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.
30
Latest Jan 22, 2008
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 Aug 21, 1995
What this page shows
Our database holds 30 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 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 1–25 of 30 · page 1 of 2
Fuel system
Filed Jan 22, 2008
Fire reported
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 OLDSMOBILE 98. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, SPARKS APPEARED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY STATED THAT THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO A GAS LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.
NHTSA ID
10215665
Incident
Sep 11, 2007
Mileage
105,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 24, 2007
1 injury reported
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 OLDSMOBILE 98 ROYAL. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO HOLD THE AIR BAG DOWN AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO PREVENT A CRASH. THE CONTACT SUFFERED SORENESS IN HIS NECK AND RIBS. HE ALSO HAS AN ABRASION ON HIS ARM FROM THE FAILURE. HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WAS CAUSED BY THE MOISTURE IN THE COMPONENT. THEY OFFERED HIM A SETTLEMENT TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE AIR BAGS OR GIVE HIM A NEW VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 184,716.
NHTSA ID
10197376
Incident
Jul 18, 2007
Mileage
184,716 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 11, 2006
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON 06/20/06 WHILE THE IGNITION WAS ON BUT IN PARK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ALSO DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON 06/21/06. THE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE DURING BOTH INCIDENTS. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FIRST INCIDENT HOWEVER THE CONTACT OBSERVED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE 2ND INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED NOR LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ON 06/22/06 WHO DETERMINED THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 06/23/06 FOR A REPAIR ESTIMATE HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DUE TO THE COST. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.
NHTSA ID
10162094
Incident
Jun 20, 2006
Mileage
121,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 3, 2004
1 injury reported
AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS CAUSING WINDSHIELD TO BREAK AND DUE TO COST TO REPAIR DASH AND AIRBAGS CAUSED CAR TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. *AK
NHTSA ID
10068229
Incident
Apr 15, 2004
Mileage
65 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 17, 2002
CONSUMER STATES COOLANT WARNING LIGHT FLASHES, THERE IS PUDDLES OF ANTIFREEZE CAUSED BY THE COOLANT LEVEL SENSOR RETAINER CLIPS BREAKING OFF AND LEAVING THE SENSOR RETAINED ONLY BY THE FRICTION OF THE O-RING SEALS. *TT
NHTSA ID
566689
Engine
Filed Jul 11, 2002
COOLANT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON---A LARGE POOL OF COOLANT UNDER CAR AFTER STOPPING---INSPECTION OF CAR SHOWED RETAINING CLIPS WERE BROKEN, BUT SENSOR STILL IN PLACE
NHTSA ID
9006559
Airbags
Filed Sep 11, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported
THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG IS MUCH BIGGER THAN THE STEERING WHEEL, DURING AN ACCIDENT IT VIOLENTLY DEPLOYED AND BLEW THE CONSUMERS HAND OFF THE WHEEL WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT BROKE HER WRIST (RIGHT) AND RESULTED IN 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO THE LEFT ARM, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY TOWARDS THE PASSENGER BUT WENT UP THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THESE AIR BAGS ARE OLD AND OUTDATED AND BELIEVES THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED. NLM
NHTSA ID
785612
Incident
May 2, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Aug 14, 2001
RETURNED FUEL LINE FOR THE 3.8L ENGINE WAS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE FUEL LINE IS ON BACK ORDER FOR 2-3 MONTHS. *AK
NHTSA ID
894342
Incident
Jul 30, 2001
SteeringSuspension
Filed Jul 17, 2001
WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO STEER TO LEFT. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED REPLACING. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES FRONT STRUTS WERE FAILING AND WAS REPLACED.*JB
NHTSA ID
893018
Incident
Jul 14, 2001
Engine
Filed Feb 17, 2001
THE OXYGEN SENSOR CAME OUT OF THE EXHAUST TRAIN RESULTING IN LOUD MUFFLER NOISE. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, THE ENGINE TROUBLE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE NOISE WAS FROM THE OXYGENSENSOR WHICH HAD COME OUT, THE MECHANIC SHECKED IT AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG SO HE REINSERTED IT . I WAS THEN ADVISED THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY EHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. THE ABS MODULE AND AFFECTED PARTS WERE REPLACED AND THE TOTAL BILL CAME TO $1013.61 WHICH I PAID. I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A PART THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE BAD AT THAT MILEAGE AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION THAT THE FACTORY MAY HAVE PUT OUT ABOUT A CLAIM FOR THAT OBVIOUS DEFECT.*AK
NHTSA ID
741065
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
BrakesHeating & air conditioningVisibility
Filed Aug 22, 2000
AIR CONDITIONER COOLING TEMP WAS LOWER THAN NORMAL STOPPED COOLING INSIDE OF CAR DEALER SAID HE FOUND LEAK AND REPLACED UNDER DASH CONDENSER UNIT AT $800 COST NEXT DAY NO DIFFERENCE IN AIR CONDITIONER RETURNED TO DEALER PROBLEM STILL UNRESOLVED. VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL POWER DOOR LOCK AND POWER WINDOW PROBLEMS STILL UNRESOLVED BY DEALER WHO SAID WINDOW MORTERS ARE BAD. IN ADDITION AFTER DALER REPALCED BRAKE SYSTEM MASTER CYILINDER THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON DEALER SAID NOTHING THEY DID CAUSED PROBLEM- THIS WAS THE THIRD VEHICLE FLUID LEAK REPARED BY DEALER
NHTSA ID
728717
Body & structureBrakesHeating & air conditioning+8 more
Filed Jan 27, 2000
A/C COMPRESSOR FAILED CAUSING ENGINE NOISE. NLM
NHTSA ID
550612
Incident
Apr 13, 1999
Engine
Filed Aug 3, 1999
THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE ENGINE MOUNTS TO THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING AT 60MPH, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ID
844130
Incident
Jun 19, 1999
Filed May 26, 1999
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
706886
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 9, 1999
CARBON ON THE THROTTLE BODY PLATE DUE TO BLOW BY OR OIL USAGE RESULTED IN THROTTLE STICKING AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATING.
NHTSA ID
544340
Incident
Feb 9, 1999
Other / unspecified
Filed Oct 1, 1998
WHEELS FAILED CAUSING TIRES TO LEAK AIR.
NHTSA ID
541423
Engine
Filed Jul 16, 1998
ENGINE CONTINUALLY OVERHEATING AND SHUTTING DOWN.
NHTSA ID
537952
Incident
May 19, 1998
Brakes
Filed May 4, 1998
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND ROTORS MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 10,000 MILES. OWNER VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. *AK
NHTSA ID
823020
Incident
May 1, 1998
Airbags
Filed Apr 9, 1998
AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. TOOK TO DEALER & SERVICE MECHANIC TOOK DASH APART TO LOCATE PROBLEM. COULD NOT LOCATE IT. AIR BAG LIGHT OFF WHILE VEHICLE WAS OFF. CAME BACK ON WHEN VEHICLE TURNED ON. *AK
NHTSA ID
822348
Incident
Nov 4, 1997
Engine
Filed Feb 6, 1998
QWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOSES TOTAL POWER. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO LOSE POWER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NHTSA ID
818587
Incident
Oct 15, 1997
Transmission
Filed Jun 6, 1997
REAR SHIFTING MECHANISM FAILED.
NHTSA ID
518231
Brakes
Filed Jan 3, 1997
THE LEFT REAR WHEEL ALWAYS LOCKS UP AND CAUSES THE CAR TO SKID. THE CAR HAS ABS. *AK
NHTSA ID
807025
Incident
Jan 3, 1996
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 18, 1996
HOOD LATCH WOULD NOT OPEN HOOD. GAUGES DON'T WORK. DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA ID
513070
Incident
May 24, 1995
Electrical
Filed Aug 28, 1996
WHEN DRIVING AT HWY SPEEDS, ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO STEER.*AK
NHTSA ID
801412
Incident
Aug 1, 1996
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Aug 13, 1996
TRANSMISSION FAILS TO GO INTO REVERSE INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO NEW DESIGN.
NHTSA ID
507461
Incident
Dec 20, 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.