IllustrationCONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR. ALSO STATED THAT HE HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE HOSE CONECTIONS ON THE WATER PUMP. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND HAS ASK CONSUMER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP. ALSO STATES THAT THE TIMMING BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED. TS
1998 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
20–25K
1125–50K
2350–75K
1575–100K
9100–150K
2150K+
62 reports with mileage · 102 unknown
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 76 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 16 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 reports13 fire reports5 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
76 reportsCONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY. THE COMPONENT MELTED CAUSING COOLANT TO GET INTO ENGINE. MR
THIS ALTERNATOR GROWLING/NOISE AND TENSION PULLEY ASSEMBLY BEGAN MAKING NOISES AT ABOUT 30,000. THEN AT ABOUT 40,000 IT REALLY BEGAN MAKING GROWLING NOISES ESPECIALLY A LOWER SPEEDS. THEN WHILE WE WERE ON A TRIP TO MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN VISITING MY RELATIVES AND CHILDREN, IT BECAME APPARENT I HAD BETTER GET THIS FIXED BEFORE G…
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THIS ALTERNATOR GROWLING/NOISE AND TENSION PULLEY ASSEMBLY BEGAN MAKING NOISES AT ABOUT 30,000. THEN AT ABOUT 40,000 IT REALLY BEGAN MAKING GROWLING NOISES ESPECIALLY A LOWER SPEEDS. THEN WHILE WE WERE ON A TRIP TO MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN VISITING MY RELATIVES AND CHILDREN, IT BECAME APPARENT I HAD BETTER GET THIS FIXED BEFORE GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD TO OUR HOME IN BELLA VISTA,AR. SOME 750 MILES. WHILE IN MILWAUKEE I WAS ADVISED TO TO SEE FELSING SERVICE INC. 9128 W. BURLEIGH ST., MILWAUKEE, WI. SINCE GM DEALERSHIPS COULD NOT GUARANTEE ME TO HAVE CAR READY AS I HAD TO BE BACK IN BELLA VISTA ON THURSDAY. MR. FLESING SAID HE COULD REPAIR THIS. I WANTED A NEW ALTERNATOR, BUT NONE COULD BE FOUND IN MILWAUKEE. SO I CONSENTED TO A DELCO REMFG. UNIT AND A NEW PULLEY ASSEMBLY.THIS WAS COMPLETED IN A FEW HOURS. THE BILL WAS $388.10. I FEEL THIS ALTERNATOR SHOULD LAST AND BE ADEQUATELY FUNCTIONAL FOR MORE THAN 40,000. BUT THE VERY FACT THAT NO NEW ALTARENATOR FOR MY VEHICLE COULD BE FOUND IN MILWAUKEE ON THAT MONDAY TELLS ME, AS I ALSO HAVE HEARD, GM IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ALTERNATORS ETC. OTHERWISE THE CAR IS A FINE RUNNIGN CAR WITH GOOD GAS MILEAGE ETC.*AK
ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN VERY ROUGH AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. PULLED CAR OFF ROADWAY. GASKET HAD FAILED SENDING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE, DAMAGING THE MANIFOLDS.*AK
3.8L V6 ENGINE COOLANT IS GETTING INTO THE ENGINE OIL WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.*AK
ENGINE AND OTHER PARTS WERE REPLACED ON APRIL 3RD 2002. VEHICLE TAKES 3-4 TRIES BEFORE STARTING. ALL COMMUNICATION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD AFTER IT STARTED UP. 5-10 MINUTES INTO DRIVING LIGHTS WENT OUT. DEALER WAS INFORMED OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN AWFULL SMELL INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. MECHANIC SAID PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD A HOLE IN IT, AND WAS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE FROM RADIATOR. PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WHOLE IN THE PLENUM WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY EGR VALVE, PER MACHANI…
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WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN AWFULL SMELL INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. MECHANIC SAID PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD A HOLE IN IT, AND WAS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE FROM RADIATOR. PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WHOLE IN THE PLENUM WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY EGR VALVE, PER MACHANIC AND GM REP.(CAR WAS GOING TO BURST INTO FLAMES)-PLEASE SEE REVERSE SIDE. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND LIFE THREATENING, AND IS GREATFUL FOR NOT BEING HARMED, BUT WANTS THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED SO THAT PEOPLE WHO OWN THESE VEHICLES, WONT BE IN DANGER. CONSUMER ALSO FEELS THAT, SHOULDN'T THERE BE METAL PLENUMS INSTEAD OF PLASTIC.*AK *SCC
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONTACTED DEALER.*JB
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
104V090000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
Feb 24, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
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.