IllustrationI SMELLED WHAT SEEMED TO BE BURNING WIRE COMING FROM INSIDE MY VEHICLE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE I WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE.*AK
1991 Oldsmobile 98
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 98 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: 2 of 47 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
47 reportsTHE BUCKLE ON THE HARNESS WILL NOT FIT INTO THE LATCH BETWEEN THE CHILD'S LEGS. CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE BUCKLE TOGETHER WITH BOTH HANDS IN ORDER TO GET THE SYSTEM TO WORK. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHED AND DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. TS
WHILE IN MOTION DRIVING THROUGH RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT GO FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD CLEAR. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE RAIN SUBSIDED. *JG *YH
ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING ONTO PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE ON FLOOR. THERE IS ABOUT A HALF INCH OF ANTIFREEZE ON FLOOR. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK
3.8 ENGINE--SHUTTER ALSO AT THE 70 MI.PER HR. SPEED. *AK
CONSUMER HAD NOTICED A STRONG VIBRATION COMING FROM ENGINE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED ENGINE VALVE TO FIND A SOLUTION, BUT DID NOT HELP AND THE PROBLEM STILL THERE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
PANIC STOP TO AVOID HITTING CAR IN FRONT THAT STOPPED SHORT TO AVOID DOG IN ROAD. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, VERY LONG STOPPING DISTANCE, STEERED AROUND CAR AHEAD AVOIDING ACCIDENT. BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT RETURNTO NORMAL FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF PUMPING AND TEST STOPS, PROCEEDED WITH JOURNEY NORMALLY. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER NEXT DA…
Read full complaint
PANIC STOP TO AVOID HITTING CAR IN FRONT THAT STOPPED SHORT TO AVOID DOG IN ROAD. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, VERY LONG STOPPING DISTANCE, STEERED AROUND CAR AHEAD AVOIDING ACCIDENT. BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT RETURNTO NORMAL FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF PUMPING AND TEST STOPS, PROCEEDED WITH JOURNEY NORMALLY. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER NEXT DAY. PARKING BRAKE CABLE REPLACED BUT NO FAULT FOUND IN BRAKING SYSTEM. NOTE ABS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 8 MONTHS BUT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN ABS WAS NOT DISABLED IN LAST 2 YEARS, I HAVE READ OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND CONTROL HIS VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED AT ABOUT 25-30 MPH, AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BROKE ON RIGHT SIDE OF SEAT. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK
Official recalls
291V198000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Nov 14, 1991
THE CONSOLE MOUNTED SHIFT LEVER MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET CAUSING LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER CAN PLACE THE GEAR SHIFTER IN THE PARKPOSITION WITHOUT SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE TRANSAXLE MAY NOT ACTUALLY BEIN PARK, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT IF THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED ON AGRADE. ALSO, THE DRIVER CAN PLACE THE GEAR SELECTOR IN DRIVE OR REVERSE WITHOUTTURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND THE TRANSAXLE MAY NOT BE IN THE POSITION INDICATED,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MOVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. BOTH CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: INSTALL TWO TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIPS.
91V167000 · Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical
Sep 23, 1991
WHEN APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY MAY RELEASE ONE OR MORE TEETH, REDUCING THE CABLE LOAD TO THE REAR BRAKES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE LEVER RELEASE AND ROADLEVEL. THE PARKING BRAKE MAY NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING IT TO ROLL, WHICHCOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 105.
Remedy: REPLACE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY.
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
1PE93007 · Fuel Line Failure
Opened Feb 10, 1993 · Closed May 3, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available