IllustrationCONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-53 MPH. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *NLM
1993 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
Compare all 88 years →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
What owners actually said
74 reportsWHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CUTS OFF AND ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED, NOW THE STEERING COLUMN IS SMOKING HOT AND THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE SHORTED OUT AND ARE NOT WORKING, THE CONSUMER CONTACTED GM BUT WITH NO RESULTS, THE CONSUMER HAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS A WARNING ISSUED T…
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THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED, NOW THE STEERING COLUMN IS SMOKING HOT AND THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE SHORTED OUT AND ARE NOT WORKING, THE CONSUMER CONTACTED GM BUT WITH NO RESULTS, THE CONSUMER HAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS A WARNING ISSUED TO OWNERS WARNING THEM OF POSSIBLE CURRENT SURGE IN THE STARTER. NLM
WHILE DRIVING, THE BODY OF VEHICLE CAME OFF THE FRAME, AND WHEEL FELL IN TOWARDS VEHICLE. VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK
AFTER COMING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE CONSUMER CRASHED INTO A CEMENT LIGHT POLE, CONSUMER HAD HER SEAT BELT ON, HOWEVER WAS STILL THROWN INTO THE STEERING WHEEL, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT IN THIS ACCIDENT. *SLC
THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG FAILED. NLM
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
FUEL PUMP MODULAR WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING FUEL; DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK *JB
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.
AFTER DEALER TURNED BRAKES NOTICED ABS INDICATOR LIGHT ON . DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Official recalls
196V015000 · 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
1PE93013 · 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