← New search

1985 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

Other model years Selected 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: 2 of 7 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.

  • Tires. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Wheels. 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.

2 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 1995
Seat Belts

DRIVER SEAT BELT FAILURE, BELT WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE. TT

NHTSA ODI #966616

Official recalls

2

89V102000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Jun 16, 1989

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY COULD CATCH ON ENGINE COMPONENTS ANDRESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE WITH POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.

85V028000 · Equipment:other:labels

Mar 19, 1985

THE TIRE PLACARD LABEL ON THE LEFT FRONT DOOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRINTED WITH AN ERROR WHICH SPECIFIES A HIGHER MAXIMUM LOADING THAN IS ALLOWED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: EXCESSIVE VEHICLE LOADING COULD CAUSE A TIRE BLOWOUT AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: NEW TIRE PLACARD LABELS WITH CORRECT INFORMATION WILL BE INSTALLED.

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

2

C89001 · Throttle NON-RETURN

Opened Mar 6, 1989 · Closed Jan 16, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE88027 · Headlamp Switch Failure

Opened Feb 9, 1988 · Closed May 11, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

===