RoadVitals

1993 Oldsmobile 98 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
13
Latest Mar 28, 2005
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Sep 11, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1993 Oldsmobile 98. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–13 of 13

Engine
Filed Mar 28, 2005
Fire reported2 injuries reported

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY A PASSING MOTORIST THAT HER VEHICLE WAS IN FIRE. THE CONSUMER AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE VEHICLE WITH HELP FROM THE PASSERBY. ONCE THE CONSUMER AND PASSENGER EXITED THE VEHICLE IT ROLLED OFF THE ROAD AND BECAME FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED A SPRAINED LEFT SHOULDER, KNEE SPRAINS AND BURSITIS. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID
10099350
Incident
Apr 19, 2001
Body & structure
Filed May 20, 2003

WHEN ACCELERATING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD "CLUNK" AND ALL CONTROL WAS LOST AS I ENTERED THE HIGH SPEED LANE. THE ENGINE QUIT, NO BRAKES AND THE STEERING WHEEL JUST TURNED FREELY AND THE CAR ROLLED TO A STOP IN THE HIGH SPEED LANE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE REAR FRAME BOLTS UNDER THE ENGINE FAILED AND FRAME AND ENGINE FELL DOWN, DISCONNECTIONS THE STEERING. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS HURT AS OTHERS STOPPED TO DIRECT TRAFFIC AND PUSH THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR IS IN NEAR PERFECT CONDITION, NO VISIBLE RUST, NO FLUID LEAKS AND HAS ONLY 140,000 MILES. IT APPEARS THAT THE DESIGN MECHANISM TO MAKE THE ENGINE DROP IN A CRASH(TO PROTECT THE DRIVER) FAILED (RUSTED) WAY BEFORE IT SHOULD HAVE. THE OLDSMOBILE HOTLINE SAID THE CAR WAS PAST THE 100,000 RUST WARRANTY, WHAT DID I EXPECT? I HAVE HAD 3 OTHER OLDSMOBILES AND PUT OVER 250,000 MILES ON EACH ONE AND CERTAINLY EXPECTED SIMILAR RESULTS FROM THIS ONE. I BELIEVE THAT THE FRAME SHOULD NOT RUST OUT AND HAVE THE ENGINE FALL OUT BEFORE ANY OF THE NORMAL HIGH MILEAGE FAILURES SUCH AS TRANSMISSION, ENGINE, RADIATOR OR EVEN THE FAILURE OF THE BATTERY IN THE REMOTE LOCKING DEVICE. I BELIEVE THAT OLDSMOBILE SHOULD BEAR THE COST OF SOME OR ALL THE CHARGES TO REPAIR THIS. HAD IT HAPPENED 5 MINUTES LATER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 70 MPH AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGEDY. IF THERE IS A GENERAL DEFECT, ALL OTHER OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10018992
Incident
May 8, 2003
Mileage
140,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 13, 2003

THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED RANDOMLY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STRIKE ANY OBJECT NOR DID IT HIT ANY BUMP IN THE ROAD. *JB

NHTSA ID
10010401
Incident
Mar 10, 2003
Mileage
108,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 12, 2001

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 60 NEAR DUDLEY, MO @ 65 MPH, WHEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE NEARBY EXIT AND STOPPED AT A CONVENIENCE STORE. FILLED GAS TANK, EVERYTHING SEEMD TO BE WORKING FINE, SO I PULLED BACK ONTO ROAD, SOON AFTER THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AND HORN STARTED HONKING. I STOPPED, DISCONNECTED HORN, CUT AWAY BAG AND DROVE HOME. NOTIFIED COMPANY, AND PER THEIR REQUEST HAD DIAGNOSTICS TEST RUN AT BLACKWELL-BALDWIN OLDS IN POPLAR BLUFF, MO; NO CODES FOUND, MECHANIC SAID A SHORT IN THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSED THE DEPLOYMENT. MECHANIC SAID COLUMN WAS TIGHT, AND NO SIGN IT HAD EVER BEEN OPENED, BUT A WIRE WAS STRETCHED. HE SAID APPARENTLY THE STEERING WHEEL SNAGGED THE WIRE. OLDSMOBILE WILL ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR THIS DUE TO AGE AND MILEAGE ON CAR, AND SAY I MUST BEAR ENTIRE COST OF TEST, REPLACEMENT, AND RESULTING EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS. SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU IF I DIDN'T LIKE THEIR FINDINGS. SINCE WHEN DID AIRBAGS COME WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
750255
Incident
Jul 24, 2001
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 16, 2000

TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY, REVEALING 23 INCH LENGTH OF TIRE LOST, SEPARATION AT EDGES, AND TORN WIRE MESH( DOT NUMBER: A3MOFFA163 TIRE SIZE: P205/70R15 )

NHTSA ID
731672
Incident
Aug 17, 2000
EngineFuel system
Filed Jul 20, 2000

GAS GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY. WHEN VEHICLE GETS TO ABOUT A QUARTER OF TANK IT CUTS OFF AT ANY STOP. *AK ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS. *YH

NHTSA ID
865793
Incident
May 20, 2000
BrakesTransmission
Filed Sep 30, 1999

ANYTIME WHEN STARTING VEHICLE THE ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION LIGHT COME ON AND STAY ON. *AK

NHTSA ID
849512
Incident
Aug 27, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed Oct 1, 1998

REAR CHILDREN SECURITY LOCKS FAILED.

NHTSA ID
541445
Brakes
Filed Jan 26, 1998

ABS FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
529787
Incident
Aug 8, 1997
Brakes
Filed Jun 3, 1997

ABS WOULD COME ON AT UP TO 10MPH EVEN WHEN BRAKES WERE NOT APPLIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
812689
Body & structure
Filed Oct 18, 1996

RUBBER DOOR GASKETS LEAKED.

NHTSA ID
510222
Incident
Oct 12, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Mar 25, 1996
Crash reported1 injury reported

DURING A REAR-END COLLISION PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT. *AK

NHTSA ID
981185
Incident
Mar 22, 1996
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 11, 1995

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES SURGING PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID
479684
Incident
Sep 11, 1995

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .