IllustrationWHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. STEERING IS NOT STABLE AT ALL. WHEN DRIVING OVER A BRIDGE AND HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES. STOPPED VEHICLE AND TOOK A LOOK, THE BELT WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF THE FRONT BUSHING STABLIZER BAR. TIGHTEN IT. CONTACTED A DEALER. *AK
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 reportsWHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE IS SHAKING/VIBRATION DUE TO ALL FOUR TIRES BEING UNBALANCED. ORIGINAL TIRES WERE REPLACED AFTER FINDING A BUBBLE ON ONE AND ABNORMAL WEAR ON OTHER THREE. REPLACING TIRE DID NOT SOLVE THE SHUDDER OR SHAKING PROBLEM. *AK *ML
WHEN VEHICLE IS IDLING AND SHIFTING INTO REVERSE VEHICLE ISN'T DOING ANYTHING, WON'T MOVE INTO ANY GEAR UNTIL 30 SECOND LATER. THEN VEHICLE WILL JUMP INTO REVERSE. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE IS HAVING TROUBLE GOING INTO REVERSE GEAR IF NOT IN GEAR SHIFT IN THE RIGHT POSITION, MOVING GEAR SHIFT TO DRIVE AND REVERSE GEAR AGAIN SOLVES PROBLEMS. MJS
WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AT 72 MP, DRIVER STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO PASS SLOWER TRAFFIC. ONCE HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, AND DID NOT KICK BACK INTO CRUISE CONTROL, AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM…
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WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AT 72 MP, DRIVER STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO PASS SLOWER TRAFFIC. ONCE HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, AND DID NOT KICK BACK INTO CRUISE CONTROL, AND THE ENGINE CUT OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO MODULATING VALVE. MJS
THE CAR LOST COMPLETE POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. STARTED AGAIN WITH ENOUGH POWER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE GM DEALER IN TRAVERSE CITY MI. STATED THE CAR NEEDED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE SHAFT. IF THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD, IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. THIS CAR WAS NEVER ABUSED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT 49000. MIL…
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THE CAR LOST COMPLETE POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. STARTED AGAIN WITH ENOUGH POWER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE GM DEALER IN TRAVERSE CITY MI. STATED THE CAR NEEDED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE SHAFT. IF THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD, IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. THIS CAR WAS NEVER ABUSED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT 49000. MILES.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5-10MPH FELT 2 SHARP PULLS TO THE RIGHT WTHIN SECONDS, DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY WARNING , CAUSING DRIVER TO BLACK OUT AND SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES. *AK
SIDE REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF AND AFTER REPAIR THE KNOB ADJUSTER DID NOT WORK PROPERLY.
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED. YH
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.