Total Complaints
12 filings
OLDSMOBILE 98 · model year
1996 OLDSMOBILE 98
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996OLDSMOBILE98 carries 12 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, 3 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 1996 98 is air bags:frontal with 3 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (2) and electrical system (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 1996 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.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
3
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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20220418AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 1996 Oldsmobile 98. The contact stated while driving at 10-15 MPH, the driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was drivable; however, the contact's boyfriend pushed the vehicle in the nearby parking lot with assistance of a bystander. The vehicle was towed to the residence of the contact's friend. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
Mileage: 230,000
20120322ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER AS NOTED ON OTHER MODELS IS DEFECTIVE IN THIS MODEL BUT IS NOT LISTED WITH GM FOR THIS VIN. THEIR IS NO SECURITY WARNING CHIME WHEN "KEY IN THE IGNITION" IN THE OFF POSITION AND DOOR OPEN. HOWEVER, THE SEATBELT WARNING CHIME DOES WORK. *TR
20120322ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER AS NOTED ON OTHER MODELS IS DEFECTIVE IN THIS MODEL BUT IS NOT LISTED WITH GM FOR THIS VIN. THEIR IS NO SECURITY WARNING CHIME WHEN "KEY IN THE IGNITION" IN THE OFF POSITION AND DOOR OPEN. HOWEVER, THE SEATBELT WARNING CHIME DOES WORK. *TR
20100608AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
INAPPROPRIATE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. AUTO MOVING AT 5 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR, NO COLLISION WITH ANYTHING AND THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. UPPER BODY INJURIES, WENT TO HOSPITAL. AUTO TOTALED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR
20041112ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT IWAS MISSING LIKE A SPARK PLUG IF IWAS NOT FIRING. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT VERY ISSUE. HOWEVER, CONSUMER CONTACTED GMC, AND WAS TOLD THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK
19980805SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELTS ARE TOO SHORT FOR PROPER USE.
19970904SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
REAR SEAT BELTS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO BE UTILIZED.
19970325ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY REPLACED.
19970325SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
WHEEL BEARING FAILED.
19961114POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
TRANSMISSION GEAR LEVER STICKS WHEN PUT IN REVERSE NOT ALLOWING VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK.
19951030AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF COLLISION. TT
19951030AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
PASSENGERS SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF COLLISION. TT
Compare 1996OLDSMOBILE98 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 OLDSMOBILE 98 have?▼
The 1996 OLDSMOBILE 98 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 OLDSMOBILE 98?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 OLDSMOBILE 98 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1996 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.