1994 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 1994 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
- Airbags526.3%
- Brakes421.1%
- Engine315.8%
- Fuel system210.5%
- Interior & seats210.5%
- Tires & wheels15.3%
- Seat belts15.3%
- Body & structure15.3%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT COLLISION, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CONSUMER WAS INJURED.*JB
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE HIT A SMALL TREE, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER RECEIVED BURNS TO RIGHT SIDE OF FACE/ BLEEDING BEHIND RIGHT EYE, AND A FRACTURED NOSE. STILL UNDER MEDICAL ATTENTION. *AK *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE WILL START STALLING, RESULTING IN COMPLETE SHUTDOWN.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN, BUT NOT NECCESSARILY WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR WERE REPLACED AND A CRACKED VACCUM LINE WAS REPLACED.*JB
WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH ABS SYSTEM LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
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
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE WILL START STALLING, RESULTING IN COMPLETE SHUTDOWN.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN, BUT NOT NECCESSARILY WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR WERE REPLACED AND A CRACKED VACCUM LINE WAS REPLACED.*JB
ENGINE STALLED AT 40MPH ON DOWNHILL. HAS STALLED BEFORE AT SLOW SPEEDS
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
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE WILL START STALLING, RESULTING IN COMPLETE SHUTDOWN.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN, BUT NOT NECCESSARILY WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR WERE REPLACED AND A CRACKED VACCUM LINE WAS REPLACED.*JB
FUEL GAUGE GOES UP/DOWN WHILE DRIVING, DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND FUEL LEVEL, COULD RUN OUT OF FUEL UNKNOWINGLY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEATBACK RECLINED TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, EQUIPPED WITH POWER DOORS. TT CONSUMER STATES THERE IS NO OVER-RIDE FAILURE FEATURE IN CASE OF POWER FAILURE. SEAT TRACK HAD TO BE REPLACED, SEAT WAS WOBBLY. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED ON 11/26/2000 FROM A SEARS BRANCH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS AT 100000 MILE. CURRENTLY (6/11/2002) THE VEHICLE IS 122023 MILES AND THERE IS A BIG CRACK ON THE WALL OF THE FRONT DRIVER-SIDE TIRE. IT LOOKS MUCH LIKE WHAT HAPPENED WITH FORD MODELS. THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW BUT THE AIR WAS GONE THINKING THAT IT WAS A FLAT I TOOK IT TO GET IT REPAIRED, IT WAS SAID THE TIRE BEYOND REPAIR. I HAVE THE TIRE WITH ME AND CAN PROVIDE PICTURES IF WANTED...PLEASE TAKE ACTION BEOFE ANOTHER FORD INCIDENT HAPPENNES AND MORE PEOPLE DIES. I WAS LUCKY THAT I NOTICED IT EARLIER...THANKS. *AK
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
DEALER INSTALL FOUR NEW SEAT BELT RETRACTORS WHEN RETRACTING THE SEAT BELT TWIST . TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, EQUIPPED WITH POWER DOORS. TT CONSUMER STATES THERE IS NO OVER-RIDE FAILURE FEATURE IN CASE OF POWER FAILURE. SEAT TRACK HAD TO BE REPLACED, SEAT WAS WOBBLY. *SLC
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 .