Owners filed 30 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the unknown or other. It has been recalled 2 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air Bags
4
1
0
2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
2
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
2
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
2
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Visibility › Windshield
1
0
0
0
Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls
1
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Unknown or Other
1
0
0
0
Structure › Body › Door
1
0
0
0
2 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Headlights94V190000
Filed Oct 4, 19941,997 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.
Defect. THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH LIGHTING CONTROL MODULES WHICH CAN EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CURRENT LEAKAGE DUE TO DAMAGED SURFACE MOUNTING CAPACITORS. THIS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF HEAD LAMPS AND PARKING LAMPS.
Risk. SUDDEN LOSS OF HEADLAMPS CAN CAUSE REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. ALSO, THE HEAD LAMPS CANNOT BE TURNED OFF, OR THEY MAY TURN ON WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BATTERY CHARGE AND INABILITY TO RESTART THE CAR.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP MODULE.
Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch94V138000
Filed Aug 2, 19941,487 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.
Defect. A SPRING IN THE HEAD LAMP PORTION OF THE HEAD PARK LAMP SWITCH CAN FAIL PREVENTING LATCHING OF THE HEAD LAMP PORTION OF THE SWITCH IN THE "ON" POSITION.
Risk. THE HEAD LAMPS WOULD NOT STAY ILLUMINATED RESULTING IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT HEAD/PARK LAMP SWITCH BUILD DATE CODES AND REPLACE SWITCHES WITH SUSPECT DATE CODES.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Fuel System, GasolineFire
Filed Jan 22, 2008105,000 milesKY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 OLDSMOBILE 98. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, SPARKS APPEARED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY STATED THAT THE CAUSE WAS DUE TO A GAS LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.
Air Bags › Frontal1 injured
Filed Jul 24, 2007184,716 milesNH
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 OLDSMOBILE 98 ROYAL. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO HOLD THE AIR BAG DOWN AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO PREVENT A CRASH. THE CONTACT SUFFERED SORENESS IN HIS NECK AND RIBS. HE ALSO HAS AN ABRASION ON HIS ARM FROM THE FAILURE. HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WAS CAUSED BY THE MOISTURE IN THE COMPONENT. THEY OFFERED HIM A SETTLEMENT TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE AIR BAGS OR GIVE HIM A NEW VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 184,716.
Air Bags
Filed Jul 11, 2006121,000 milesIN
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON 06/20/06 WHILE THE IGNITION WAS ON BUT IN PARK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ALSO DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON 06/21/06. THE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE DURING BOTH INCIDENTS. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FIRST INCIDENT HOWEVER THE CONTACT OBSERVED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE 2ND INCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED NOR LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ON 06/22/06 WHO DETERMINED THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 06/23/06 FOR A REPAIR ESTIMATE HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DUE TO THE COST. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.
Air Bags1 injured
Filed May 3, 200465 milesNY
AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS CAUSING WINDSHIELD TO BREAK AND DUE TO COST TO REPAIR DASH AND AIRBAGS CAUSED CAR TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Jul 17, 2002NE
CONSUMER STATES COOLANT WARNING LIGHT FLASHES, THERE IS PUDDLES OF ANTIFREEZE CAUSED BY THE COOLANT LEVEL SENSOR RETAINER CLIPS BREAKING OFF AND LEAVING THE SENSOR RETAINED ONLY BY THE FRICTION OF THE O-RING SEALS. *TT
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Jul 11, 2002NE
COOLANT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON---A LARGE POOL OF COOLANT UNDER CAR AFTER STOPPING---INSPECTION OF CAR SHOWED RETAINING CLIPS WERE BROKEN, BUT SENSOR STILL IN PLACE
Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Sep 11, 2001MA
THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG IS MUCH BIGGER THAN THE STEERING WHEEL, DURING AN ACCIDENT IT VIOLENTLY DEPLOYED AND BLEW THE CONSUMERS HAND OFF THE WHEEL WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT BROKE HER WRIST (RIGHT) AND RESULTED IN 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO THE LEFT ARM, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY TOWARDS THE PASSENGER BUT WENT UP THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THESE AIR BAGS ARE OLD AND OUTDATED AND BELIEVES THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED. NLM
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Aug 14, 2001OH
RETURNED FUEL LINE FOR THE 3.8L ENGINE WAS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE FUEL LINE IS ON BACK ORDER FOR 2-3 MONTHS. *AK
Steering › Rack and Pinion
Filed Jul 17, 2001MI
WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO STEER TO LEFT. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED REPLACING. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES FRONT STRUTS WERE FAILING AND WAS REPLACED.*JB
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control
Filed Feb 17, 2001FL
THE OXYGEN SENSOR CAME OUT OF THE EXHAUST TRAIN RESULTING IN LOUD MUFFLER NOISE. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, THE ENGINE TROUBLE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE NOISE WAS FROM THE OXYGENSENSOR WHICH HAD COME OUT, THE MECHANIC SHECKED IT AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG SO HE REINSERTED IT . I WAS THEN ADVISED THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY EHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. THE ABS MODULE AND AFFECTED PARTS WERE REPLACED AND THE TOTAL BILL CAME TO $1013.61 WHICH I PAID. I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A PART THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE BAD AT THAT MILEAGE AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION THAT THE FACTORY MAY HAVE PUT OUT ABOUT A CLAIM FOR THAT OBVIOUS DEFECT.*AK
Service Brakes, Air › Antilock
Filed Aug 22, 2000FL
AIR CONDITIONER COOLING TEMP WAS LOWER THAN NORMAL STOPPED COOLING INSIDE OF CAR DEALER SAID HE FOUND LEAK AND REPLACED UNDER DASH CONDENSER UNIT AT $800 COST NEXT DAY NO DIFFERENCE IN AIR CONDITIONER RETURNED TO DEALER PROBLEM STILL UNRESOLVED. VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL POWER DOOR LOCK AND POWER WINDOW PROBLEMS STILL UNRESOLVED BY DEALER WHO SAID WINDOW MORTERS ARE BAD. IN ADDITION AFTER DALER REPALCED BRAKE SYSTEM MASTER CYILINDER THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON DEALER SAID NOTHING THEY DID CAUSED PROBLEM- THIS WAS THE THIRD VEHICLE FLUID LEAK REPARED BY DEALER
Electrical System
Filed Feb 28, 2000NC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL,OIL GAUGE ERRATIC, AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON AND CHIMMER MODULE TO FAIL. YH (INCIDNT DT.FROM 5-OCT-1995-23-FEB-1996)
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 3, 1999OH
THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE ENGINE MOUNTS TO THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING AT 60MPH, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Unknown or Other
Filed May 26, 1999WA
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Mar 9, 1999OH
CARBON ON THE THROTTLE BODY PLATE DUE TO BLOW BY OR OIL USAGE RESULTED IN THROTTLE STICKING AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATING.
Wheels
Filed Oct 1, 1998MI
WHEELS FAILED CAUSING TIRES TO LEAK AIR.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jul 16, 1998AZ
ENGINE CONTINUALLY OVERHEATING AND SHUTTING DOWN.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed May 4, 1998NY
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND ROTORS MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 10,000 MILES. OWNER VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. *AK
Air Bags
Filed Apr 9, 1998MA
AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. TOOK TO DEALER & SERVICE MECHANIC TOOK DASH APART TO LOCATE PROBLEM. COULD NOT LOCATE IT. AIR BAG LIGHT OFF WHILE VEHICLE WAS OFF. CAME BACK ON WHEN VEHICLE TURNED ON. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Feb 6, 1998MO
QWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOSES TOTAL POWER. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO LOSE POWER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
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: Oct 4, 1994. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.