Total Complaints
46 filings
OLDSMOBILE 98 · model year
46 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992OLDSMOBILE98 carries 46 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1992 98 is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 10 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (3) and power train:automatic transmission (3). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 13 investigation files overlapping the 1992 98. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
Total Complaints
46 filings
Crashes Reported
4 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 10 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 1 |
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98. THE ALTERNATOR FAILED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS IS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000. UPDATED 10-29-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE WATER PUMP FAILED. UPDATED 10/30/08. *JB
Mileage: 166,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98. THE ALTERNATOR FAILED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS IS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000. UPDATED 10-29-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE WATER PUMP FAILED. UPDATED 10/30/08. *JB
Mileage: 166,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98. WHILE DRIVING 45-60 MPH OR ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM SLOW SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION FLIPS. THE FAILURE BEGAN IN 2006 AND HAS BEEN OCCURRING FREQUENTLY EVER SINCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT A SAFETY RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.
Mileage: 127,000
92 OLDSMOBILE 98 ELECTRICAL FIRE WIRING HARNESS NO ACTUAL FLAMES POLICE OFFICER DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. *JB
THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THE VEHICLES FUEL TANK WAS HALF FULL WHEN THIS OCCURED. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP. *NLM *TS *JB
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE TO WORK ON A COLD DAY MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN, EVENTUALLY IT GO TO WERE I HAD TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE MY CAR DID NOT HAVE ANY DRIVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD ANY LONGER. I KEEP MY CAR IN PERFECT CONDITION IT ONLY 105,970 MILES. ONCE I REALIZED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT GOING TO MOVE I HAD IT TOWED WHICH COST ME OVER$100.00 TO AN OLDSMOBILE DEALER IN CHIEFLAND, IT WAS THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT INFORMED ME THE NEXT WEEK THAT MY TRANSMISSION FLEW APART I THEN HAD TO FORK OUT $2417.39 TO HAVE IT REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACTURED ONE FROM GM. I FEEL THAT SINCE I HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED MANY TIMES BY AN OLDSMOBILE DEALER, THAT SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG SINCE IT WAS JUST SERVICED AND ADJUSTED ONE WEEK PRIOR. AFTER I HAD BROUGHT IT IN FOR NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. I FEEL THAT OLDSMOBILE SHOULD AT LEAST COVER 1/2 THE COST SINCE IT ONLY HAS 105,970 MILES. TRANSMISSIONS JUST DON'T FLY APART WITH THAT LITTLE MILES. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHEN IT
Mileage: 105,970
THE INSIDE LIGHT OVERHEATED THE VEHICLE. *JB
THERE IS RECALL 96V015002 FOR THIS CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM CONCERNING TRANSMISSION COOLING LEAK. THE CAMPAIGN I CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE AND THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO ACTIVE RECALL FOR MY CAR. SAFETY DEFECT NOT LISTED. *AK
BEFORE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE I WAS AWARE THAT CERTAIN VEHICLES HAD DEVELOPED A LEAK IN THE UPPER TRANSAXLE COOLER HOSE/LINE. I CAREFULLY CHECKED THAT PARTICULAR COMPONENT BEFORE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND IT APPEARED TO BE INTACT. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1,500 MILES A SLOW LEAK APPEARED WHICH PROGRESSED TO A MAJOR LEAK VERY QUICKLY. I CONTACTED THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE CAR AND TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISED IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER. I MENTIONED THE POSSIBLE RECALL (RE: CAMPAIGN 96V015000 AND GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BUILLETIN 95C68). THE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED GM AND REPORTED BACK TO ME THAT MY VEHICLE WASN'T COVERED IN THE VIN SPECIFIC LISTING AND THAT THE EXPENSE OF THIS REPAIR WAS MY OBLIGATION. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE AND WAS TOLD ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING. MY CAR FALLS IN THE PARAMETERS OF THE VINS ON THE SERVICE BULLETIN AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY DELIVERED IN COLORADO. OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEM WAS THE SAME BECAUSE THE PARTS USED WERE THOSE CALLE
AREA IMMEDIATELY AROUND HEADLIGHT SWITCH BECOMES TOO HOT TO TOUCH WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, BUT THE FUMES CAME OUT OF IT. CONSUMER WAS ON THE HIGHWAY & HAD TO LEAVE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND MOVED THE VEHICLE, AND THE AIRBAG POPPED OUT, ALMOST CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO BUILDING. DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE. *AK
ONGOING/INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION MOVING WHENEVER VEHICLE PULLED FROM A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE REPAIRED, CONSUMER WANTS GM TO REIMBURSE THE COST. *AK *ML
THE ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A NO START CONDITION/STALLING. MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED 4 TIMES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
HEADLIGHTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.
PARKING BRAKE FAILS ON OCCASSION.
ABS VALVE REGULATOR FAILED.
ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT IS ON. CONSUMER HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO DETECT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE SYSTEM. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS AND WHEEL CYLINDERS FAILED.
BRAKE ROTORS AND WHEEL CYLINDERS FAILED.
Data vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.