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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

Power Train complaints

18 reports
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164,000 miles · Jun 22, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER (96V015000) POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: COOLING UNIT AND LINES WAS RELATED TO THE SAFETY ISSU…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER (96V015000) POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: COOLING UNIT AND LINES WAS RELATED TO THE SAFETY ISSUE, BUT THE MANUFACTURED STATED THE RECALL WAS CLOSED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164,000.

NHTSA ODI #10408456

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

47,000 miles · Apr 30, 2007
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING. THE VEHICLE HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN CMP95C1101. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OVER 1000 MILES THE VEHICLE FAILED 75 TIMES AND BECAM…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKING. THE VEHICLE HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN CMP95C1101. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OVER 1000 MILES THE VEHICLE FAILED 75 TIMES AND BECAME WORSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10189264

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2001
Power Train

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THE FIRST TIME WAS DUE TO ROCK DAMAGE OF THE SUB FRAME AND TRANSMISSON PAN, CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSON WOULD BE INSTALLED, HOWEVER ON JUNE 17,2001 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS REVEALED THAT THERE WERE METAL PI…

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TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THE FIRST TIME WAS DUE TO ROCK DAMAGE OF THE SUB FRAME AND TRANSMISSON PAN, CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSON WOULD BE INSTALLED, HOWEVER ON JUNE 17,2001 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS REVEALED THAT THERE WERE METAL PIECES IN THE PAN, AND A BROKEN REVERSE DRUM, APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF THE TEETH HAD SEPARATED AND A DEEP GROOVE HAD WORN ALONG THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE ON ONE END OF THE REVERSE DRUM, CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE FAILED TRANSMISSION WAS A REBUILT UNIT, CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION.*JB

NHTSA ODI #562210

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 1999
Power TrainFire

WHEN TRAVELING CONSUMER NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND FUMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEITH THE VEIHCLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE A TRANSMSSION COOLING LINE WHICH SEPARATED, CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE, AND RESULTING IN FIRE. ALSO, NHTSA RECALL…

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WHEN TRAVELING CONSUMER NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND FUMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEITH THE VEIHCLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE A TRANSMSSION COOLING LINE WHICH SEPARATED, CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE, AND RESULTING IN FIRE. ALSO, NHTSA RECALL 96V015002/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 95C68 WAS ISSUED DEALING WITH FIRES CAUSED BY TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #854520

Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 1999
Power TrainCrash

WHILE IN PARK VEHICLE JUMPED INTO REVERSE, RESULTING IN A MINOR COLLISION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #845757

Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 1999
Power Train

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #705860

Mileage unknown · Nov 18, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainFire

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE,BLEW UP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. APPRAISER CLAIMS THE FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF RADIATOR OR TRANSMIISION WHICH BLEW UP IN THE FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #829062

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 1997
Power TrainFire

TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE SEPARATED, CAUSING VEHICLE FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #519424

Mileage unknown · May 28, 1997
Power Train

LOWER TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER HOSE SEPARATED FROM COUPLING.

NHTSA ODI #517491

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