1992 Oldsmobile 98 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 1992 Oldsmobile 98, 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
- Brakes1636.4%
- Electrical818.2%
- Transmission613.6%
- Airbags36.8%
- Exterior lighting24.5%
- Visibility24.5%
- Driver assistance24.5%
- Engine24.5%
- Fuel system24.5%
- Seat belts12.3%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLIGHTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.
ABS VALVE REGULATOR FAILED.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98. THE ALTERNATOR FAILED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS IS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000. UPDATED 10-29-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE WATER PUMP FAILED. UPDATED 10/30/08. *JB
92 OLDSMOBILE 98 ELECTRICAL FIRE WIRING HARNESS NO ACTUAL FLAMES POLICE OFFICER DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. *JB
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98. WHILE DRIVING 45-60 MPH OR ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM SLOW SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION FLIPS. THE FAILURE BEGAN IN 2006 AND HAS BEEN OCCURRING FREQUENTLY EVER SINCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT A SAFETY RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE TO WORK ON A COLD DAY MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN, EVENTUALLY IT GO TO WERE I HAD TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE MY CAR DID NOT HAVE ANY DRIVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD ANY LONGER. I KEEP MY CAR IN PERFECT CONDITION IT ONLY 105,970 MILES. ONCE I REALIZED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT GOING TO MOVE I HAD IT TOWED WHICH COST ME OVER$100.00 TO AN OLDSMOBILE DEALER IN CHIEFLAND, IT WAS THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT INFORMED ME THE NEXT WEEK THAT MY TRANSMISSION FLEW APART I THEN HAD TO FORK OUT $2417.39 TO HAVE IT REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACTURED ONE FROM GM. I FEEL THAT SINCE I HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED MANY TIMES BY AN OLDSMOBILE DEALER, THAT SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG SINCE IT WAS JUST SERVICED AND ADJUSTED ONE WEEK PRIOR. AFTER I HAD BROUGHT IT IN FOR NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. I FEEL THAT OLDSMOBILE SHOULD AT LEAST COVER 1/2 THE COST SINCE IT ONLY HAS 105,970 MILES. TRANSMISSIONS JUST DON'T FLY APART WITH THAT LITTLE MILES. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHEN IT WAS CHECKED OUT THE LAST TIME WHEN IT FLEW APART I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH FLUID LEFT IN THE TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO LEAK, NOR WERE THERE STAINS IN MY GARAGE, THE PARKING LOT AT WORK OR ANYWHERE ELSE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION ANY FURTHER DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY NEEDED TO RETURN THE CORE UNTOUCHED.
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
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, BUT THE FUMES CAME OUT OF IT. CONSUMER WAS ON THE HIGHWAY & HAD TO LEAVE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND MOVED THE VEHICLE, AND THE AIRBAG POPPED OUT, ALMOST CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO BUILDING. DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE. *AK
OTHER: AIRBAG COVER ON THE STEERING WHEEL HAS AN OPENING OF APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2".
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
AREA IMMEDIATELY AROUND HEADLIGHT SWITCH BECOMES TOO HOT TO TOUCH WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON. *AK
HEADLIGHTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.
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
CONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR. CLOUDING AND A BROWN LIQUID SITS IN BOTTOM OF MIRROR TRAY, MIRROR IS COMPLETELY DISTORTED AT THIS TIME. THERE IS NO VISION AT ALL. *AK
SIDE REARVIEW MIRROR HAS DETERIORATED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. TT
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
VEHICLE HAS SUDDEN ACCELERATION INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO WARNING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEEDS. TT
VEHICLE WENT INTO OPEN THROTTLE POSITION WHILE DRIVING, STOP VEHICLE BY USING THE BRAKE. TT
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98. THE ALTERNATOR FAILED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS IS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000. UPDATED 10-29-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE WATER PUMP FAILED. UPDATED 10/30/08. *JB
COOLANT LINE GOING TO RADIATOR BURST, CAUSING ALL TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK OUT/CAR STALL. *DSH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THE VEHICLES FUEL TANK WAS HALF FULL WHEN THIS OCCURED. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP. *NLM *TS *JB
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. *SKD
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
SIDE REARVIEW MIRROR HAS DETERIORATED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. 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 .