IllustrationMANIFOLD WAS LEAKING WATER INSIDE ENGINE, AND ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
1997 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: 16 of 101 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports14 fire reports4 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
27 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEW CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE HARD TO START. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE PLENTIUM BEING MADE OF PLASTIC. TO PUT PLASTIC IN THE ENGINE, THIS CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. AND HAS HAD EXCELLANT CARE. THE PLENTIUM WEARS OUT DUMPING ENGINE COLLANT INTO COMBUSTION CHAMBERS. AND CONTAMINATES THE ENTIRE ENGINE WITH WATER AND COOLANT. WHICH IN TURN DESTROYS THE ENGINE. GM KNOWS OF THIS P…
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I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE PLENTIUM BEING MADE OF PLASTIC. TO PUT PLASTIC IN THE ENGINE, THIS CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. AND HAS HAD EXCELLANT CARE. THE PLENTIUM WEARS OUT DUMPING ENGINE COLLANT INTO COMBUSTION CHAMBERS. AND CONTAMINATES THE ENTIRE ENGINE WITH WATER AND COOLANT. WHICH IN TURN DESTROYS THE ENGINE. GM KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND STATE THAT THEY HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM IN THE LATER MODELS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM RECALL THE ONES THAT WERE NOT CORRECTED. ALTHOUGH OUR INSTANCE SUBJECTED US TO ANY DANGER . IF THIS WAS TO HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, WHOS TO SAY WHAT COULD HAPPEN. IF OTHER MANUFACTURERS CAN RECOGINIZE THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE RECALLS, THEN WHY CAN'T OLDSMOBILE STEP UP AND DO THE SAME? IF THEY WANT INFORMATION ON OTHE INSTANCES ON THE SAME PART FAILURE FROM OTHER PEOPLES, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. TOMMY RICE. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THE COOLANT LEVEL SENSOR RETAINER CLIPS BROKE OFF AND LEAVING THE SENSOR RETAINED ONLY BY THE FRICTION OF THE O-RING SEALS. *TT
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.*AK
THE INSURED GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE.*JB(CLAIM#40-2516-904)
THE INSURED ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE, WHICH BACK FIRED AND THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB(CLAIM#23-1355-542)
INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED, FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 49-3290-805. *SLC
CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW SMOKE, FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 40-2516-904. *SLC
HALF OF THE TIME CAR STALLS AT LIGHTS, AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN AT TURNS. CONSUMER IS AFRAID OF BEING HIT IN THE REAR. *AK VEHICLE HAS STALLED 7 TIMES IN LESS THAN 3000 MILES. *SLC
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.