Total Complaints
7 filings
OLDSMOBILE 98 · model year
1981 OLDSMOBILE 98
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1981OLDSMOBILE98 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 1981 98 is electrical system:ignition with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control (1) and equipment:appliance:air conditioner (1). 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 1981 98. 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.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000824TIRES:TREAD/BELT
FIRESTONE TIRE WAS 2 YEARS OLD, BUT UNUSED (SPARE TIRE). PUT ON RIGHT FRONT OF CAR BEFORE TRIP. DRIVEN 200 MILES AT 70MPH (ON I 75 SOUTH NEAR GAINESVILLE, FL) IN 95 DEGREE TEMPERATURE WHEN TREAD CAME OFF RIGHT FRONT TIRE. TIRE WAS STILL FULLY PRESSURIZED, JUST HAD NO TREAD. TREAD COMING OFF CAR LEFT BLACK RUBBER MARKS ACROSS PAINT ON FRONT FENDER AND TORE OFF PIECE OF CHROME (NEITHER CURRENTLY REPAIRED). FHP STOPPED AND INDICATED A NEARBY EXIT. DROVE VERY SLOWLY TO EXIT AND CHANGED TIRE. RETURNED HOME AND REPLACED TIRE. DID NOT REQUEST REFUND AS DAMAGED TIRE HAD NO TREAD REMAINING.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P21575R15 )
19960909ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DISTRIBUTOR FAILED.
19960909ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
MAP SENSOR FAILED.
19960909EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER HOSES FAILED.
19960909ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEADS LEAK ANTIFREEZE.
19960909FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
FUEL INJECTOR IN FOUR BARREL CARBURETOR FAILED TWICE.
19960909ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED.
Compare 1981OLDSMOBILE98 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1981 OLDSMOBILE 98 have?▼
The 1981 OLDSMOBILE 98 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1981 OLDSMOBILE 98?▼
The most-complained component for the 1981 OLDSMOBILE 98 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL and EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER.
Is the 1981 OLDSMOBILE 98 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.