IllustrationWHILE 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
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 reportsSEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER DURING VEHICLE COLLISON CAUSING INJURY TO THE DRIVER.
DURING RAINY WEATHER & USING THE WINDSHIED WIPERS, THE MOTOR WOULD BE SLUGGISH. WIPERS WOULD NOT CLEAR RAIN FROM WINDSHIELD. WOULD BE MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS WINDSHIELD. MADE VISIBILITY VERY POOR. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK
POWER STEERING COOLING LINE RUSTED DUE TO CORROSION FROM SALT USED IN THE STREETS & THE SLUSH FROM THE ROAD, CAUSING STEERING TO BE HARD TO NEGOTIATE. *AK
BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKED IN THE RETRACTED POSITON AND WILL NOT EXTEND.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN DRY CONDITIONS, WAS ABOUT 1-2 CARS LENGTHS BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE, HAD TO MAKE PANIC STOP. ABS BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO REAREND VEHICLE IN FRONT. *AK
ABS WHEEL SENSOR WORE OUT.
BRAKE ROTORS WARPED.
TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE SEPARATED, CAUSING VEHICLE FIRE.
WHILE DRIVING FLAMES WERE SHOOTING FROM THE HOOD. BRAKES GAVE ON VEHICLE. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT A GAS LINE BROKE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK *SLC
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