1998 Oldsmobile Bravada

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE OR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE. ONE OR BOTH OF THE ATTACHING NUTS FOR THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM ARE UNDER TORQUED. THIS CAN ALLOW THE ATTACHMENT BOLT TO LOOSEN AND SUBSEQUENT BREAK RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM THE FRAME.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RETIGHTEN THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM NUTS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE REAR AXLE RIGHT-HAND BRAKE PIPE CAN OCCUR CAUSING A SLOW BRAKE FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. IF THE BRAKE PIPE BREAKS, THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN DROP IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.

Risk. PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE PASSENGERS SIDE REAR AXLE BROKE AND THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL FELL OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FLIPPED, CAUSING THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL CONDITION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURES AS LISTED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V053000 (SUSPENSION). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

VEHICLE HAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK 3RD SHIFT 55-60 MPH ON A COUNTRY ROAD... VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. WITH NO LIGHTS, POWER STEERING, ECT... I WOULD HAVE TO TRY AND PULL OVER IN THE PITCH BLACK OF NIGHT. AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES IT WOULD START BACK UP AND ON I WOULD GO, PRAYING IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AT THE CURVES. AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF THIS AND NOBODY HAVING ANY ANSWERS, MY HUSBAND DISCOVERED IT IS A CONNECTOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT GETS CORRODED AND HE HAS TO CLEAN IT. AS LONG AS WE CLEAN THE CORROSION OFF OF THE CONNECTOR ABOUT TWICE A YEAR, THE VEHICLE DOES FINE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45-55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOA DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. THE REPAIR FAILED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 42,000.

MY VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE PRIOR TO TAKING IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. NO DASH BOARD LIGHTING, NO POWER STEERING, NO ACCELERATION AND BRAKING WAS VERY DIFFICULT. IF I TAPPED ON THE STEERING COLUMN THE POWER WOULD SOMETIMES COME BACK ON. I DO HAVE THE PAPERWORK FROM 2001 WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THE IGNITION PROBLEM GOES BACK FURTHER THAT GM KNOWS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

COMPLAINT NUMBER DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPLAINT: I OWN A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY 20008, A YEAR AND 3 MONTHS LATER MY HUSBAND REPORTED A WHISTLING IN THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL. NOW WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT I HEARD A WHISTLING IN THE LEFT BACK WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE MECHANIC AND STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY WAS COMING LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS ALSO A GENERAL RECALL ON THIS CAR FOR SUSPENSION AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE CONTROL ARM. BETWEEN THIS MECHANICAL PROBLEM AND THIS SAFETY RECALL (ALTHOUGH MY VIN# WAS NOT IN IT. I WAS TOLD BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC THAT THIS CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE WHEEL COULD COME LOOSE AND CAUSE A CRASH. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I JUST TOOK THE CAR TODAY TO GMC DEALER IN HAZLET. THEY ARE GOING TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST COSTING ME 48 - 90 DOLLARS WHICH I DO NOT BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY BECAUSE THIS IS A COMPLETE SAFETY ISSUE COMPLAINT AND ALL 1998 OLDMOBILE BRAVADA'S SHOULD BE RECALLED TO CHECK BUT OF THESE ITEMS OUT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2007, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, SHE HEARD A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT AXLES WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN JULY OF 2008, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND THE WHEELS WERE UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THE CONTROL ARM WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED SINCE THE LAST FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 147,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

I PURCHASED A USED 1998 OLDS BRAVADA. IT HAS BEEN AN OK CAR EXCEPT. THE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. MY DEALER SAYS YOU HAVE TO SWITCH IT BACK AND FORTH FROM HEAT TO COOL IN THE DASH SOMEWHERE (MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS THE THERMOSTAT BUTTON FOR THEN???). ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION OR MOTOR AT 3000 RPMS CUTS OUT BAD AND JUMPS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF YOU ARE IN THE PASSING ZONE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, THE DIMMER SWITCH DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO AND THE SIGNALS DO BUT NOT THE DIMMER?? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND AFTER LETTING THE VEHICLE COOL OFF, HE RESTARTED IT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS LEAKING. FUEL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE WIRES FOR THE MAIN COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE REPAIR SHOP SUGGESTED THE FUEL INJECTOR AND ALL THE WIRES BE REPLACED. UPDATED 05/23/06. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING CAUSING A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING ALSO NO REVERSE. *JB

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING, HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING, AWD PROBLEMS, COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS, FUEL PUMP, CONTROL ARM & BALL JOINT PROBLEMS ARE JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES ON 96-99 GM BLAZERS, BRAVADA'S, & JIMMYS. THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKED INTO AND RECALLED. MOST PROBLEMS STARTING RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. CAN'T BELIEVE GM IS GETTING AWAY WITH THIS. TRANSMISSION WENT BAD AT 71000 MILES AND DEALER SAYS THAT THEY KNOW THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS ALSO PROBLEM (CODE 1870) BUT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. THIS STARTED LAST WINTER. OLDSMOBILE TOLD THE CONTACT THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED. HE CITED A RECALL. *AK *NM

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 OLDS BRAVADA. FIRST THE BLINKER SOUND WON'T SHUT OFF. WHEN THE AC IS ON FOR MORE THAN 25 MINUTES THE MOTOR GETS REALLY LOUD AND THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STARTS JUMPING. FINALLY MY BRAKES GET STICKY WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE THEN THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND IT FEELS AS IF THE BRAKES AREN'T GOING TO ENGAGE AND THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STARTS GOING CRAZY AGAIN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHUTS OFF AND STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN EVERY TIME I START THE VEHICLE. *JB

DT: 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADO, WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED. TOOK TVEHICLE TO THE DEALER ,WHERE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE CAR, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS, BUT IT COULD BE THE MODULE AND THEY COULD REPLACE THE MODULE AT THE COST, OF $200.00. DID NOT HAVE THE WORK DONE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE LAST 13 MONTHS AND NOW IT IS STARTING UP AGAIN. TALKED TO THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY COULD NOT HELP CONSUMER. THEY CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS, AND THERE WERE NONE.*AK

UNIROYAL LAREDO AWR P235/70R15 TIRE SIDEWALL BLOWOUT ON SUV TRAVELING AT 40MPH. THIRD TIME WITH THIS BRAND OF TIRES ON SAME VEHICLE IN WHICH A SIDEWALL BLOWOUT HAS OCCURED.

CONSUMER HAD FRONT STEERING COMPONENTS ON OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA REPLACED. *MR THREE BALL JOINTS, IDLER ARM, AND PITMAN ARM WERE ALL REPLACED. THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB

I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE USED (ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON IT). ROUGHLY 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. I WOULD TURN THEM OFF AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO GO, SOMETIMES I WOULD USE MY SPRAYERS TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WIPES WOULD WIPE 14 TIMES (I COUNTED). SOMETIMES I WOULD TURN THEM ON AND THEY WOULDN'T COME ON AND OTHER TIMES I WOULD TURN THEM OFF AND THEY WOULD STOP RIGHT IN MY VIEWING AREA OF THE WINDSHIELD. HAPPENED QUITE FREQUENTLY.*AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE, WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. *JB WIPER MOTOR FAILED DUE TO A CRACKED WELD ON THE MOTOR. *TC

SOMETIMES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. WHEN THEY DO WORK THEY USUALLY STOP WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF RAINING. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I KNOW ANOTHER PERSON THAT OWNS A BRAVADA THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAS STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS RIDING ON THE FREEWAY BEFORE IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM, I COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I AM ALMOST SCARED TO DRIVE WHEN THE FORECAST SAYS RAIN BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE GOING TO WORK.*AK