IllustrationENGINE 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
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
What owners actually said
164 reports3.8L 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
INTAKE MANIFOLD WARPED, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPLAIRED. *AK CONSUMER FEELS THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE DESIGN CHANGE, THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS USED TO BE MADE OF METAL AND NOW THEY ARE MADE OF PLASTIC. *SLC
HOOD WOULD NOT STAY OPEN. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *YH
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…
Read full complaint
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 JUST SHUTS OFF.*AK
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.