1992 Oldsmobile 98

Routine

Owners filed 38 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip10
201
Power Train › Automatic Transmission3
000
Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior2
000
Vehicle Speed Control2
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components2
101
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines2
000
Electrical System › Ignition2
000
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator2
000
Electrical System2
000
Unknown or Other1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines96V015000
Filed Jan 23, 1996585,182 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.

Risk. VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Nov 13, 2007166,000 milesIA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98. THE ALTERNATOR FAILED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS IS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000. UPDATED 10-29-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE WATER PUMP FAILED. UPDATED 10/30/08. *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (tcm/Pcm/Tecm)
Filed Jun 29, 2007127,000 milesOH

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 OLDSMOBILE 98. WHILE DRIVING 45-60 MPH OR ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM SLOW SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION FLIPS. THE FAILURE BEGAN IN 2006 AND HAS BEEN OCCURRING FREQUENTLY EVER SINCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT A SAFETY RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 21, 2004WI

92 OLDSMOBILE 98 ELECTRICAL FIRE WIRING HARNESS NO ACTUAL FLAMES POLICE OFFICER DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. *JB

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Oct 21, 2003IL

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THE VEHICLES FUEL TANK WAS HALF FULL WHEN THIS OCCURED. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP. *NLM *TS *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 25, 2003105,970 milesFL

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE TO WORK ON A COLD DAY MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN, EVENTUALLY IT GO TO WERE I HAD TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE MY CAR DID NOT HAVE ANY DRIVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD ANY LONGER. I KEEP MY CAR IN PERFECT CONDITION IT ONLY 105,970 MILES. ONCE I REALIZED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT GOING TO MOVE I HAD IT TOWED WHICH COST ME OVER$100.00 TO AN OLDSMOBILE DEALER IN CHIEFLAND, IT WAS THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT INFORMED ME THE NEXT WEEK THAT MY TRANSMISSION FLEW APART I THEN HAD TO FORK OUT $2417.39 TO HAVE IT REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACTURED ONE FROM GM. I FEEL THAT SINCE I HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED MANY TIMES BY AN OLDSMOBILE DEALER, THAT SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG SINCE IT WAS JUST SERVICED AND ADJUSTED ONE WEEK PRIOR. AFTER I HAD BROUGHT IT IN FOR NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. I FEEL THAT OLDSMOBILE SHOULD AT LEAST COVER 1/2 THE COST SINCE IT ONLY HAS 105,970 MILES. TRANSMISSIONS JUST DON'T FLY APART WITH THAT LITTLE MILES. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHEN IT WAS CHECKED OUT THE LAST TIME WHEN IT FLEW APART I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH FLUID LEFT IN THE TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO LEAK, NOR WERE THERE STAINS IN MY GARAGE, THE PARKING LOT AT WORK OR ANYWHERE ELSE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION ANY FURTHER DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY NEEDED TO RETURN THE CORE UNTOUCHED.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 13, 2003TX

THE INSIDE LIGHT OVERHEATED THE VEHICLE. *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines
Filed May 10, 2001MI

THERE IS RECALL 96V015002 FOR THIS CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM CONCERNING TRANSMISSION COOLING LEAK. THE CAMPAIGN I CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE AND THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO ACTIVE RECALL FOR MY CAR. SAFETY DEFECT NOT LISTED. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines
Filed Apr 5, 2001KS

BEFORE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE I WAS AWARE THAT CERTAIN VEHICLES HAD DEVELOPED A LEAK IN THE UPPER TRANSAXLE COOLER HOSE/LINE. I CAREFULLY CHECKED THAT PARTICULAR COMPONENT BEFORE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND IT APPEARED TO BE INTACT. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1,500 MILES A SLOW LEAK APPEARED WHICH PROGRESSED TO A MAJOR LEAK VERY QUICKLY. I CONTACTED THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE CAR AND TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR, WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISED IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER. I MENTIONED THE POSSIBLE RECALL (RE: CAMPAIGN 96V015000 AND GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BUILLETIN 95C68). THE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED GM AND REPORTED BACK TO ME THAT MY VEHICLE WASN'T COVERED IN THE VIN SPECIFIC LISTING AND THAT THE EXPENSE OF THIS REPAIR WAS MY OBLIGATION. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE AND WAS TOLD ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING. MY CAR FALLS IN THE PARAMETERS OF THE VINS ON THE SERVICE BULLETIN AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY DELIVERED IN COLORADO. OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEM WAS THE SAME BECAUSE THE PARTS USED WERE THOSE CALLED FOR IN THE TECH BULLETIN. IT IS MY FEELING THAT GM (OLDSMOBILE) IS AVOIDING THIS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED. I WISH TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF PARTS AND LABOR RELATED TO THE RECALL.*AK

Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch
Filed Aug 11, 2000MD

AREA IMMEDIATELY AROUND HEADLIGHT SWITCH BECOMES TOO HOT TO TOUCH WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed May 21, 2000NY

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Apr 10, 2000MO

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, BUT THE FUMES CAME OUT OF IT. CONSUMER WAS ON THE HIGHWAY & HAD TO LEAVE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND MOVED THE VEHICLE, AND THE AIRBAG POPPED OUT, ALMOST CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO BUILDING. DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 13, 2000MI

ONGOING/INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION MOVING WHENEVER VEHICLE PULLED FROM A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE REPAIRED, CONSUMER WANTS GM TO REIMBURSE THE COST. *AK *ML

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Aug 24, 1998NY

THE ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A NO START CONDITION/STALLING. MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED 4 TIMES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed May 13, 1998MO

HEADLIGHTS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Mar 13, 1998CA

ABS VALVE REGULATOR FAILED.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Feb 24, 1998MI

ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT IS ON. CONSUMER HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO DETECT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE SYSTEM. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed Nov 26, 1997ME

BRAKE ROTORS AND WHEEL CYLINDERS FAILED.

Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior
Filed Sep 4, 1997MD

CONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR. CLOUDING AND A BROWN LIQUID SITS IN BOTTOM OF MIRROR TRAY, MIRROR IS COMPLETELY DISTORTED AT THIS TIME. THERE IS NO VISION AT ALL. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Abs Warning Light
Filed Jun 20, 1997TN

THE ANTILOCK BRAKES LIGHT COMES ON.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Mar 26, 1997OH

ANTILOCK BRAKE NOISE.

20 of 38 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1991
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
19991000Routine
199827000Routine
199730000Routine
199610200Routine
199530210Routine
199416110Routine
199313110Routine
1992 — this page38100Routine
199147220Routine
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: Jan 23, 1996. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.