NHTSA ID

11464832

Incident

May 14, 2022

Mileage

118,300 mi

BODY IS BROKEN WHERE THE FRONT SUB-FRAME BOLTS TO. CUSTOMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS PERMANENT BODY DAMAGE TO THE BODY FRAME. THEY THEN SOLD THE VEHICLE UNDISCLOSED THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE IS TOO DAMAGED TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD SAFELY.

NHTSA ID

11217585

Incident

Jun 3, 2019

I CONTACTED GM BC THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR SAYS THE FUEL RAIL ALSO NEEDS REPLACED IF IT IS A DELPHI FUEL RAIL. THE REGULATOR ON THIS CAR HAS BEEN CHANGED BUT STILL HAS THE SAME DELPHI FUEL RAIL. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS A GAS LEAK. WHEN I SEARCH THE VIN IT DOESN'T SHOW ANY RECALLS CURRENTLY BUT BASED ON THE TSB. THE RAIL SHOULD'VE BEEN REPLACED WITH A BOSCH. I AM A SERVICE TECH AT A PRIVATE SHOP. IF I WEREN'T A TECH I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN THE RAIL WASN'T REPLACED AND I MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED THE LEAK UNTIL I BURNT TO DEATH IN A FIREY CRASH. GM HAS NO ANSWER EXCEPT TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME A RIDICULOUS DIAGNOSTICS FEE WHICH I REFUSE TO PAY, ESPECIALLY FOR A RECALL REPAIR THAT WASN'T DONE PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME.

NHTSA ID

10978666

Incident

Apr 15, 2017

Mileage

60,000 mi

1999 OLDSMOBILE 4.8L ENGINE WILL SHUT COMPLETELY OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURS BOTH AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS OF 65 MPH OR AT SLOWER SPEEDS OF 35 OR 35 MPH. ALL OF THE POWER ASSISTED FEATURES SUCH AS POWER BRAKES AND STEERING ALSO STOP WORKING WHEN THE ENGINE STOPS. THE ENGINE SHUTTING DEFECT DOES NOT OCCUR DAILY AND IS UNPREDICTABLE. THE ONLY CHECK ENGINE CODE PRESENT WAS A "EGR VALVE" CODE. THE EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED AT THE COST OF $344.00. THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF UNEXPECTEDLY DEFECT HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THAT APPEARS TO REPLICATE THE GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL THAT THIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN. FROM "GOOGLING" THIS DEFECT IT APPEARS TO AFFECT A LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILAR VEHICLES WITH 3.8L GM ENGINES AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.

NHTSA ID

10820776

Incident

Jan 4, 2016

Mileage

145,000 mi

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR IN DECEMBER, 2012 AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE CARFAX REPORT AT THAT TIME. TODAY, THERE IS A RECALL # 1999011 DATED 3/13/1999 FOR POWER TRAIN (TRANSMISSION 4T65E MANUAL VALVE LINK REPLACEMENT) NHTSA 99V089000. THIS OWNER NOR THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID NOT RECEIVE ANY KIND OF NOTICE FOR THIS RECALL. WAS THE SERVICE PERFORMED? WHAT HAPPENED? THANK YOU & HAVE A GREAT DAY !!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10765262

Incident

Sep 19, 2015

Mileage

159,000 mi

VEHICLE WILL RANDOMLY "KILL" AND IT HAPPENS SPORADICALLY - ALSO POSSIBLY SOMETHING IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAILING - MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES WITH REFERENCE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10619369

Incident

Apr 15, 2014

TRIED TO START CAR TO GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING OF 6-16-14. HEARD LOUD BOOM AND SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT FROM UNDER HOOD. OPENED HOOD AND ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. EXTINGUISHED FLAMES AND FOUND THE INTAKE MAINIFOLD HAD LITTERALLY BLOWN APART. THERE WAS A RECALL THAT SHOULD HAVE DEALT WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604617

Incident

Jun 16, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A HOLE THAT HAD MELTED IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE MANIFOLD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,602 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,102.

NHTSA ID

10472613

Incident

Aug 19, 2012

Mileage

72,602 mi

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

THIS TECHNICAL BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE TO REPROGRAM THE MEDIA DISC PLAYER WITH THE LATEST CALIBRATIONS TO CORRECT A CONDITION OF THE REAR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM NOT OPERATING AS INTENDED IN COLDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AREAS DUE TO CALIBRATION CONCERNS.

Vehicle Recalls

This informational bulletin provides the technician with information on what E85 fuel may due to a non E85 vehicle.

Refinishing Aluminum Wheels This bulletin updates General Motor's position on refinishing aluminum wheels. GM does not endorse any repairs that involve welding, bending, straightening o re-machining. Only cosmetic refinishing of the wheel's coatings, using recommended procedures, is allowed. Evaluating Damage In evaluating damage, it is the GM Dealer's responsibility to inspect the wheel for corrosion, scrapes, gouges, etc. The Dealer must insure that such damage is not deeper than what can be sanded or polished off. The wheel must be inspected for cracks. If cracks are found, discard the wheel. Any wheels with bent rim flanges must not be repaired or refinished. Wheels that have been refinished by an outside company must be returned to the same vehicle. The Dealer must record the wheel ID stamp or the cast date on the wheel in order to assure this requirement. Refer to Refinisher's Responsibility — Outside Company later in this bulletin.

Refinishing Aluminum Wheels This bulletin updates General Motor's position on refinishing aluminum wheels. GM does not endorse any repairs that involve welding, bending, straightening o re-machining. Only cosmetic refinishing of the wheel's coatings, using recommended procedures, is allowed. Evaluating Damage In evaluating damage, it is the GM Dealer's responsibility to inspect the wheel for corrosion, scrapes, gouges, etc. The Dealer must insure that such damage is not deeper than what can be sanded or polished off. The wheel must be inspected for cracks. If cracks are found, discard the wheel. Any wheels with bent rim flanges must not be repaired or refinished. Wheels that have been refinished by an outside company must be returned to the same vehicle. The Dealer must record the wheel ID stamp or the cast date on the wheel in order to assure this requirement. Refer to Refinisher's Responsibility — Outside Company later in this bulletin.