no report yet
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery
Risk. THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.
1998 Oldsmobile 88Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 164 owner complaints about the 1998 Oldsmobile 88, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 1, 2018. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1998 Oldsmobile 88 has problems
164 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
76Engine and engine cooling9 crash/fire/injury
18Service brakes, hydraulic4 crash/fire/injury
16Fuel system, gasoline
15Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
10Power train
7Vehicle speed control
6Engine
6Air bags
5Structure
2513 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 76 | 9 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 18 | 4 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 16 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 3 |
| Power train | 10 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 2 |
| Air bags | 6 | 6 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 |
| 13 other systems | 25 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
1998 Oldsmobile 88 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Oldsmobile.
Mileage at failure
When do engine and engine cooling problems start?
73kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 32 engine and engine cooling complaints. 88% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 38% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
0under 30k miles28under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Engine and engine cooling
8 owners mentioned a cost$1,519median
Middle half: $1,075 – $2,195
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
1998 vs. every other 88 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 88 median. How we score
'67'68'71'72'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1998 Oldsmobile 88, and the recalls they led to.
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESLed to recall 04V-090
In owners' words
What 88 owners report
Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
ENGINE HYDRO LOCKED WHEN A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWED COOLANT TO BE SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE CYLINDERS, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT. FORTUNATELY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW BY…
MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE LATEST GM RECALL IN CARS WITH THE 3.8 L MOTOR IN WHICH OIL LEAKS OUT ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE NUMBER GIVEN BUT IT SHOWED MY 1998 OLDS 88 IS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE SAME MOTOR AND PROBLEM IN THE…
GRADUALLY YOU WILL SEE A DEPLETION OF THE ANTI-FREEZE FROM THE HOLDING RESERVOIR. THIS IS COULD BE A SIGN THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS BEGINNING TO LEAK ANTI-FREEZE (JUST A LITTLE) INTO THE ENGINE. SOONER OR LATER WHEN THE EROSION IS LARGE ENOUGH THEN A PLUME OF WHITE SMOKE WILL COME OUT OF THE…
Own a 1998 88?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.