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1991 Oldsmobile 88

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
16Owner complaints

Model-year median: 8

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1991 Oldsmobile 88

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 16 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 6 reports
  • Parking Brake: 3 reports
  • Electrical System: 2 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 1 reports
  • Fuel System, Gasoline: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
37
198827
198924
199016
199173
199274
199363
1994
Compare all 88 years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
6Parking Brake
3Electrical System
2Engine And Engine Cooling
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1
All reported categories
Power Train
1Seat Belts
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

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 16 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Parking Brake. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
50,000 miles · Apr 22, 2014
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88 ROYALE (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE EXHIBITED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO DRIVE INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DEFECT WAS CAUSED BY CARBON BUILD-UP IN THE THROTTLE BODY. THE THROTTLE BODY W…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88 ROYALE (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE EXHIBITED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO DRIVE INTO A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DEFECT WAS CAUSED BY CARBON BUILD-UP IN THE THROTTLE BODY. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS CLEANED AND THE AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED. THE DEFECT WAS REMEDIED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI #10584216

Recall campaigns

1

91V167000 · Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical

Sep 23, 1991

WHEN APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY MAY RELEASE ONE OR MORE TEETH, REDUCING THE CABLE LOAD TO THE REAR BRAKES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE LEVER RELEASE AND ROADLEVEL. THE PARKING BRAKE MAY NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING IT TO ROLL, WHICHCOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 105.

Remedy: REPLACE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

1

EA93011 · Fuel Line Failure

Opened May 3, 1993 · Closed May 31, 1994

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

There is no summary currently available

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.