Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 77 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Oldsmobile Bravada. 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.
Showing 1–25 of 77 · page 1 of 4
MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ENGINE TO START I WAS AT A GAS STATION WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED THEN MANAGED TO START IT MADE IT HOME THEN DIED AT MY HOUSE AND HAS NOT MOVED SINCE.
ABS SENSORS FAILED CAUSING BRAKE PULSATION AND FAILURE. REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILED (STILL ON VEHICLE). *NM
I HAD A FAILURE OF THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS IN THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE - I HAD REPLACEMENT DONE WHICH COST $1326.00. *NM
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON MY 1996 OLDS BRAVADA STARTED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE PROBLEM, AS DIAGNOSED BY A GM DEALER WAS A FAULTY WIPER CONTROL BOARD/MODULE. THIS IS THE FAULT DESCRIBED ON GM RECALL 03023. BUT I WAS TOLD THAT ONLY SOME OF THE 1996 BRAVADAS ARE COVERED BY THIS RECALL (AND MINE IS NOT). WHEN I FIRST ENCOUNTERED IT IN JUNE OF 2005, I REPLACED THE FUSE AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE FOR A WEEK OR TWO. THEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN, REPLACED THE FUSE AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE FOR A WHILE. THIS CYCLE KEPT OCCURRING UNTIL CHRISTMAS DAY 2005 WHEN EVEN REPLACING THE FUSE DID NOT HELP. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM CAN BE COVERED ON SOME 96 BRAVADAS BUT NOT ON OTHERS. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FUSE WAS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA BY CONSUMER AFFAIRS. SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE OCT.1 2004. THE CONTACT WAS IN LAS VEGAS AND HER CAR BROKE DOWN. SHE HAD TO HAVE A NEW DRIVESHAFT. THE MECHANICS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SHOPS TOLD HER THAT THE FRONT END SHOULD HAVE BEEN SALVADGED. THE MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN WELDED TOGETHER. THE VEHICLE WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING SHE NOTICED THAT ONE PART OF THE CAR WOULD GO ONE WAY AND ANOTHER PART ANOTHER WAY. WHEN SHE GOT BACK FROM LAS VEGAS SHE CONTACTED THE PERSON SHE BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE DRIVESHAFT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVERED ON HER WARRENTY. A PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE CAR SAID THAT HE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END THAT SHE WAS HAVING. THE CONTACT PUT ANOTHER DRIVESHAFT IN THE VEHICLE AND THREE WEEKS LATER THE DRIVESHAFT WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS MADE THE SECOND DRIVESHAFT IN THE VEHICLE. THE ALIGNMENT OF THE FRONT END IS CROOKED. THE SECOND DRIVESHAFT WAS INSTALLED ON MAY 5, 2005.*AK
AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE TAILGATE GLASS EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING OR CAUSE. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND REPAIRED LATER ON. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE VIBRATED. DRIVER PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FOUND THAT ONLY ONE LUG, NUT WAS HOLDING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE OTHER LUGS, NUTS SHEARED OFF. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAPPENED TO THE RIGHT REAR SECTION OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
OLDSMOBILE, BRAVADA, 1996. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. GMC HAS A RECALL FOR THESE COMPONENTS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 01V200000. GMC REFUSED TO REPAIR. THEIR RECALL IS FOR VEHICLES WITH VIN #'S T2705034-T2708364 (LAST EIGHT DIGITS) MY VIN # IS T2710395. THE BALL JOINTS ARE OBVIOUSLY FAILING IN OTHER VEHICLES THAN THOSE THEY LISTED.*AK
ENGINE OVERHEATING UD-LIKE COOLANT (DEX-COOL). *AK
THE VEHICLE BEGAN OVERHEATING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND SAID THAT THE COOLANT BECAME MUDDY AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT WHEN THE COOLANT GETS A LITTLE LOW. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A FLUSH AND FILL ON THE RADIATOR AND COOLING SYSTEM. THE DEALER WANTED TO PUT THE SAME COOLANT IN THE RADIATOR AND THIS WAS UNUSUAL TO ME. I HAD THEM PUT IN PRESTON AND HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE. *LA
THE 1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA CONTAINS A FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WHICH CAN CAUSE THE POPPET VALVES TO LOCK-UP. THERE WAS A COMPLETELY REDESIGNED SYSTEM FOR THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WHICH DOES NOT HAVE POPPET VALVES. THIS REDESIGN IS THE SIGNIFICANT ADMISSION OF THIS BEING A DESIGN FLAW. THE RECORDS OF THE COMPANY NEED TO BE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS. THE MECHANICS WHICH I HAVE INTERVIEWED VIEW THIS AS A SIGNIFICANT PERSISTENT AND WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. *JB
WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE INCREASED WITH THE WIPERS NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BOARD OR MOTOR. THE REAR WIPERS STILL WERE NOT FUNCTIONAL. *AK THE FRONT WIPERS WERE REPAIRED. *PH *JB
DRIVER STOPPED AT TOLL BOOTH TO PAY TOLL AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO INVESTIGATE WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM, AND DETERMINED THAT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE EXHAUST.DRIVER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY OR STOPPED WORKING DURING OPERATION. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK THE BRAVADA'S WERE RECALLED FOR FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED RECENTLY. RECALL# 98V150000. THE DRIVERS SEAT HAD COME LOOSE DUE TO THE PIN COMING OUT OF THE MOTOR BRACKET, AND STEAM HAD COME FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND THERE WAS WETNESS ON THE RIGHT SIDE FLOOR, AND THE A/C WAS REPLACED. *SCC *JB
FUEL PUMP - VEHICLE PRESENTED AS A FAILED FUEL PUMP. HURSH REPLACED, $700+. WHEN WE GOT HOME, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ANOTHER GM DEALER CLOSER TO HOME LOOKED AT PROBLEM, DETERMINED THAT THE REASON IT WOULDN'T START WAS A WIRING HARNESS. HURSH WOULDN'T HONOR THEIR WARRANTY AT THAT POINT, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC. REPAIRED HARNESS FOR $140. THEY ALSO TESTED THE "REPLACED" PART AND DETERMINED THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. IN THAT ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC'S PROFESSIONAL OPINION, HURSH NEVER BOTHERED TO TEST THE FUEL PUMP TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY JUST GOT LUCKY WHEN THEY PUT THE WIRING HARNESS TOGETHER AND IT WORKED WHEN THEY GAVE IT BACK TO ME. WHEN I DROVE IT HOME, IT FAILED AGAIN. - I WANT MY $700+ BILL FOR THEIR REPAIR REFUNDED. I ALSO WANT GM TO ADDRESS A POOR DESIGN OF A FUEL PUMP PLACEMENT (THAT I BELIEVE THEY STILL USE) THAT REQUIRES $400 OF LABOR TO DROP THE FUEL TANK TO ACCESS. THERE'S NO REASON THIS PART COULDN'T BE DESIGNED TO HAVE ACCESS FROM THE SIDE OF THE TANK RATHER THAN THE TOP. BUILT IN COMPLEXITY TO STEAL MONEY FROM THE CONSUMER.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. *NLM
THE MASTER CYLINDER LEAKED FLUID, WHICH CAUSED BRAKES TO FAIL.*JB
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS OIL LEAKING ONTO THE BRAKES WHICH IS CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE TROUBLE STOPPING BECAUSE THE BRAKES WILL BECOME SLIPPERY. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. MR
AFTER STARTING VEHICLE WILL LOSE ALL POWER. UNABLE TO OPERATE WINDOWS, RADIO,WINDSHIELD WIPERS ETC,.CONTACTED DEALER, THEY REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK
PULLING OFF FROM A STOP CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD POP. CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO DRIVE VEHICLE, HEARD ANOTHER POP, AND ABS KICKED IN. WHILE TURNING A CURVE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER'S TIRE FLOPPED INWARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SEAT BELTS DO NOT KEEP CONSUMER IN PLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULD STALL, DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, COIL AND MODULE, FUEL PUMP, CRANK SENSOR AND IGNITION SWITCH, HOWEVER PROBLEM CONTINUED, CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED VEHICLE IN FOR A 2002 BRAVADA. *SLC
TRANSMISSION LINE COUPLINGS HAVE FAILED TWICE SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED. FIRST AT UNDER 30,000 MILES SECOND AT 32,684 MILES. DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM IN JULY OF 2001, SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED 4/04/2002. TOTAL FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION COUPLINGS BOTH TIMES.*AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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