1998 Oldsmobile 88 complaints

WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 35 MPH, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE DID NOT GAIN ANY SPEED, FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE LOSING POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TECHNICIAN WHO THEN INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB

MY 1998 OLDS 88 BACKFIRED UPON STARTING AND BLEW UP THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION DESTROYED THE ENGINE COVER AND THE FUEL RAIL. THE ENGINE IS THE 3800 V6. THE VEHICLE HAS 21,000 MILES BUT WAS OLDER THAN 3YRS, THUS IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. BECAUSE GM WOULD NOT OFFER ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE REPAIR, I HAD IT REPAIRED MYSELF. THE EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY A LEAKING FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR THAT VENTED BACK THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THRU A VACUUM LINE. THIS SITUATION LOOKS TO BE EXACTLY LIKE A RECALL ON VERY SIMILAR BUICK CARS. IT WAS NHTSA RECALL # 03V473000 ON NOV 12TH 2003. I BELIEVE THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER VEHICLES LIKE MINE.

IN EARLY 1998, I PURCHASED A 1998 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY-EIGHT BRAND NEW FROM RELIABLE OLDSMOBILE DEALERSHIP IN CLEVELAND, OH. ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS A FEW YEARS OLD, THE PROBLEM I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT BEGAN AROUND MAY 1998. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS COMPLAINING ABOUT EXCESSIVE, LOUD NOISES THAT WERE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FIRST TIME I WENT WAS JUNE 1, 1998. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP TRIED FIXING OR DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT THEY NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM. I ENDURED THE NOISE AND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE TO DO. WHILE TRAVELING FROM GEORGIA TO OHIO LAST SUMMER (2003), THE CAR FINALLY BROKE DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP IN TENNESSEE DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A DEFECTIVE TENSION PULLEY. THIS DEFECTIVE PULLEY ALSO CAUSED AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF RESIDURAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THIS WAS THE NOISE I WAS HEARING . WHEN I CONTACTED THE GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY (THE OLDSMOBILE DIVISION HAS SHUT DOWN), THEY IGNORED ME EXCEPT FOR TELLING ME THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I RECOGNIZE THAT IT HAS EXPIRED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM AROSE LONG BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED LONG BEFORE IT EXPIRED BUT FOR THE OLDSMOBILE DEALERSHIP'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT THINK IT IS FAIR THAT A DEALERSHIP CAN FAIL (DELIBERATELY OR NOT) TO DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM COVERED BY THE WARRANTY WHILE THE WARRANTY IS IN EFFECT AND THEN SCREAM THAT THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. PARTICULARLY, AFTER ONE OF ITS OWN DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLE

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT EVERY WEEK HE/SHE WAS POURING ONE GALLON OF COOLANT INTO THE VEHICLE. THE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND TECHNICIAN STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH BLEW THE INTAKE MANIFOLD APART. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

PAINT ON HOOD OF CARE IS FLAKING OFF. STARTED WITH A SMALL SPOT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WHEN I WASHED MY CARE TODAY THE GARDEN HOSE WASHED SEVERAL FLAKES OF THE HOOD PAINT AWAY. THE SIZE NOW IS BIGGER THAN A DOLLAR BILL. THE PAINT ISN'T STICKING TO THE PRIMER.

1) AUG. 2000 GENERATOR FAILURE 2) AUG. 2002 BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS REPLACED 3) OCT. 2003 COOLANT LEAKING : REPLACED LEAKING WATER PUMP. INTAKE MANIFOLD ALSO LEAKING BUT NOT REPLACED AT THIS TIME DUE TO COST. 3.8L V6

PAINT ON RIGHT FENDER STARTING TO PEEL. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THE CAR WAS MORE THAN 5 YEARS OLD AND GM WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT. STILL WORKING ON GETTING THEM TO PAINT IT.

I WENT TO THE DEALER AND COMPLAINED THAT THE PAINT WAS CHIPPING. I HAD IN HAND 4 ESTIMATES AND EACH PAINT/BODY SHOP ARRIVED AT THE SAME CONCLUSION, "PAINT LAMINATE" PROBLEM. EVERY PERSON WHO WROTE AN ESTIMATE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A GM PROBLEM. THE LAST PLACE I WENT TO WAS THE GM DEALER IN COUNTRYSIDE, IL, (CELOZZI-ETTLESON). ONE OF THE SERVICE CONSULTANTS (KEVIN ANDERSON) TALKED TO THE BOSS (DARREN D'ANDRE) AND RETURNED WITH A PAPER INDICATING TO ME THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ONCE THE CAR WAS THREE YEARS OLD. SINCE I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR THAT HAD SUCH A PAINT CHIPPING PROBLEM, I DECIDED TO PURSUE THIS MATTER.

TRANSMISSION: UPPER PLATE GASKET WENT, CAUSING GEAR SLIPPAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS WHICH GRADUALLY BECAME WORSE IN THE LOWER GEARS. TRANSMISSION REPLACED UNDER WARRENTY. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT UNIT WHICH IS NOW EXHIBITING MUCH OF THE SAME SLIPPAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS (ONLY MINORLY AT THE MOMENT) @ 156,000KM. ENGINE: FIRST ENGINE HAD THE EGR/EXHAUST DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO MELT AND COOLANT TO POOR INTO THE ENGINE. REPORT FROM THE SHOP WAS THAT ENTIRE BOTTOM END WAS DESTROYED BY THE COOLANT, AND A FULL NEW ENGINE HAD TO BE ORDERED (COMPLETE WITH ACCESSORIES, ETC.). THE NEW ENGINE'S IDLER FOR THE SERPENTINE HAD THE BEARING CEASE, KNOCKING THE BELT OFF. SINCE THE WATERPUMP WAS BELT DRIVEN, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE CAR WAS LEFT TO IDLE IN THE PARKING LOT FOR A TOTAL TIME OF ~ 5-15MIN. (THE TEMPERATURE OUT WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND -40C / -40F.). BRAKES: PERHAPS CRONICALLY UNDERSIZED FOR THIS VEHICLE, ROTORS HAVE WARPED LIKE CLOCKWORK EVERY 30,000KM. THEY ARE CURRENTLY WARPED APPROACHING 160,000KM AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED --- AGAIN --- SHORTLY. THIS IS NOT A CAR THAT SEE'S MUCH HEAVY USE. GROCERIES ON WEEKENDS, ~ 15-20KM MAX. TOTAL DAILY TRIP DURING WORKDAYS. IT HAS YET TO ACCOMPLISH AN EXTENDED ROAD TRIP (I.E., NORTH BAY -> OTTAWA OR NORTH BAY -> TORONTO, 4 HOURS (~400KM) AND 3 HOURS (~300KM) RESPECTIVELY) WITHOUT THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT BEING LIT. ADDITIONAL RECOLLECTION: FRONT FOG LIGHTS CONSTANTLY FILLING WITH CONDENSATION AS WELL, HAVE BEEN REP

CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WAS LOTS OF SMOKE AND FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

GM HAS A PLASTIC PLENUM/MANIFOLD ON THEIR CARS THAT BECOME DEFECTIVE AFTER 60 TO 70 THOUSAND MILES. DUE TO THE HEAT THAT THE MANIFOLD IS EXPOSED TO, THE PART WILL THAN LEAK. WHEN THIS PART WAS MADE FROM ALUMINUM IT WOULD NOT CAUSE THESE PROBLEMS. I HAVE REPLACE THIS PART 2 TIMES IN 2 1/2 YEARS. GM WILL NOT HELP WITH THE BILLS BECAUSE I HAVE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES. BUT THE PART ONLY HAS 65 THOUSAND MILES ON IT. I HAVE GONE TO 2 AUTO REPAIR SHOPS AND ALL I TELL THEM IS I AM LOSING COOLANT AND THEY KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THEY SAID THEY REPLACE THESE OFTEN. THEY REPLACE THESE SO OFTEN THAT NOW THERE IS A AFTER MARKET THAT THIS PART CAN BE PURCHASED FROM. MY HUSBAND IS A MECHANIC AND KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND THAT IS HOW THIS WAS FOUND. IF PEOPLE DON'T CATCH THIS COOLANT LOSS IN TIME THEY COULD BLOW THEIR ENGINE. IF PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM HOW CAN THEY WATCH FOR IT? *LA

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD A CRACK, WHICH CAUSED FLUIDS TO LEAK OUT. *AK *SCC *JB

LEAKING COOLANT FROM WATER PUMP AND FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD.

1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 LS, ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS, SYSTEM CHECK OPERATIONAL AND NO WARNING LIGHT ON EVERY START UP. BUT AT 70,000 PLUS MILES IN ONE WEEK'S TIMEFRAME, ABS BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY HAVE A HARD GRAB AT THE END OF A COMPLETE STOP AT INTERSECTIONS. BUT THE ABS SYSTEM HAS PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND ALTERNATES AT ONE OR TWO OF THE BRAKES, WHETHER IN THE FRONT OR REAR BRAKES, CAUSING A LOUD SOUND. FRONT PADS AND ROTORS ARE NEW WITHIN THE LAST 5,000 MILES AND REAR DRUM BRAKES ARE AT 55% LININGS.*AK

WHILE MERGING INTO INTERSTATE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING ENGINE FAILED CAUSING LOST OF BRAKING AND STEERING EFFECTIVENESS. NO WARNING WAS RECEIVED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND UPPER INTAKE WAS FOUND CRACKED ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER COMBUSTION CHAMBER. ONE WEEK AND $800.00 LATER CAR WAS "REPAIRED" VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEMS. HARD STARTING, RANDOM STALLING. DEALER ADVISED ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 3800 SERIES II ENGINE REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE OR TYPE OF USE AND MAINTENANCE. CONSIDERING THE SUDDEN LOST OF ALL POWER THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS BRAKING AND STEERING EFFECTIVENESS IS REDUCED AS IS ELECTRICAL POWER FOR ACCESSORIES SUCH AS HEADLAMPS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *JB

FRACTURED PLASTIC (!) INTAKE MANIFOLD (UPPER PLENUM) RESULTING IN LOSS OF COOLANT OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT FOUR WEEKS UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED. HAD TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ANALYZED AND EVENTUALLY REMEDIED AT A COST OF AROUND $700.00 TOTAL. WHY ON EARTH IS THIS CRUCIAL COMPONENT PLASTIC? *JB

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD BLEWOUT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE NON DRIVABLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *SCC *JB THE "EXPLOSION" WOKE UP THE NEIGHBORS. THERE WAS SMOKE BUT NO FIRE. BBY

INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. COOLANT LEAKED INSIDE THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88,1988. *AK

COOLANT LEAK INTO ENGINE CAUSED CAR TO RUN EXTREMELY ROUGH TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO STOP. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED DUE TO COOLANT LEAK RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE HEAD GASKETS. THE HEAD GASKETS ALONG WITH THE UPPED PLENUM HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1100. AFTER RESEARCH ON YOUR SIGHT, I FOUND THIS PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OTHER 1998 OLDS 88 CARS. I ALSO FOUND THAT A TECHNICAL BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED TO DEALERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. WHY WASN'T THIS PROBLEM WITH THE UPPER PLENUM THAT IS REFERENCED IN THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN SENT TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. I FOUND THE MANY OTHER MODEL OF GM CARS ALSO USE THE 3800 ENGINE WITH A PLASTIC UPPER PLENUM THAT CAN CRACK OVER TIME FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT.*AK

CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH, ESP. ON STARTING. MADE APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER WHO COULDN'T LOOK AT IT FOR A WEEK. WE REALIZED IT WAS LOSING COOLANT, BUT THERE WAS NO APPARENT LEAKAGE UNDER THE CAR OR HOOD, ETC. FILLED WITH COOLANT, DROVE APPROX. 4 MILES THEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. CHECKED OIL AND IT WAS OVER "FULL". CALLED THE DEALER BACK WITH THE NEW SYMPTOMS AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF CAR TO HAVE COOLANT LEAK INTO THE OIL (THEN INTO ENGINE) AND IT PROBABLY NEEDED MANIFOLD WORK $600.--$700. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND THE MANIFOLD DID NEED TO BE REPLACED. IN RESEARCHING, WE HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN 88'S AND SOMETIME RESULTS IN ENGINE FIRES. WE ARE WONDERING WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL AND WHY WOULD THE MANUFACTURER USE PLASTIC IN ENGINE PARTS!? *JB

CAR HAS 55,000 MI ON IT, AND THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD RESTING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE CRACKED, LEAKING ALL COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS SHUTDOWN AS SOON AS THE TEMPERATURE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 250 F. PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY REPLACING THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE RESULTED.

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE GASKET LEAKED COOLANT WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. *AK *CB *NLM

IN FEBRUARY I WENT TO START MY ENGINE IN THE MORNING AND IT BLEW UP. I TURNED THE KEY, NO ENGINE TURNOVER BUT SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD, FLAMES CAME OUT. THE FIRE DEPT. PUT OUT THE FIRE AND SAID THE CAR WAS TOTALLED. SOME OF THE VINYL SIDING ON MY HOUSE WAS SLIGHTLY MELTED.*AK

LEAK IN COOLANT SYSTEM SPREAD TO THE ENGINE WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. *MR THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM BEFORE IT HAD BECOME OBVIOUS, THE LEAK SPREAD TO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER'S FATHER HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A NEW 02 BUICK LESABRE DUE TO THE 3800 ENGINE'S DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE LEAK. (THIS HAPPENED TO THREE OF THEIR BUICK VEHICLE'S) NHTSA ACTION #EA02030 *SCC *JB

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MT 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 FAILED RECENTLY. THE PLASTIC ON ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLD IS VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION. APPARENTLY MINE FAILED AND ALL THE WATER DRAINED FROM THE ENGINE. THE REPAIR BILL TO GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN WAS $1838. I AM TOLD BY SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON GM CARS. BECAUSE OF THE COMMON OCCURANCE OF THIS PROBLEM, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT A RECALL IS IN ORDER. *AK

THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BECAUSE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE CYLINDER. *NLM

NAR 06/19/2003. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE TWO PROBLEMS, ONE WAS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET, AND THE OTHER WAS A FAULTY THERMOSTAT IN WHICH GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR. IN ADDITION, THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED THE WARRANTY RATES OFFERED SO THE CONSUMER ENDED UP PAYING LARGE SUMS OF MONEY TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE. WITH FRUSTRATION THE CONSUMER RETURNED THE VEHICLE BACK TO MILLER BROTHERS AND IS NOW ASKING THAT THE TOTAL REPAIR COST BE REFUND FOR THE AMOUNT OF $2,946. *CB *JB

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED. *MR *PH *JB

1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 *MR *PH *JB

FAULTY HEAD GASKET RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAK AND DAMAGE TO ENGINE COSTING $2946. + CAR RENTAL. *AK

THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE SPLIT AND LEAKED FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF MY MOTHER'S 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88. HAD SHE NOT SMELLED THE FUEL AND PARKED THE CAR, I'M SURE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE.*JB

OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88, 1998 63000 MILES "COOLANT TEMPERATURE WARNING" LIGHT CAME UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. I DROVE ABOUT 1/2 MILE TO THE SERVICE AREA. TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. WHITE SMOKE EXPELLED OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, A SMOKE ODOR WAS INSIDE OF THE CAR. TURNED THE ENGINE ON 10 MINUTES LATER. THERE WAS COMPLETE SILENCE. THE ENGINE GOT LOCKED UP BECAUSE A COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE FROM THE UPPER PLASTIC INTAKE PLENUM. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 1995-2000 GM 3800 VIN K ENGINES.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *NLM

ANTI- LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED 3 TIMES RESULTING IN ONE ACCIDENT. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND NOTHING CAN BE FOUND WITH WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM. *JB

ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED 3 TIMES. 1ST TIME WAS 01-10-03. 2ND TIME WAS 04-11-03 AND 3RD TIME WAS 04-21-03. IST TIME RESULTED IN ACCIDENT AND LAST 2 TIMES I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF HIGHWAY BEFORE REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WILL ENTER THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED. *JB

WHITE SMOKE EXPELLED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THE ENGINE STALLED. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE SLEEVE WHICH SEALED THE EXHAUST GAS AS IT ENTERED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED. *MR...*AK

MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES ON IT AND ALREADY HAS AN INTERNAL LEAK OF RADIATOR FLUID. THERE HAS BEEN NO LEAKAGE UNDER THE CAR FROM ANY HOSES OR COMPONENTS. MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS GONE ON NOW AND THE CAR IS SPUTTERING. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR DOWN FOR REPAIR AND THEY STATE THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS CRACKED CAUSING THE FLUID TO BE SUCKED OUT OF THE RADIATOR SYSTEM AND EVAPORATED THROUGH THE ENGINE. MY CAR HAS NOT CAUGHT FIRE, BUT ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE, I SEE THAT MY CAR IS IN DANGER OF HAVING THAT HAPPEN. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS DIFFICULT TO RESTART. *NLM

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED WHICH RESULTED IN COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. THE PROBLEM CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE, STARTER AND FLYWHEEL.*JB *TS

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.

I PURCHASED VEHICLE USED MAR. 1,2002. AT 51000MILES IBEGAN TO HAVE A LEAKING ANTIFREEZE PROBLEM (OF DEXCOOL) AND I HAD WATERPUMP REPLACED AND THEN COOLANT THERMOSTATABOUT AWEEK LATER FOR LEAKING..AT ABOUT 53500 MILES,PRESENTLY,ON ABOUT JAN. 10,2003.I QUIT RELIEING ON DRIVING THE 98 OLDS 88 AND NOW THIS VEHICLE IS AT WALLY MCCARTHY'S SERVICE

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DEGRADED, WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONNECTING ROD BREAKING AND GOING THROUGH THE ENGINE WALL. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. TS SCC *JB

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR. ALSO STATED THAT HE HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE HOSE CONECTIONS ON THE WATER PUMP. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND HAS ASK CONSUMER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP. ALSO STATES THAT THE TIMMING BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED. TS

ON OUR 1998 OLDSMOBILE THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE INTAKE UPPER MAINIFOLD WAS AT 95,918 MILES ON 08/24/2002. DOES THIS MEAN THAT GENERAL MOTOR'S INTAKE MAINIFOLDS ARE ONLY GOOD FOR AN AVERAGE OF 54,000 MILES? WE HAD A 1997 BUICK WITH THE SAME MOTOR AND SAME INTAKE UPPER MAINIFOLD THAT FAILED AT 71,000 MILES JUST TWO WEEKS AGO! DT

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY. THE COMPONENT MELTED CAUSING COOLANT TO GET INTO ENGINE. MR

CONSUMER TRIED TO PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PUT IN DRIVE, STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. CONSUMER CUT OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED, AND IT WENT INTO GEAR. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AKTHE FAULTY PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *JG

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION STOPS OPERATING WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEALER CONTACTED. *NLM

THIS ALTERNATOR GROWLING/NOISE AND TENSION PULLEY ASSEMBLY BEGAN MAKING NOISES AT ABOUT 30,000. THEN AT ABOUT 40,000 IT REALLY BEGAN MAKING GROWLING NOISES ESPECIALLY A LOWER SPEEDS. THEN WHILE WE WERE ON A TRIP TO MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN VISITING MY RELATIVES AND CHILDREN, IT BECAME APPARENT I HAD BETTER GET THIS FIXED BEFORE GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD TO OUR HOME IN BELLA VISTA,AR. SOME 750 MILES. WHILE IN MILWAUKEE I WAS ADVISED TO TO SEE FELSING SERVICE INC. 9128 W. BURLEIGH ST., MILWAUKEE, WI. SINCE GM DEALERSHIPS COULD NOT GUARANTEE ME TO HAVE CAR READY AS I HAD TO BE BACK IN BELLA VISTA ON THURSDAY. MR. FLESING SAID HE COULD REPAIR THIS. I WANTED A NEW ALTERNATOR, BUT NONE COULD BE FOUND IN MILWAUKEE. SO I CONSENTED TO A DELCO REMFG. UNIT AND A NEW PULLEY ASSEMBLY.THIS WAS COMPLETED IN A FEW HOURS. THE BILL WAS $388.10. I FEEL THIS ALTERNATOR SHOULD LAST AND BE ADEQUATELY FUNCTIONAL FOR MORE THAN 40,000. BUT THE VERY FACT THAT NO NEW ALTARENATOR FOR MY VEHICLE COULD BE FOUND IN MILWAUKEE ON THAT MONDAY TELLS ME, AS I ALSO HAVE HEARD, GM IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ALTERNATORS ETC. OTHERWISE THE CAR IS A FINE RUNNIGN CAR WITH GOOD GAS MILEAGE ETC.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 25MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE SHUT OFF. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AKTHE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT WOULD NOT MOVE INTO GEAR. ALSO THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT SWITCH PLATE. *JG