IllustrationTHE SEAT BELT BECOMES UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. NLM
1972 Oldsmobile 88
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 88 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 1 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
1 reportsOfficial recalls
373V013000 · Structure:frame And Members:underbody Shields
Jan 24, 1973
THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT DRIVING ON UNPAVED ROAD SURFACES, PARTICULARLY ROADS WHICH ARE HEAVILY GRAVELED AND WHICH ARE EXTREMELY WAVY OR FILLED WITH CHUCKHOLES, AT SPEEDS WHICH CAUSE THE CAR TO PITCH EXCESSIVELY, THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER MAY SCOOP UP LOOSE STONES OR GRAVEL AND COULD BE THROWN INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE OF THESE STONES TO LODGE BETWEEN THE STEERING COUPLING AND THE FRAME AND CAUSE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT OR INTERFERENCE WITH STEERING CONTROL OF THE CAR WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE LEFT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCREASED STEERING EFFORT OR INTERFERENCE WITH STEERINGCONTROL MAY LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSPECT AND INSTALL SHIELD ON AFFECTED VEHICLES.
72V185000 · Seats
Jul 19, 1972
No summary supplied.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: Not supplied
72V135000 · Steering:linkages
May 25, 1972
No summary supplied.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: Not supplied
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.