1998 Oldsmobile 88 complaints

ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN VERY ROUGH AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. PULLED CAR OFF ROADWAY. GASKET HAD FAILED SENDING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE, DAMAGING THE MANIFOLDS.*AK

3.8L V6 ENGINE COOLANT IS GETTING INTO THE ENGINE OIL WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.*AK

ENGINE AND OTHER PARTS WERE REPLACED ON APRIL 3RD 2002. VEHICLE TAKES 3-4 TRIES BEFORE STARTING. ALL COMMUNICATION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD AFTER IT STARTED UP. 5-10 MINUTES INTO DRIVING LIGHTS WENT OUT. DEALER WAS INFORMED OF PROBLEM.*AK

HOOD WOULD NOT STAY OPEN. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *YH

INTAKE MANIFOLD WARPED, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPLAIRED. *AK CONSUMER FEELS THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE DESIGN CHANGE, THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS USED TO BE MADE OF METAL AND NOW THEY ARE MADE OF PLASTIC. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN AWFULL SMELL INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. MECHANIC SAID PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD A HOLE IN IT, AND WAS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE FROM RADIATOR. PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WHOLE IN THE PLENUM WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY EGR VALVE, PER MACHANIC AND GM REP.(CAR WAS GOING TO BURST INTO FLAMES)-PLEASE SEE REVERSE SIDE. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND LIFE THREATENING, AND IS GREATFUL FOR NOT BEING HARMED, BUT WANTS THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED SO THAT PEOPLE WHO OWN THESE VEHICLES, WONT BE IN DANGER. CONSUMER ALSO FEELS THAT, SHOULDN'T THERE BE METAL PLENUMS INSTEAD OF PLASTIC.*AK *SCC

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONTACTED DEALER.*JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE SPUTTERED AND SHUT DOWN CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, ETC. FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEED OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE ENGINE LOCKED UP COMPLETELY AND WOULD NOT RESTART. CAUSE WAS COOLANT LEAKAGE THROUGH CRACK IN PLENUM WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $700. THIS IS VERY LIKELY THE CAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING CONSUMER COMPLAINTS LISTED ON YOUR SITE: ODI ID'S - 553119, 883623, 886028, AND POSSIBLY OTHERS THAT WERE UNEXPLAINED. I ONLY SEARCHED FOR OLDS 88, BUT THE SAME ENGINE IS USED IN PONTIACS, AND OTHER GM MAKES. THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN LISTED BY THE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE ASSOC. OF ARIZONA REPAIR SHOPS - SEE THEIR WEBSITE AND AN ARTICLE UNDER THE TITLE "COOLANT LEAKAGE" WHICH EXPLAINS THE PROBLEM VERY CLEARLY. THE PLENUM IS PLASTIC, AND IS SIMPLY SUBJECTED TO MORE ENGINE HEAT THAN IT CAN SAFELY HANDLE OVER TIME, CAUSING THE CRACKS TO DEVELOP OVER TIME, HENCE THE CONTINUAL AND GRADUAL LOSS OF COOLANT UNTIL IT FINALLY GIVES WAY RESULTING IN TOO MUCH COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE TO ALLOW FOR COMBUSTION. AS STATED EARLIER, THIS ENGINE SHUTDOWN COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS AT HIGHER SPEEDS OR IN TRAFFIC. *AK

THE INSURED STATED THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB(CLAIM#04-8004-446)

THE ISURED'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB(CLAIM#24-5198-115)

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND THEN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THE INSURED THEN OPENED THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE.*JB(CLAIM#38-J636-778)

CAR SOLD WITH 100,000 MILE COOLANT-- PART BACKORDERED-- CAN'T GET DUE TO SHORT SUPPLY. REQUESTED THAT DEALER CONTACT OLDS ZONE MANAGER FOR WARRANTY / COST OF FAILURE SUPPORT. NO RESPONSE AS OF THIS DATE.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 04-8004-446. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 24-5198-115. *SLC

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, DEALER HAS SERVICED VEHICLE AND REPLACED VALVES IN THE EXHAUST, HOWEVER PROBLEM REOCCURRED.*AK *SLC

HEAD LIGHTS DO NOT SHUT OFF, THEREFORE FOG DROPLETS ARE ILLUMINATED AT THE HIGHER POSITON ABOVE THE ROAD AND YOU CANNOT SEE THE ROAD

ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLLUMINATES WHILE TRAVELING. DEALER HAS REPLACED HUB ON EACH WHEEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE RUSTED WITHIN 10000 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER WHO WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE RUST AND DETERIORATION WAS DUE TO LOW MILEAGE. *AK *TT

THE VEHICLE STALLS AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WHILE DRIVING, THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLCATE THE PROBLEM, THIS PROBLEM CAUSES LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. NLM

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE SUDDENLY. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND REPLACED VARIOUS COMPONENTS. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

DRIVING ALONG AND HEARD A NOISE. MIRROR FELL OUT OF RIGHT SIDE & ALSO MOTOR FROM MIRROR HOUSING. MIRROR & MOTOR FELL OUT AND WAS HANGING AND HITTING SIDE OF CAR.

THE "ABS" AND "TRACTION CONTROL OFF" INDICATOR LIGHTS STARTED TO COME ON AND STAY ON SOME TIME IN NOVEMBER 2000. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT. AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE ICE BUILDUP WHICH CAUSES THE SPEED SENSORS TO GO OFF. THE COST TO REPLACE ANY ONE SPEED SENSOR WAS APPROX $450-$500 PER WHEEL HUB. IN JULY 2001 I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE THE ABS AND TRACTIONCONTROL ISSUES FIXED. THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ISSUES WERE FIXED BY REPLACING THE "BRAIN BOX" FOR THE SPEED SENSORS. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FIX, THE ABS/TRACTIONCONTROL OFF LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND THEY THEN FOUND THE BREAK PRESSURE MODULATOR VALVE HAD A DEAD SPOT IN THE ARMATURE. TO REPLACE THE BPMV WILL COST APPROX $1600. THESE ISSUES ALL SEEM TO BE ELECTRONIC. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY ISSUES WITH THE ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL IN THIS CAR? THANK YOU.*AK

THE FRONT ROTORS HAVE RUSTED AT ONLY 15000 MILES, THE CONSUMER FEELS THE MATERIALS ARE INFERIOR, THE BRAKE CYLINDERS ARE LEAKING. NLM

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 15,000 MILES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE ORIGINAL CALIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE, DEALER STATED BRAKE PROBLEMS WERE OCCURRING DUE TO VEHICLE NOT BEING DRIVEN ENOUGH, REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING FLUID. *SLC

CONSUMER TRIED TO START VEHICLE,THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE, DID NOT START. CONSUMER THEN REPLACED STARTER, BUT VEHICLE STILL DID NOT START. TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO FOUND A GASKET HAD FAILED, COOLANT HAD FILLED CYLINDERS OF ENGINE. *AK

CONSUMER KEPT LOOSING ANTIFREEZE, VEHICLE WOULD SLOWLY ELEVATE IN TEMPERATURE, SOME TIMES CAR WOULD CUT OFF, DUE TO VACUUM HARNESS.*AK

CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND HEARD LOUD POPPING NOISES AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD, CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WERE FLAMES, ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE, CLAIM 38-J636-778. *SLC

CAR STOPS WITHOUT WARNING DURING TRAFFIC , LOCKING UP STEERING AND BRAKING CAPABILITIES. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVEN DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. TWO OCCASIONS REQUIRED TOWING AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. ALSO BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. *AK

A LOW PITCH HUM EMANATING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE, VEHICLE TAKEN TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS, NONE ABLE TO LOCATED PROBLEM, ON 12/17/00 THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER, SERVICE DEPARTMENT DECLARED VEHICLE TOO DANAGEROUS TO DRIVE AND REPLACED RIGHT WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY UNIT. CJ

ALTERENATOR FELL OFF CAUSING DAMAGE TO SERPENTINE BELT AND AIR CONDITIONER SYSTEM. NLM

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON A SIDE STREET AND WAS APPROACHING RAILROAD TRACKS WHEN BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, HORN WAS BLOWING. DRIVER WAS HURT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS AT 35 MPH BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO FRONT WINDSHIELD AND BOTH REAR DOOR SEALS. VEHICLE BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER AT INSURANCE COST. *AK

VEHICLE WAS IN PARKED GEAR WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING IN CONSUMERS GARAGE, CONSUMER LEFT VEHICLE TO GO INTO HOUSE AND UPON RETURNING FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE HAD JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO GARAGE DOOR. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY WARNING. CHIME INDICATOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. TALKED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT PROBLEM WHICH COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, NOR REPAIRED. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER BLADES, WHICH WERE SPOT WELDED, HAD BROKEN LOOSE AND PIECES OF METAL WERE CONTAMINATING THE TRANSMISSION. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40-45 MPH RIGHT INNER TIE ROD BROKE, AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE HIT AN EMBANKMENT, CRASHED INTO A CULVER, AND WENT ACROSS A DRIVEWAY BEFORE STOPPING. THERE WERE FIVE PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE, AND ALL FIVE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. VEHICLE WILL MOST LIKELY BE TOTALLED. *AK

VEHICLE IS CONTINUALLY LOOSING COOLANT, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER PUMP HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE LEAKAGE. *MJS

THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DUE TO LEAKING FUEL PRESSURE REGLULATOR VALVE FAILURE. YH

MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88LS HIT A DEER ON 11/05/1999 AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NOURSE DEALERSHIP BODY SHOP ON 11/07/1999 FOR REPAIRS. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS NO REPLACEMENT AIRBAGS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THIS VEHICLE AND THEY CANNOT EVEN SAY THAT THEY WILL HAVE THEM BY JULY. MY CAR IS JUST SITTING THERE! ISN'T THIS A VIOLATION OF US CODE: TITLE 49, SECTION 30127 ? HELP! I PAID OVER $20,000.00 FOR THIS VEHICLE AND I AND MY WIFE NEED IT DESPERATELY BUT IT HAS BEEN NEARLY FIVE MONTHS ALREADY AND NO REAL HOPE THAT THE AIRBAG WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER FOUR MORE MONTHS. WE ARE ELDERLY RETIRED CITIZENS WHO WANT TO TRAVEL OUT OF STATE BUT THE RENTAL VEHICLE GM FINALLY PROVIDED TODAY IS RESTRICTED AS TO MILES AND DISTANCE SO WE CANNOT GO SEE OUR SON IN WASHINGTON STATE. AIRBAGS ARE MANDATORY, SO SHOULDN'T AN INVENTORY OF REPLACEMENT PARTS ALSO BE MANDATED? PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. SIGNED RICHARD AND ROSEMARY GARRISON. *AK

WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER IT BLOWS OUT A FUNNY ODOR THAT SMELLS LIKE URINE. MECHANIC SAID THAT THE BLOWER DIDN'T DRY PROPERLY AND HELD WATER, WHICH CAUSED MILDEW. *AK

PROBLEM IS IN COLD WEATHER THE HORN BLOWS BY ITS SELF. IT WILL START TO BLOW AND KEEP BLOWING TILL DISCONNECTED. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER THEY SAID THEY HAD TO CALL THE GM TECH SUPPORT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM IN THAT YEAR CAR. THE FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE HORN AND AIR BAG ASSEMBLY FOR THE COST OF 680.00. I CONTACTED GM ABOUT THIS AND WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I DON'T BELIVE THIS IS A WARRANTY ISSUE ANYWAY. IS THERE ANY THING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS OR HAVE YOU RECEIVED AND OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME NATURE. ANY INFORMATION OR HELP ON THIS MATTER WOULD BE APPERCIATED. THANK YOU DAVID HOOLEY. *AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT FROM A NAIL PUNCTURE FOUND THAT ALL FOUR TIRE HAD SOME CLEARLY VISIBLE LITTLE BUMPS AROUND THE SIDEWALL. NLM

THE FRONT END WAS VIBRATING . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCHANTS TIRE FOR ALIGNMENT AND ROTATION. I WAS ADVISED THE TIRE WERE CHOPPED UP AND NEW TIRES WERE THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY WEAK SHOCKS OR STRUTS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE DEPT. PERSONAL THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO ROTATED EVERY TWO OIL CHANGES AND NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE SHOCKS OR STRUTS. ALSO I WAS ADVISED THAT IF THEY WERE ROTATED THEY MIGHT WEAR SMOOTH AND THE PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/70R15 )

CONSUMER'S AUTOMOBILE HAD STOPPED AND RAN INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER STOPPED VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 30MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DECENDING A STEEP GRADE THE TRANSMISSION (IN LOW GEAR) AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. NLM