OLDSMOBILE 98 · model year

1998 OLDSMOBILE 98

32 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998OLDSMOBILE98 carries 32 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 1998 98 is engine and engine cooling:engine with 4 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (3) and air bags:frontal (3). 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 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.

32
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

32 filings

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

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE4
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION3
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL3
TIRES2
SEATS2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
STRUCTURE1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1

Recent Complaints

20061220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

BOUGHT MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE REGENCY IN JULY OF 2005 WITH 78000 MILES ON IT. MARCH OF 2006 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF. THE COOLANT WAS BONE DRY UPON INSPECTION BY SELF. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE LEAKS. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE PLENUM AT A COST OF $533.00. THE PLENUM HAD CRACKED AND COOLANT RAN INTO THE #3 CYLINDER. I THEN HAD TO HAVE THE FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED AT THE DEALER WHO CHARGED ME $170.00 FOR THAT JOB. NOW I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-THEFT LOCK SYSTEM. MY SECURITY LIGHT KEEPS COMING AND GOING AND MY CAR WON'T RECOGNIZE MY KEY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS ABOUT (EVERY 3RD START LATELY) THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THE STARTER SHUT DOWN FOR 3 MINUTES. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS START AFTER I WAIT 3 OR 4 MINUTES EITHER, SO I HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT ANOTHER 3-4 MINUTES AND SO ON. (ONCE I HAD WAITED 2 HOURS BEFORE IT WOULD START.) I HAD A LOCKSMITH LOOK AT IT WHO SAID HE COULD FIX IT (ULTIMATELY HE COULDN'T) BUT ENDED UP PAYING $135.00 FOR THAT SERVICE AND THEN F

Mileage: 85,000

20060319ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE REGENCY WAS LOSING COOLANT. I COULD NOT SEE A VISIBLE LEAK. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE UPPER INTAKE (PLENUM) TO BE LEAKING THE COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE (CYLINDER #3.) THE LEAK WAS CAUSED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE INTAKE PLENUM IS MADE OF PLASTIC. I INTEND TO SEND OLDSMOBILE A COPY OF MY BILL WHICH WAS $533.32. WHY WOULD A COMPANY MAKE A PART SUCH AS THIS OUT OF PLASTIC? BY THE WAY, MY INDICATOR LIGHT IS STILL ON, SO I WILL NEED TO HAVE A DEALER CHECK IT OUT, AS THE ORIGINAL MECHANIC CAN FIND NO REASON FOR IT REMAINING LIT. *NM

Mileage: 88,950

20050819CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DT: 1996 OLDSMOBILE 98 ELITE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HIT A DEER, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID DEPLOY. THIS AIR BAG HAD A BIG HOLE IN IT, ALMOST 6-7 INCHES LONG AND 2-3 INCHES WIDE. ALSO IT HAD A BURNED LOOK TO IT. NO ONE INVESTIGATED TO SEE WHY IT HAD A HOLE. THE WAS TOTALED. THE CONSUMER'S GRANDDAUGHTER SUSTAINED A DEVIATED SEPTUM. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. *AK

20041201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

COOLANT LEAKED OUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. HAD TO REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKETS. *BF E-MAILED CONSUMER RESPONSE EXHAUST GASES HAD GOTTEN INTO THE PLASTIC UPPER MANIFOLD HAD THERMALLY BROKE DOWN THE PLASTIC AND CAUSED THE LEAK. *SC

20041025ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

I OWN A 1998 OLDS REGENCY WITH 62000 MILES ON IT. THIS CAR HAS THE STANDARD 3.8 LITER V-6 WHICH HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION FOR PROBABLY 30 YEARS. I NOTICED RECENTLY THE COOLANT RESERVOIR LEVEL WAS SLIGHTLY DOWN AND ADDED COOLANT TO BRING IT UP TO LEVEL. TWO WEEKS LATER MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS SLIGHTLY HIGH SO I CHECKED THE RESERVOIR LEVEL AGAIN. THE RESERVOIR WAS DRY AND I COULDN'T SEE ANY COOLANT IN THE RADIATOR. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, ADDED DISTILLED WATER AND GOT IT THERE. WHEN I ARRIVED THERE WAS COOLANT LEAKING OUT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THE NEXT DAY THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS AND GASKETS AT A COST OF $1050. I QUESTIONED MYSELF AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HOW AN INTAKE MANIFOLD COULD GO BAD. HE INFORMED THAT THE UPPER MANIFOLD WAS MADE OF PLASTIC. I TALKED TO THE MECHANIC AFTER THE FIX. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE EGR NIPPLE THAT FLOW EXHAUST GASES INTO THE PLASTIC UPPER MANIFOLD HAD THERMALLY BROKE DOWN THE PLASTIC AN

Mileage: 62,000

20040920ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

INTAKE MANIFOLD, MADE OF PLASTIC, RUPTURED DUMPING COOLANT INTO CYLINDERS. RESULTED IN INSTANTANEOUS STOPPAGE OF ENGINE AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING. COULD EASILY HAVE LED TO WRECK. *AK MECHANIC AT FIRST GM DEALER CONTACTED DIAGNOSED PROBLEM SIGHT UNSEEN AS IT IS A KNOWN COMMON PROBLEM. GM STRONGLY SUGGESTED HAVING WORK DONE AT A DEALERSHIP SO THEY COULD MAKE "ADJUSTMENTS" TO THE REPAIR BILL. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER, NO "ADJUSTMENTS" WERE MADE, TOWING BILL WAS EXHORBITANT, AND REPAIR BILL WAS 30% HIGHER THAN QUOTED BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEFECTIVE PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION (IN MY POSSESSION).

Mileage: 90,195

20040205VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

OVER THE PAST FOUR MONTHS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY. *PH THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO FIXE THE PROBLEM. *TT *JB

Mileage: 22,647

20031007ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:SOLENOID

VEHICLE DOES NOT DOWN SHIFT PROPERLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACE THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID. *AK

Mileage: 78,000

20030401POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED, DUE TO A FAILED TRANSMISSION. *JB

20030326ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

THE VEHICLE INTAKE MANIFOLD WARPED WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE OVERHEATING. *NLM

20030204STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

PASSENGER DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL OPEN AND CLOSE INTERMITTENTLY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH

20021209AIR BAGS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH *DT

20021209FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE TAIL PIPE DUE TO THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH

20021022AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. MR

20020801STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

VEHICLE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING. POWER STEERING PUMPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES FROM 1,000 MILES UP TO PRESENT. PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING, FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20020731TIRES

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE STEERING SYSTEM WOULD SHIMMY, DEALER REPLACED THE TIRES AT 6000 MILES, NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION GIVEN. *SLC

20020731SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS SHIMMYING WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, DEALER HAS COMPLETED A BRAKE JOB, TURNED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, REPLACED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES. *SLC

20020702POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER STATED THE SHIFTER SHAFT WOULD SLIDE TO 2ND GEAR AND NOT CLICK TO 1ST,THE DEALER FOUND A LOOSE NUT AND TIGHTENED IT ON THE SHIFTER SHAFT AND ADJUSTED THE CABLE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT. *YD *CB THE DEALER ALSO FIXED A LOOSE CRADLE BOLT BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNK NOISE AFTER BRAKING OR WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. *JB

20020702STRUCTURE

CONSUMER STATED THE SHIFTER SHAFT WOULD SLIDE TO 2ND GEAR AND NOT CLICK TO 1ST,THE DEALER FOUND A LOOSE NUT AND TIGHTENED IT ON THE SHIFTER SHAFT AND ADJUSTED THE CABLE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT. *YD *CB THE DEALER ALSO FIXED A LOOSE CRADLE BOLT BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNK NOISE AFTER BRAKING OR WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. *JB

20020702ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER WAS GETTING A CLUNK AT TIMES WHEN BRAKING AND ALSO WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. DEALER SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE AN ENGINE MOUNT, WHICH IS A LOOSE CRADLE BOLT. *YD

Compare 1998OLDSMOBILE98 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 OLDSMOBILE 98 have?
The 1998 OLDSMOBILE 98 has 32 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 OLDSMOBILE 98?
The most-complained component for the 1998 OLDSMOBILE 98 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1998 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.