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1995 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: 23 of 117 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 14 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 reports5 fire reports8 injury reports

Steering complaints

14 reports
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100,700 miles · Nov 6, 2011
Engine And Engine CoolingSteeringStructure

A TRAGIC ACCIDENT FORTUNATELY DID NOT OCCUR. THE ENGINE CRADLE SUBFRAME MOUNTING WASHERS ON BOTH SIDES RUSTED THROUGH. MY MOTHER (75 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHILE TURNING. THE ENGINE CRADLE DROPPED DOWN PREVENTING HER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. HAD THERE BEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CLOSE SHE WOULD HAVE DRIVEN DIRECTLY INTO IT. S…

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A TRAGIC ACCIDENT FORTUNATELY DID NOT OCCUR. THE ENGINE CRADLE SUBFRAME MOUNTING WASHERS ON BOTH SIDES RUSTED THROUGH. MY MOTHER (75 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHILE TURNING. THE ENGINE CRADLE DROPPED DOWN PREVENTING HER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. HAD THERE BEEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CLOSE SHE WOULD HAVE DRIVEN DIRECTLY INTO IT. SHE WAS EXTREMELY SCARED AND SHAKEN. THIS IS SUCH A SMALL ITEM THAT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY AT NORMAL DRIVING SPEED. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BY GM OR WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A SINGLE VEHICLE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10434381

141,305 miles · Jan 14, 2004
Steering

THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE GM RECALL ABOUT THE FAILURE OF BRAKES, POWER STEERING, WIPERS. I HAVE A 1995 OLDS 88 ROYALE. BACK IN NOVEMBER MY WIFE WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A DRIVEWAY TO TURN AROUND AND HER POWER STEERING QUIT COMPLETELY. I E-MAILED OLDSMOBILE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AFTER I READ ABOUT THE RECALL. THEY SENT ME BACK A E…

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THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE GM RECALL ABOUT THE FAILURE OF BRAKES, POWER STEERING, WIPERS. I HAVE A 1995 OLDS 88 ROYALE. BACK IN NOVEMBER MY WIFE WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A DRIVEWAY TO TURN AROUND AND HER POWER STEERING QUIT COMPLETELY. I E-MAILED OLDSMOBILE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AFTER I READ ABOUT THE RECALL. THEY SENT ME BACK A E-MAIL AND SAID THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE VIN AND MODEL YEAR DIDN'T FALL UNDER THE RECALL. THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO A LOCAL DEALER IF I FELT THAT THERE WERE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT OUR VEHICLE. THE CAR IS SITTING IN OUR GARAGE RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE WITHOUT ANY POWER STEERING. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP ME WITH THIS SITUATION? IF SO I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT IN THIS MATTER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10053211

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2003
Steering

POWER STEERING PUMP BOLTS BROKE WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO COME OFF. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10040720

Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 2001
SteeringUnknown Or Other

LOST STEERING CONTROL - THREE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE PUMP JUST BROKE OFF & WENT ON TO PUSH RIGHT BOOT INTO RIGHT TIRE. WATER PUMP BROKE & ALSO OVERFLOW ANTIFREEZE TANK BROKE. HAD TO REPLACE TWO TAIL LAMPS BECAUSE OF BROKEN BRACKETS OR PRONGS THAT HOLD IT.

NHTSA ODI #9004264

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2001
Steering

WHILE LEAVING A SERVICE STATION AND TURNING RIGHT HEARD NOISE AND STARTED HAVING PROBLEM TURNING. WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT BOLTS ON STEERING PUMP BROKE. AK THE LOSS OF STEERING RESULTED REARLY IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER ALSO LOST POWER BRAKES. *YH

NHTSA ODI #877515

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2000
Steering

POWER STEERING MOTOR COMPLETELY FELL OFF THE ENGINE. I LOST ALL POWER . HAD I BEEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED MY CAR. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ANOTHER OLDSOMIBLE WAS IN THE SHOP WITH THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. THE SHOP FOREMAN SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN TH…

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POWER STEERING MOTOR COMPLETELY FELL OFF THE ENGINE. I LOST ALL POWER . HAD I BEEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED MY CAR. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ANOTHER OLDSOMIBLE WAS IN THE SHOP WITH THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. THE SHOP FOREMAN SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY VEHICLE BEFOR MINE AND THE OTHER CAR. IT SEEMS STRANGE THAT THEY WERE BOTH OLDS. I FEEL THAT FAULTY BOLTS ARE BEING USED IN THE ASSEMBLY OF THE CARS. THE BOLTS HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN OFF. I DON'T THINK THAT BOLTS SHOULD CORODE AFTER 81,000 MILES. IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF OLDSOMOBILE VEHICLES SOMEONE WILL LOOSE THIER LIVES BECAUSE OF IT.

NHTSA ODI #731816

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2000
Steering

THE MOUNTING BOLTS HOLDING THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO THE ENGINE BLOCK HAVE BOTH COMPLETELY FRACTURED. THIS OCCURRED DURING ENGINE STARTUP UNDER NO UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ENGINE / CAR HAS NOT HAD ANY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED IN ANY AREA NEAR THIS COMPONENT. IT APPEARS THAT THE BOLTS MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-TORQUED ON INITIAL INS…

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THE MOUNTING BOLTS HOLDING THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO THE ENGINE BLOCK HAVE BOTH COMPLETELY FRACTURED. THIS OCCURRED DURING ENGINE STARTUP UNDER NO UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ENGINE / CAR HAS NOT HAD ANY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED IN ANY AREA NEAR THIS COMPONENT. IT APPEARS THAT THE BOLTS MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-TORQUED ON INITIAL INSTALLATION. MY CONCERN IS TO KNOW IF THIS IS A PREVIOUS KNOW PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL CAR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #731027

Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicSteering

ATTACHMENT BOLTS OF THE POWER STEERING BROKE OFF CAUSING THE BELT TO COME LOOSE RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER. MJS

NHTSA ODI #549496

Mileage unknown · Sep 24, 1999
Steering

THE 2 BOLTS TO THE POWER STEERING BRACKETS BROKE LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT BRAKES AND POWER STEERING. DLR REPLACED BOLTS TO POWER STEERING BRACKET.MJS

NHTSA ODI #848627

Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 1999
Steering

BOLT SECURING POWER STEERING BELT SHEARED, LOST POWER STEERING FUNCTION DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN MIDST OF SNOW STORM. LUCKILY HAD EXITED HIGHWAY JUST PRIOR TO FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #706074

Official recalls

1

94V138000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch

Aug 2, 1994

A SPRING IN THE HEAD LAMP PORTION OF THE HEAD PARK LAMP SWITCH CAN FAIL PREVENTING LATCHING OF THE HEAD LAMP PORTION OF THE SWITCH IN THE "ON" POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE HEAD LAMPS WOULD NOT STAY ILLUMINATED RESULTING IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT HEAD/PARK LAMP SWITCH BUILD DATE CODES AND REPLACE SWITCHES WITH SUSPECT DATE CODES.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.