Total Complaints
3 filings
OLDSMOBILE OLDSMOBILE · model year
1989 OLDSMOBILE OLDSMOBILE
3 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989OLDSMOBILEOLDSMOBILE carries 3 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, 0 injuries, and 4 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 1989 OLDSMOBILE is electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and tires (1). 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 12 investigation files overlapping the 1989 OLDSMOBILE. 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.
3
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
4
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050429TIRES
THE AIR WAS LET OUT OF THE TIRE WHICH REVEALED THAT THE TIRE WAS DRY ROTTED. UPON TAKING IT BACK TO THE PURCHASER THEY DECLINED TO REPLACE BUT SHIPPED THE TIRE TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. *AK
19980424POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
19950126CrashFatalELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
LOCATION OF BATTERY CAUSED BATTERY TO EXPLODE DURING AN ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN 4 DEATHS, ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT. *AK
Compare 1989OLDSMOBILEOLDSMOBILE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 OLDSMOBILE OLDSMOBILE have?▼
The 1989 OLDSMOBILE OLDSMOBILE has 3 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 4 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 OLDSMOBILE OLDSMOBILE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 OLDSMOBILE OLDSMOBILE is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and TIRES.
Is the 1989 OLDSMOBILE OLDSMOBILE 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.