Total Complaints
139 filings
OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA · model year
139 NHTSA complaints, 7 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998OLDSMOBILEBRAVADA carries 139 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 7 crashes, 2 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 BRAVADA is visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor with 14 filings, followed by suspension (9) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer (9). 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 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.
Total Complaints
139 filings
Crashes Reported
7 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 14 |
| SUSPENSION | 9 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 9 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 6 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 6 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 4 |
| STEERING | 3 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING | 3 |
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE PASSENGERS SIDE REAR AXLE BROKE AND THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL FELL OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FLIPPED, CAUSING THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL CONDITION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURES AS LISTED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V053000 (SUSPENSION). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
Mileage: 160,000
VEHICLE HAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK 3RD SHIFT 55-60 MPH ON A COUNTRY ROAD... VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. WITH NO LIGHTS, POWER STEERING, ECT... I WOULD HAVE TO TRY AND PULL OVER IN THE PITCH BLACK OF NIGHT. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES IT WOULD START BACK UP AND ON I WOULD GO, PRAYING IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AT THE CURVES. AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF THIS AND NOBODY HAVING ANY ANSWERS, MY HUSBAND DISCOVERED IT IS A CONNECTOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT GETS CORRODED AND HE HAS TO CLEAN IT. AS LONG AS WE CLEAN THE CORROSION OFF OF THE CONNECTOR ABOUT TWICE A YEAR, THE VEHICLE DOES FINE. *TR
Mileage: 86,000
VEHICLE HAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK 3RD SHIFT 55-60 MPH ON A COUNTRY ROAD... VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. WITH NO LIGHTS, POWER STEERING, ECT... I WOULD HAVE TO TRY AND PULL OVER IN THE PITCH BLACK OF NIGHT. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES IT WOULD START BACK UP AND ON I WOULD GO, PRAYING IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AT THE CURVES. AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF THIS AND NOBODY HAVING ANY ANSWERS, MY HUSBAND DISCOVERED IT IS A CONNECTOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT GETS CORRODED AND HE HAS TO CLEAN IT. AS LONG AS WE CLEAN THE CORROSION OFF OF THE CONNECTOR ABOUT TWICE A YEAR, THE VEHICLE DOES FINE. *TR
Mileage: 86,000
VEHICLE HAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK 3RD SHIFT 55-60 MPH ON A COUNTRY ROAD... VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. WITH NO LIGHTS, POWER STEERING, ECT... I WOULD HAVE TO TRY AND PULL OVER IN THE PITCH BLACK OF NIGHT. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES IT WOULD START BACK UP AND ON I WOULD GO, PRAYING IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AT THE CURVES. AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF THIS AND NOBODY HAVING ANY ANSWERS, MY HUSBAND DISCOVERED IT IS A CONNECTOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT GETS CORRODED AND HE HAS TO CLEAN IT. AS LONG AS WE CLEAN THE CORROSION OFF OF THE CONNECTOR ABOUT TWICE A YEAR, THE VEHICLE DOES FINE. *TR
Mileage: 86,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45-55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOA DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. THE REPAIR FAILED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 42,000.
Mileage: 40,000
MY VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE PRIOR TO TAKING IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. NO DASH BOARD LIGHTING, NO POWER STEERING, NO ACCELERATION AND BRAKING WAS VERY DIFFICULT. IF I TAPPED ON THE STEERING COLUMN THE POWER WOULD SOMETIMES COME BACK ON. I DO HAVE THE PAPERWORK FROM 2001 WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THE IGNITION PROBLEM GOES BACK FURTHER THAT GM KNOWS. *TR
Mileage: 23,117
MY VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE PRIOR TO TAKING IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. NO DASH BOARD LIGHTING, NO POWER STEERING, NO ACCELERATION AND BRAKING WAS VERY DIFFICULT. IF I TAPPED ON THE STEERING COLUMN THE POWER WOULD SOMETIMES COME BACK ON. I DO HAVE THE PAPERWORK FROM 2001 WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THE IGNITION PROBLEM GOES BACK FURTHER THAT GM KNOWS. *TR
Mileage: 23,117
MY VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE PRIOR TO TAKING IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. NO DASH BOARD LIGHTING, NO POWER STEERING, NO ACCELERATION AND BRAKING WAS VERY DIFFICULT. IF I TAPPED ON THE STEERING COLUMN THE POWER WOULD SOMETIMES COME BACK ON. I DO HAVE THE PAPERWORK FROM 2001 WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THE IGNITION PROBLEM GOES BACK FURTHER THAT GM KNOWS. *TR
Mileage: 23,117
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
COMPLAINT NUMBER DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPLAINT: I OWN A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY 20008, A YEAR AND 3 MONTHS LATER MY HUSBAND REPORTED A WHISTLING IN THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL. NOW WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT I HEARD A WHISTLING IN THE LEFT BACK WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE MECHANIC AND STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY WAS COMING LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS ALSO A GENERAL RECALL ON THIS CAR FOR SUSPENSION AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE CONTROL ARM. BETWEEN THIS MECHANICAL PROBLEM AND THIS SAFETY RECALL (ALTHOUGH MY VIN# WAS NOT IN IT. I WAS TOLD BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC THAT THIS CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE WHEEL COULD COME LOOSE AND CAUSE A CRASH. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I JUST TOOK THE CAR TODAY TO GMC DEALER IN HAZLET. THEY ARE GOING TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST COSTING ME 48 - 90 DOLLARS WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE THIS IS A COMPLETE SAFETY ISSUE COMPLAINT AND ALL 1998 OLDMOBILE
Mileage: 91,656
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2007, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, SHE HEARD A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT AXLES WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN JULY OF 2008, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND THE WHEELS WERE UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE CONTROL ARM WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED SINCE THE LAST FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS N
Mileage: 104,000
I PURCHASED A USED 1998 OLDS BRAVADA. IT HAS BEEN AN OK CAR EXCEPT. THE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. MY DEALER SAYS YOU HAVE TO SWITCH IT BACK AND FORTH FROM HEAT TO COOL IN THE DASH SOMEWHERE (MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS THE THERMOSTAT BUTTON FOR THEN???). ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION OR MOTOR AT 3000 RPMS CUTS OUT BAD AND JUMPS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF YOU ARE IN THE PASSING ZONE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, THE DIMMER SWITCH DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO AND THE SIGNALS DO BUT NOT THE DIMMER?? *JB
Mileage: 35
I PURCHASED A USED 1998 OLDS BRAVADA. IT HAS BEEN AN OK CAR EXCEPT. THE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. MY DEALER SAYS YOU HAVE TO SWITCH IT BACK AND FORTH FROM HEAT TO COOL IN THE DASH SOMEWHERE (MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS THE THERMOSTAT BUTTON FOR THEN???). ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION OR MOTOR AT 3000 RPMS CUTS OUT BAD AND JUMPS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF YOU ARE IN THE PASSING ZONE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, THE DIMMER SWITCH DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO AND THE SIGNALS DO BUT NOT THE DIMMER?? *JB
Mileage: 35
I PURCHASED A USED 1998 OLDS BRAVADA. IT HAS BEEN AN OK CAR EXCEPT. THE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. MY DEALER SAYS YOU HAVE TO SWITCH IT BACK AND FORTH FROM HEAT TO COOL IN THE DASH SOMEWHERE (MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS THE THERMOSTAT BUTTON FOR THEN???). ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION OR MOTOR AT 3000 RPMS CUTS OUT BAD AND JUMPS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF YOU ARE IN THE PASSING ZONE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, THE DIMMER SWITCH DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO AND THE SIGNALS DO BUT NOT THE DIMMER?? *JB
Mileage: 35
I PURCHASED A USED 1998 OLDS BRAVADA. IT HAS BEEN AN OK CAR EXCEPT. THE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. MY DEALER SAYS YOU HAVE TO SWITCH IT BACK AND FORTH FROM HEAT TO COOL IN THE DASH SOMEWHERE (MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS THE THERMOSTAT BUTTON FOR THEN???). ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION OR MOTOR AT 3000 RPMS CUTS OUT BAD AND JUMPS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF YOU ARE IN THE PASSING ZONE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, THE DIMMER SWITCH DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO AND THE SIGNALS DO BUT NOT THE DIMMER?? *JB
Mileage: 35
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND AFTER LETTING THE VEHICLE COOL OFF, HE RESTARTED IT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS LEAKING. FUEL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE WIRES FOR THE MAIN COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE REPAIR SHOP SUGGESTED THE FUEL INJECTOR AND ALL THE WIRES BE REPLACED. UPDATED 05/23/06. *JB
Mileage: 58,000
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING CAUSING A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *JB
Mileage: 71,000
TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING ALSO NO REVERSE. *JB
Mileage: 71,000
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING, HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING, AWD PROBLEMS, COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS, FUEL PUMP, CONTROL ARM & BALL JOINT PROBLEMS ARE JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES ON 96-99 GM BLAZERS, BRAVADA'S, & JIMMYS. THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKED INTO AND RECALLED. MOST PROBLEMS STARTING RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. CAN'T BELIEVE GM IS GETTING AWAY WITH THIS. TRANSMISSION WENT BAD AT 71000 MILES AND DEALER SAYS THAT THEY KNOW THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS ALSO PROBLEM (CODE 1870) BUT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. *JB
Mileage: 71,000
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING, HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING, AWD PROBLEMS, COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS, FUEL PUMP, CONTROL ARM & BALL JOINT PROBLEMS ARE JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES ON 96-99 GM BLAZERS, BRAVADA'S, & JIMMYS. THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKED INTO AND RECALLED. MOST PROBLEMS STARTING RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. CAN'T BELIEVE GM IS GETTING AWAY WITH THIS. TRANSMISSION WENT BAD AT 71000 MILES AND DEALER SAYS THAT THEY KNOW THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS ALSO PROBLEM (CODE 1870) BUT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. *JB
Mileage: 71,000
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.