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1993 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: 7 of 74 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 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.

9 crash reports10 fire reports6 injury reports

Equipment complaints

2 reports
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120,000 miles · Aug 29, 2008
EquipmentFuel System, GasolinePower Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS IS FROM AN INDEPENDENT DEALER. ONE WEEK LATER, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH IN THE RAIN, WATER FLOODED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE REAR FLOORBOARD WAS SOAKED WITH WATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ONE WEEK AFTER THE WA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS IS FROM AN INDEPENDENT DEALER. ONE WEEK LATER, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH IN THE RAIN, WATER FLOODED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE REAR FLOORBOARD WAS SOAKED WITH WATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ONE WEEK AFTER THE WATER DAMAGE AND WAS REPLACED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONTINUE TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LINES WERE SALT RUSTED AS WELL AS THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPONENTS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE BELTS WERE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE COMPONENTS THAT CONTROL THE AIR CONDITIONING. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10-07-08 *BF UPDATED 10/15/08. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10240200

Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2000
Equipment

THE PROBLEM IS WITH A SEARS X-CARGO TOP CARRIER. USING THE SEARS-MANUFACTURED AND SEARS-RECOMMENDED CLASPS TO ATTACH IT TO MY CAR (MAKE & MODEL ABOVE), THE TOP CARRIER CRACKED, BROKE AND PULLED OFF THE PLASTIC DOOR MOLDING WHICH SECURED IT TO THE CAR. THE TOP CARRIER WAS IN DANGER OF FALLING OFF WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. T…

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THE PROBLEM IS WITH A SEARS X-CARGO TOP CARRIER. USING THE SEARS-MANUFACTURED AND SEARS-RECOMMENDED CLASPS TO ATTACH IT TO MY CAR (MAKE & MODEL ABOVE), THE TOP CARRIER CRACKED, BROKE AND PULLED OFF THE PLASTIC DOOR MOLDING WHICH SECURED IT TO THE CAR. THE TOP CARRIER WAS IN DANGER OF FALLING OFF WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY $260, BUT THE REAL DANGER IS THAT THE TOP CARRIER COULD BREAK OFF WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI #735963

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

1

PE93013 · Fuel Leaks

Opened Mar 5, 1993 · Closed Jul 13, 1993

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

There is no summary currently available