OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA · model year

1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA

104 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996OLDSMOBILEBRAVADA carries 104 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 1 fire, 4 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 BRAVADA is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 21 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer (10) and electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (5). 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 BRAVADA. 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.

104
Complaints
5
Crashes
1
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

104 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP21
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY5
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP3
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR3
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS2
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2

Recent Complaints

20180514ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ENGINE TO START I WAS AT A GAS STATION WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED THEN MANAGED TO START IT MADE IT HOME THEN DIED AT MY HOUSE AND HAS NOT MOVED SINCE.

Mileage: 177,000

20180514ENGINE

MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ENGINE TO START I WAS AT A GAS STATION WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED THEN MANAGED TO START IT MADE IT HOME THEN DIED AT MY HOUSE AND HAS NOT MOVED SINCE.

Mileage: 177,000

20180514UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ENGINE TO START I WAS AT A GAS STATION WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED THEN MANAGED TO START IT MADE IT HOME THEN DIED AT MY HOUSE AND HAS NOT MOVED SINCE.

Mileage: 177,000

20060830SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

I HAD A FAILURE OF THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS IN THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE - I HAD REPLACEMENT DONE WHICH COST $1326.00. *NM

Mileage: 88,746

20060830SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

I HAD A FAILURE OF THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS IN THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE - I HAD REPLACEMENT DONE WHICH COST $1326.00. *NM

Mileage: 88,746

20060830SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

ABS SENSORS FAILED CAUSING BRAKE PULSATION AND FAILURE. REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILED (STILL ON VEHICLE). *NM

Mileage: 88,746

20060830VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

ABS SENSORS FAILED CAUSING BRAKE PULSATION AND FAILURE. REAR WIPER MOTOR FAILED (STILL ON VEHICLE). *NM

Mileage: 88,746

20051228VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

DT*: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FUSE WAS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. *AK

Mileage: 90,000

20051228VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON MY 1996 OLDS BRAVADA STARTED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE PROBLEM, AS DIAGNOSED BY A GM DEALER WAS A FAULTY WIPER CONTROL BOARD/MODULE. THIS IS THE FAULT DESCRIBED ON GM RECALL 03023. BUT I WAS TOLD THAT ONLY SOME OF THE 1996 BRAVADAS ARE COVERED BY THIS RECALL (AND MINE IS NOT). WHEN I FIRST ENCOUNTERED IT IN JUNE OF 2005, I REPLACED THE FUSE AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE FOR A WEEK OR TWO. THEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN, REPLACED THE FUSE AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE FOR A WHILE. THIS CYCLE KEPT OCCURRING UNTIL CHRISTMAS DAY 2005 WHEN EVEN REPLACING THE FUSE DID NOT HELP. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM CAN BE COVERED ON SOME 96 BRAVADAS BUT NOT ON OTHERS. *NM

Mileage: 105,000

20050509POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

DT: THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA BY CONSUMER AFFAIRS. SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE OCT.1 2004. THE CONTACT WAS IN LAS VEGAS AND HER CAR BROKE DOWN. SHE HAD TO HAVE A NEW DRIVESHAFT. THE MECHANICS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SHOPS TOLD HER THAT THE FRONT END SHOULD HAVE BEEN SALVADGED. THE MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN WELDED TOGETHER. THE VEHICLE WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING SHE NOTICED THAT ONE PART OF THE CAR WOULD GO ONE WAY AND ANOTHER PART ANOTHER WAY. WHEN SHE GOT BACK FROM LAS VEGAS SHE CONTACTED THE PERSON SHE BOUGHT THE CAR AND THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE DRIVESHAFT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVERED ON HER WARRENTY. A PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE CAR SAID THAT HE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END THAT SHE WAS HAVING. THE CONTACT PUT ANOTHER DRIVESHAFT IN THE VEHICLE AND THREE WEEKS LATER THE DRIVESHAFT WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS MADE THE SECOND DRIVESHAFT IN THE VEHICLE. THE ALIGNMENT OF THE FRONT END IS CROOKED. THE SECOND DRIVESHAFT WAS INSTALLED ON MAY 5, 2005.*AK

20050308STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT

AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE TAILGATE GLASS EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING OR CAUSE. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND REPAIRED LATER ON. *AK

20040330WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE VIBRATED. DRIVER PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FOUND THAT ONLY ONE LUG, NUT WAS HOLDING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. THE OTHER LUGS, NUTS SHEARED OFF. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAPPENED TO THE RIGHT REAR SECTION OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

Mileage: 60,000

20031208SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

OLDSMOBILE, BRAVADA, 1996. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. GMC HAS A RECALL FOR THESE COMPONENTS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 01V200000. GMC REFUSED TO REPAIR. THEIR RECALL IS FOR VEHICLES WITH VIN #'S T2705034-T2708364 (LAST EIGHT DIGITS) MY VIN # IS T2710395. THE BALL JOINTS ARE OBVIOUSLY FAILING IN OTHER VEHICLES THAN THOSE THEY LISTED.*AK

20031130ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

ENGINE OVERHEATING UD-LIKE COOLANT (DEX-COOL). *AK

20031009ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THE VEHICLE BEGAN OVERHEATING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND SAID THAT THE COOLANT BECAME MUDDY AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT WHEN THE COOLANT GETS A LITTLE LOW. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A FLUSH AND FILL ON THE RADIATOR AND COOLING SYSTEM. THE DEALER WANTED TO PUT THE SAME COOLANT IN THE RADIATOR AND THIS WAS UNUSUAL TO ME. I HAD THEM PUT IN PRESTON AND HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE. *LA

Mileage: 60,000

20030910FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

THE 1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA CONTAINS A FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WHICH CAN CAUSE THE POPPET VALVES TO LOCK-UP. THERE WAS A COMPLETELY REDESIGNED SYSTEM FOR THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WHICH DOES NOT HAVE POPPET VALVES. THIS REDESIGN IS THE SIGNIFICANT ADMISSION OF THIS BEING A DESIGN FLAW. THE RECORDS OF THE COMPANY NEED TO BE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS. THE MECHANICS WHICH I HAVE INTERVIEWED VIEW THIS AS A SIGNIFICANT PERSISTENT AND WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. *JB

Mileage: 94,000

20030902FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

DRIVER STOPPED AT TOLL BOOTH TO PAY TOLL AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO INVESTIGATE WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM, AND DETERMINED THAT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE EXHAUST.DRIVER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

20030730FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

FUEL PUMP - VEHICLE PRESENTED AS A FAILED FUEL PUMP. HURSH REPLACED, $700+. WHEN WE GOT HOME, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ANOTHER GM DEALER CLOSER TO HOME LOOKED AT PROBLEM, DETERMINED THAT THE REASON IT WOULDN'T START WAS A WIRING HARNESS. HURSH WOULDN'T HONOR THEIR WARRANTY AT THAT POINT, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC. REPAIRED HARNESS FOR $140. THEY ALSO TESTED THE "REPLACED" PART AND DETERMINED THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. IN THAT ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC'S PROFESSIONAL OPINION, HURSH NEVER BOTHERED TO TEST THE FUEL PUMP TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY JUST GOT LUCKY WHEN THEY PUT THE WIRING HARNESS TOGETHER AND IT WORKED WHEN THEY GAVE IT BACK TO ME. WHEN I DROVE IT HOME, IT FAILED AGAIN. - I WANT MY $700+ BILL FOR THEIR REPAIR REFUNDED. I ALSO WANT GM TO ADDRESS A POOR DESIGN OF A FUEL PUMP PLACEMENT (THAT I BELIEVE THEY STILL USE) THAT REQUIRES $400 OF LABOR TO DROP THE FUEL TANK TO ACCESS. THERE'S NO REASON THIS PART COULDN'T BE DESIGNED TO HAVE ACCES

Mileage: 80,000

20030730VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE INCREASED WITH THE WIPERS NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BOARD OR MOTOR. THE REAR WIPERS STILL WERE NOT FUNCTIONAL. *AK THE FRONT WIPERS WERE REPAIRED. *PH *JB

Mileage: 85,000

20030627VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. *NLM

Compare 1996OLDSMOBILEBRAVADA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA have?
The 1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA has 104 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 1 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA?
The most-complained component for the 1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 21 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY.
Is the 1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 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.