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1992 Oldsmobile 88

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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: 1 of 73 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 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports7 fire reports10 injury reports

What owners actually said

73 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ANTILOCK BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CONDITIONS WHERE ANTILOCK BRAKES HAVE COME ON. BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC 2 TIMES, HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS BOTH TIMES. ANTILOCK BRAKES CONTINUE TO FAIL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #732573

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2000
Tires

TIRE DISCINEGRATED DUE TO BELT SEPERATION, TORE FENDER OFF RIGHT SIDE DAMAGED PASSENGER DOOR AND BENT RIM

NHTSA ODI #9001634

Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2000
Power Train

THE CONSUMER SPEEDOMETER IA ACTING ERRATICALLY BY JUMPING FROM ONE SPEED TO THE NEXT (E.G 45-50, 55-60). ALSO UPON STARTUP THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT MOVE FROM "5" AND THE SES LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. NLM

NHTSA ODI #551476

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2000
Power Train

TRANSMISSION COOLINGLINES COULD SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES. RECALL REMEDY DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #855796

Mileage unknown · Nov 26, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN AND CAUSE WHEELS TO DRAG. ABS SENSOR LIGHNT WOULD COME ON. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM IS STILL UNRESOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #852049

Mileage unknown · Nov 23, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE 20 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. YH

NHTSA ODI #549653

Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 1999
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH WHEN A DEER APPEARED SUDDENLY. APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT DEER WAS HIT BY LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE ON FRONT GRILL. VEHICLE STOPPED, BUT DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER HIT UPPER PART OF CHEST & THROAT ON STEERING WHEEL DUE TO NO AIR BAG. WAS AT EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT. WEARING NECK BRACE. *…

Read full complaint

WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH WHEN A DEER APPEARED SUDDENLY. APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT DEER WAS HIT BY LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE ON FRONT GRILL. VEHICLE STOPPED, BUT DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER HIT UPPER PART OF CHEST & THROAT ON STEERING WHEEL DUE TO NO AIR BAG. WAS AT EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT. WEARING NECK BRACE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #853170

Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 1999
Seat Belts

WHENEVER SEAT BELTS ARE USED THEY RISE UP TO ACROSS THE NECK. NLM

NHTSA ODI #549185

Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 1999
Service Brakes, Air

ON EACH OCCASION WHEN I HAVE APPLIED THE BRAKES VIGOROUSLY ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE ABS BRAKING ASSISTANCE FUNTION TO BE ACTIVATED. THE BRAKES REMAIN FULLY ENGAGED AFTER BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE HAS BEEN REMOVED. THE VEHICLE CAN THEN BE MOVED ONLY BY TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTING THE CAR, WHICH RESETS THE ABS CONTROLLER. COMPL…

Read full complaint

ON EACH OCCASION WHEN I HAVE APPLIED THE BRAKES VIGOROUSLY ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE ABS BRAKING ASSISTANCE FUNTION TO BE ACTIVATED. THE BRAKES REMAIN FULLY ENGAGED AFTER BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE HAS BEEN REMOVED. THE VEHICLE CAN THEN BE MOVED ONLY BY TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTARTING THE CAR, WHICH RESETS THE ABS CONTROLLER. COMPLETE LOSS OF MANEUVARABILITY ACCOMPANIES ABS ENGAGEMENT.

NHTSA ODI #712463

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 1999
Air BagsSteering

STEERING WHEEL HAS A GAP/SPLIT, CAUSING POWDER AND CHEMICAL VAPORS TO ESCAPE WITHIN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. ALSO, AIR BAG IS VISIBLE. CONSUMR HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED THE AIR BAG NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #845498

Official recalls

1

96V015000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines

Jan 23, 1996

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.

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

5

EA94024 · Inadvertent Shift Of Trans

Opened Jun 30, 1994 · Closed Jun 30, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train

There is no summary currently available

PE94009 · Turbocharger Malfunction

Opened Jan 31, 1994 · Closed May 24, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System

There is no summary currently available

PE94006 · Inadvertent Shift Of Transmission

Opened Jan 28, 1994 · Closed Jun 30, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train

There is no summary currently available

PE93007 · Fuel Line Failure

Opened Feb 10, 1993 · Closed May 3, 1993

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

There is no summary currently available

PE92010 · Fuel Line Connector Fails

Opened Jan 27, 1992 · Closed May 22, 1992

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

There is no summary currently available