Total Complaints
213 filings
OLDSMOBILE 88 · model year
213 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998OLDSMOBILE88 carries 213 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 10 crashes, 19 fires, 11 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 88 is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 22 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (15) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (15). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 13 investigation files overlapping the 1998 88. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
213 filings
Crashes Reported
10 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 22 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 15 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 15 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 14 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 14 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 11 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 10 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 9 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 8 |
| ENGINE | 6 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 5 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 3 |
IGNITION IS MESSED UP THE PREVIOUS OWNER SAID THERE IS A RECALL BUT NEVER SHOW ME PAPERS AND I WAS WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS ONE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, SMOKE APPEARED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT OBSERVED OIL ON THE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
Mileage: 120,000
ENGINE USING COOLANT BUT NO EVIDENT LEAK. AFTER A WEEK OF ADDING A LITTLE COOLANT TO RESERVOIR ENGINE RAN HOT AND HYDRO-LOCKED DUE TO CYLINDERS FLOODED WITH COOLANT. DISCOVERED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD HOLE IN IT WHERE THE EGR TUBE ENTERED PLASTIC MANIFOLD ALLOWING COOLANT TO FLOOD INTAKE. THIS ENGINE HAD 84K MILES. ALSO DISCOVERED INTAKE GASKETS WERE REPLACED AT 45K MILES BY DEALER. DEFINITELY AN ENGINEERING DEFECT.
Mileage: 84,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TURNING ON THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PROCEEDED TO CHECK THE COOLANT IN THE VEHICLE FINDING THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT IN THE RESERVOIR. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE, THE EXHAUST PIPE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE RELEASED LARGE AMOUNTS OF WHITE SMOKE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHEN HAVING THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 36,000
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE SHORTLY AFTER SHUTDOWN. INCIDENT 2015-00005013
BRAKES FAILED UPON EXITING ON RAMP FROM RTE. 95..DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL, BUT WENT RIGHT DOWN TO THE FLOOR BOARD..NO BRAKES...DOWNSHIFT/ PARKING BRAKE INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE..JUST LUCKY NO CAR COLLISION OCCURRED ...WAS FRIGHTENING !...I THINK GM VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE SO BADLY FAULTY..I'M JUST LUCKY I WASN'T HURT OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT ! *TR
Mileage: 85,400
TRAVELING SOUTH ON HWY 67 IN MISSISSIPPI. CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 65. VEHICLE SPEED SUDDENLY STARTED TO INCREASE. APPLIED BRAKES LIGHTLY TO TURN OFF CRUISE CONTROL. NO EFFECT. TURNED OFF CRUISE CONTROL ON STEERING COLUMN. NO EFFECT. REPEATEDLY TRIED BRAKES AND OFF SWITCH TO NO AVAIL. FINALLY TURNED OFF IGNITION AND COASTED FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS. RESTARTED ENGINE AND COULD RESUME SPEED NORMALLY WITH ACCELERATOR. DID NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL UNTIL HEADED BACK NORTH ON 67 LATER IN THE DAY. SET CRUISE CONTROL TO 65 AGAIN AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES VEHICLE SPEED BEGAN TO INCREASE. I TRIED BRAKES AND OFF SWITCH AGAIN TO NO AVAIL. TURNED VEHICLE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTED ENGINE. DID NOT USE CRUISE CONTROL AGAIN. AFTER ARRIVING HOME DISCONNECT BATTERY OVERNIGHT. APPARENTLY CORRECTED WHATEVER "GLITCH" HAD OCCURRED SINCE I HAVE USED CRUISE CONTROL SINCE WITH NO PROBLEMS. *TR
Mileage: 300,000
WAS DRIVING DOWN A TOLL ROAD, DEAR JUMPED IN FRONT OF CAR HIT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT, CAR HIT MEDIAN, FLIPPED, AND ROLLED 3 TIMES. CAR IS TOTALED. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *TR
Mileage: 124,000
WAS DRIVING DOWN A TOLL ROAD, DEAR JUMPED IN FRONT OF CAR HIT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT, CAR HIT MEDIAN, FLIPPED, AND ROLLED 3 TIMES. CAR IS TOTALED. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *TR
Mileage: 124,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE ENGINE PLEMUN, WHICH WAS FRACTURED AND CAUSED FLUID TO PENETRATE THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,191 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. ..UPDATED 10/30/13 *BF UPDATED 10/31/2013 *JS
Mileage: 45,191
I JUST BOUGHT THIS USED CAR ON JAN 1, 2013. I NOTICED A SMELL FROM THE CAR BUT WASN'T SURE WHAT IS WAS AND BOUGHT THE CAR ANYWAYS. WELL A COUPLE WEEKS LATER MY BOYFRIEND WAS CHECKING MY FLUIDS ON THE CAR AND NOTICED A FUEL LEAK UNDER THE HOOD, SO WE WENT TO AUTO ZONE AND BOUGHT A FUEL LINE THAT COST AROUND $30, HE PUT IT ON, STILL LEAKING, WELL WE FIGURED SINCE THE FUEL LINE THAT WE BOUGHT WASN'T PRECRIMPED IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK, SO WE WENT TO THE JUNK YARD AND GOT THE EXACT SAME PART OFF ANOTHER 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88, FIGURED SINCE IT WAS PRECRIMPED IT WOULD WORK, NOT THE CASE, FUEL STILL LEAKING UNDER THE HOOD, SO WE WENT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP IN NASHVILLE AND BOUGHT THE VERY LAST FUEL LINE IN THE STATE AROUND $120, WHICH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS ONE AND THE OTHER TWO IS THAT IT IS 6 FT. LONG, SO WE PUT THE NEW 6FT FUEL LINE ON, WELL IT STOPPED LEAKING UNDER THE HOOD, AND DISCOVERED 1 WEEK LATER THAT MY VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL UNDER THE CAR BY THE BACK PASSENGER WHEEL, SO WE PU
Mileage: 190
YESTERDAY OUR CAR BEGAN OVERHEATING. WE ADDED A BOTTLE OF COOLANT YESTERDAY AND ANOTHER TWO GALLONS TODAY ALONG WITH A BOTTLE OF STOP LEAK AND HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. OUR MECHANIC TOLD US IT SEEMS LIKE THE ENGINE HAS SEIZED COMPLETELY AND HE IS NOT EQUIPPED TO FIX IT. *TR
Mileage: 93,000
ENGINE HYDRO LOCKED WHEN A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWED COOLANT TO BE SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE CYLINDERS, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT. FORTUNATELY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW BY GM. WE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED, AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, AT A COST OF $5,400.00. WE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT PEOPLE WERE JUST AFFORDED A SHORT TIME TO ACT ON IT, AND WE WERE NOT EVEN NOTIFIED. IS THERE ANOTHER SUIT THAT WE CAN BE A PART OF? WE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AN ENGINE WITH JUST 44,000 MILES ON IT. *JS
Mileage: 44,000
MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE LATEST GM RECALL IN CARS WITH THE 3.8 L MOTOR IN WHICH OIL LEAKS OUT ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE NUMBER GIVEN BUT IT SHOWED MY 1998 OLDS 88 IS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE SAME MOTOR AND PROBLEM IN THE RECALL. *TR
GRADUALLY YOU WILL SEE A DEPLETION OF THE ANTI-FREEZE FROM THE HOLDING RESERVOIR. THIS IS COULD BE A SIGN THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS BEGINNING TO LEAK ANTI-FREEZE (JUST A LITTLE) INTO THE ENGINE. SOONER OR LATER WHEN THE EROSION IS LARGE ENOUGH THEN A PLUME OF WHITE SMOKE WILL COME OUT OF THE EXHAUST AND YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PULL OVER AND CALL THE TOW TRUCK. I HAVE REPLACED THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD TWICE ON MY 1998 OLDS 88 DUE TO DEGRADING OF THE INTERIOR WALL WHERE THE ANTI-FREEZE FLOWS BACK INTO THE ENGINE. BOTH TIMES THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR (INCLUDING PLUGS, WIRES, NEW MANIFOLD, LABOR) WAS AROUND $1,200. ON THE LAST MANIFOLD GM HAD ESTABLISHED ADDING A PIECE OF METAL WHERE THE ANTI-FREEZE WAS ERODING THE "SPACE AGE PLASTIC" INTAKE MANIFOLD. BASED ON THIS, GM KNOWS THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM, BUT THEY WILL NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT AND OR PAY FOR IT. *TR
Mileage: 114,284
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT JAMMED AND IS UNUSABLE. GM WEBSITE LIMITS CONTACT TO EXISTING BRANDS. THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR OLDSMOBILE OWNERS, AND NO DEALERSHIPS TO CONTACT. *TR
Mileage: 64,469
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 LS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE THE PLASTIC NUT THAT SECURED THE SPARE TIRE WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE NUT WAS BROKEN WITH A HAMMER SO THAT THE TIRE COULD BE CHANGED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN BECAUSE HE NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. UPDATED 09/12/07 *TR
Mileage: 190,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 LS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE THE PLASTIC NUT THAT SECURED THE SPARE TIRE WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE NUT WAS BROKEN WITH A HAMMER SO THAT THE TIRE COULD BE CHANGED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN BECAUSE HE NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. UPDATED 09/12/07 *TR
Mileage: 190,000
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING I'LL HIT BRAKES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BRAKES GRIND LOUDLY AND ENGINE STALLS. ALSO THE ENGINE WILL STALL AT ANY CRUISING SPEED OVER 40 MPH. CAUSING FULL POWER LOSS INCLUDING BRAKES MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE RECEIVED INJURIES FROM THIS IN THE PAST. NEED HELP ASAP *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE DELTA EIGHTY EIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND SHUT DOWN AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED GASOLINE IN THE FUEL LINE. THIS SAME FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED ON TWO PRIOR OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ONCE BEFORE ,AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AGAIN AND HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS STATED IN RECALL # 04V09000. THE CONTACTWAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 113,000.*AK
Mileage: 113,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.