1991 Oldsmobile 98

Routine

Owners filed 47 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip12
300
Air Bags › Frontal4
201
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder3
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Electrical System › Wiring2
000
Air Bags2
001
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor1
000
Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls1
000
Tires › Sidewall1
000
Structure › Body1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Automatic Transmission91V198000
Filed Nov 14, 19916,866 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE CONSOLE MOUNTED SHIFT LEVER MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET CAUSING LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.

Risk. THE DRIVER CAN PLACE THE GEAR SHIFTER IN THE PARKPOSITION WITHOUT SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE TRANSAXLE MAY NOT ACTUALLY BEIN PARK, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT IF THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED ON AGRADE. ALSO, THE DRIVER CAN PLACE THE GEAR SELECTOR IN DRIVE OR REVERSE WITHOUTTURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND THE TRANSAXLE MAY NOT BE IN THE POSITION INDICATED,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MOVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. BOTH CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy. INSTALL TWO TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIPS.

Parking Brake › Conventional › Mechanical91V167000
Filed Sep 23, 199120,765 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. WHEN APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY MAY RELEASE ONE OR MORE TEETH, REDUCING THE CABLE LOAD TO THE REAR BRAKES.

Risk. DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE LEVER RELEASE AND ROADLEVEL. THE PARKING BRAKE MAY NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING IT TO ROLL, WHICHCOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 105.

Remedy. REPLACE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Mar 25, 2005115,970 milesIL

I SMELLED WHAT SEEMED TO BE BURNING WIRE COMING FROM INSIDE MY VEHICLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE I WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE.*AK

Child Seat › Harness Buckle › Infant
Filed Dec 5, 2003176,000 milesWI

THE BUCKLE ON THE HARNESS WILL NOT FIT INTO THE LATCH BETWEEN THE CHILD'S LEGS. CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE BUCKLE TOGETHER WITH BOTH HANDS IN ORDER TO GET THE SYSTEM TO WORK. *AK

Air Bags
Filed Oct 25, 2002OH

CONSUMER STATES THAT AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHED AND DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. TS

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Filed Aug 2, 2002TX

WHILE IN MOTION DRIVING THROUGH RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT GO FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD CLEAR. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE RAIN SUBSIDED. *JG *YH

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed May 21, 2002WY

ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING ONTO PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE ON FLOOR. THERE IS ABOUT A HALF INCH OF ANTIFREEZE ON FLOOR. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Feb 26, 2002MI

3.8 ENGINE--SHUTTER ALSO AT THE 70 MI.PER HR. SPEED. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Feb 12, 2002MI

CONSUMER HAD NOTICED A STRONG VIBRATION COMING FROM ENGINE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED ENGINE VALVE TO FIND A SOLUTION, BUT DID NOT HELP AND THE PROBLEM STILL THERE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Dec 13, 2001MA

PANIC STOP TO AVOID HITTING CAR IN FRONT THAT STOPPED SHORT TO AVOID DOG IN ROAD. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, VERY LONG STOPPING DISTANCE, STEERED AROUND CAR AHEAD AVOIDING ACCIDENT. BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT RETURNTO NORMAL FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF PUMPING AND TEST STOPS, PROCEEDED WITH JOURNEY NORMALLY. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER NEXT DAY. PARKING BRAKE CABLE REPLACED BUT NO FAULT FOUND IN BRAKING SYSTEM. NOTE ABS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 8 MONTHS BUT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN ABS WAS NOT DISABLED IN LAST 2 YEARS, I HAVE READ OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. *AK

Air Bags › Side/Window
Filed Apr 19, 2001CA

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND CONTROL HIS VEHICLE. *AK

SeatsCrash1 injured
Filed Mar 12, 2001SC

CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED AT ABOUT 25-30 MPH, AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BROKE ON RIGHT SIDE OF SEAT. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 8, 2001KS

91 V 198 00/AUTOMATIC: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH SHIFTING OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN PARKED ON A UPPER GRADE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Oct 6, 2000PA

WHEN DRIVING SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTICED WIRES WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN WERE MELTED. CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Sep 28, 2000MA

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING DAMAGE TO WIRING HARNESS AND OTHER PARTS, REPAIRS WERE DONE BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK A BROKEN BULB SHORTED OUT AND BURNED THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC. THE BURNING REACHED THE STEERING COLUMN TRAVELING THE WIRES AND DAMAGED SWITCH ASSEMBLY, WIRING HARNESS, HORN ASSEMBLY AND MORE. *YH

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jul 5, 2000AL

WHEN DRIVING APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE VIBRATED. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED MASTER CYLINDERS/ROTORS, AND ABS BRAKES.*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Apr 17, 2000OH

ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE DASH PANEL, WHEN IT ILLUMINATES ABS SYSTEM WILL GO INTO EFFECT WHEN DRIVING. DELAER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. DEALER SAID THAT THE ABS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THE OWNER DIDN'T COMPLY BECAUSE OF THE COST. VEHICLE LATER TAKEN TO A SPECIALIST, SAID THAT THE WHEEL SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, NOT THE ABS SYSTEM. OWNER WANTS MANUFACTURER TO PAY FOR REPAIR EXPENSES. *AK *ML

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash
Filed Apr 3, 2000TX

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 5MPH IN SLOW TRAFFIC, PRESSED ON BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER REAREDNDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER INDICATED THIS HAPPENED FREQUENTLY. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Feb 9, 2000MA

WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT WAS HARD WITH EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHR INFORMATON. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Nov 16, 1999WA

THIS IS TOTAL BREAK FAILURE.PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. THREE PUMPS & BRAKES WORKED FINE. HAD SYS.PURGED & MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED BY OLDS DEALER. THIS SAME INCINDENCE OF TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES NOW. FIRST TIME WAS IN 1994, LAST TIME HAPPENED TODAY.11/16/1999 ALSO HAD REPLACED 2ND MASTER CYINDER. ONE & ONE HALF YRS. AGO. *AK

Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift
Filed Jun 7, 1999OK

WHILE USING THE JACK (PART # 14063553) IT DROPPED DUE TO THE METAL OF WHICH JACK IS MADE OFF NEEDS TO BE "HEAT TREATED" IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE JACK. THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Mar 8, 1999PA

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAGS DEPLOYED-NO INJURIES INCURRED. *AK

20 of 47 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1991
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
19991000Routine
199827000Routine
199730000Routine
199610200Routine
199530210Routine
199416110Routine
199313110Routine
199238100Routine
1991 — this page47220Routine
199017210Routine

Compare every 98 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Nov 14, 1991. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.