IllustrationCONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW SMOKE, FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 40-2516-904. *SLC
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
What owners actually said
101 reportsHALF 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
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A BACK FIRE WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSING AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK
REAR ROTORS HAVE COMPLETLY RUSTED OUT SO BADLY THAT ROTORS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN TURNED AT ONLY 33,000 MILES, CAUSING BAD VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL.*AK
CONSUMER TRIED TO START VEHICLE AND IT BACK FIRED AND THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE PLASTIC PLENUM BLEW OFF AND PLUG WIRES CAUGHT FIRE, CLAIM 23-1355-542. *SLC
VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR AWHILE. HAD GOT IN AND INSERTED KEY IN IGNITION AND STARTED IT. SUDDENLY, VEHICLE BLEW UP AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD BLOWN. HAD NO INDICATION OF CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK FIRE POSSIBLY CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *SLC
AT 27 MPH VEHICLE STALLS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER 4 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AIK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING SIGN OF TROUBLE, UPON INSPECTION CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED AT ONLY 30K MILES. NLM
SEAT BACK COLLAPSED DURING REAR END IMPACT, RESULTING IN INJURY TO CONSUMER. *MJS
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1997, OLDSMOBILE 88, TIRE SIZE P205/70R15, DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE, TIRE HAD 17 THOUSANDS MILES ON THEM. CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN DRIVING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. TIRES WERE CHECKED AND SHOWED EVIDENCE OF TREAD SEPARATION, REAR TIRES SHOWING MORE EVIDENCE THEN FRONTAL TIRES. PLEASE PROV…
Read full complaint
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1997, OLDSMOBILE 88, TIRE SIZE P205/70R15, DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE, TIRE HAD 17 THOUSANDS MILES ON THEM. CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN DRIVING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. TIRES WERE CHECKED AND SHOWED EVIDENCE OF TREAD SEPARATION, REAR TIRES SHOWING MORE EVIDENCE THEN FRONTAL TIRES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
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.