Total Complaints
10 filings
OLDSMOBILE 98 · model year
1985 OLDSMOBILE 98
10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985OLDSMOBILE98 carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, 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 1985 98 is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by steering:hydraulic power assist system (2) and seat belts:front:retractor (2). 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 1985 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.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20021022FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER THEN PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED A SMALL FIRE AND THE DRIVETRAIN AXLE WAS ON THE GROUND, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES HE WAS INJURED.*JB
19990508STEERING:RACK AND PINION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
19961114STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHEN STEERING IS COLD IT IS HARD TO TURN, IN THE SUMMER TIME IT WORKS WELL. DESCRIBE .*AK
19960619STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
'COLD POWER STEERING'. *SD
19960307SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELT RETRACTOR; FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR, SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK
19960307SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELT RETRACTOR; FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR, SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK
19960122STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN LOCKS UP CAUSED CONSUMER TO HAVE A NEAR ACCIDENT. TT
19951107STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THE STEERING IS HARD TO TURN THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS CAR . TT CONSUMER UNTIL THE VEHICLE HEATS UP THE STEERING IS EXTREMLY DIFFICULT, CONSUMER ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING NEW.*JB
19950626CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ENGAGE IN REVERSE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN TOTALLED VEHICLE. TT
19950321VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE. TT
Compare 1985OLDSMOBILE98 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 OLDSMOBILE 98 have?▼
The 1985 OLDSMOBILE 98 has 10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 OLDSMOBILE 98?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 OLDSMOBILE 98 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1985 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.