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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 →
47Owner complaints

Model-year median: 2

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
10
198811
198917
199047
199138
199213
199316
1994
Compare all 98 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
18Electrical System
8Air Bags
7Engine And Engine Cooling
4Equipment
4
All reported categories
Power Train
3Visibility
3Service Brakes, Air
2Child Seat
1Exterior Lighting
1Parking Brake
1Seat Belts
1Seats
1Steering
1Structure
1Tires
1

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 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2001
Power Train

91 V 198 00/AUTOMATIC: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH SHIFTING OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN PARKED ON A UPPER GRADE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #877684

Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 2000
Electrical System

WHEN DRIVING SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER NOTICED WIRES WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN WERE MELTED. CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #872429

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2000
Electrical System

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING DAMAGE TO WIRING HARNESS AND OTHER PARTS, REPAIRS WERE DONE BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK A BROKEN BULB SHORTED OUT AND BURNED THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC. THE BURNING REACHED THE STEERING COLUMN TRAVELING T…

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VEHICLE EXPERIENCING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING DAMAGE TO WIRING HARNESS AND OTHER PARTS, REPAIRS WERE DONE BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK A BROKEN BULB SHORTED OUT AND BURNED THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC. THE BURNING REACHED THE STEERING COLUMN TRAVELING THE WIRES AND DAMAGED SWITCH ASSEMBLY, WIRING HARNESS, HORN ASSEMBLY AND MORE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #871752

Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN DRIVING APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE VIBRATED. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED MASTER CYLINDERS/ROTORS, AND ABS BRAKES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #864747

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2000
Service Brakes, AirService Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE DASH PANEL, WHEN IT ILLUMINATES ABS SYSTEM WILL GO INTO EFFECT WHEN DRIVING. DELAER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. DEALER SAID THAT THE ABS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THE OWNER DIDN'T COMPLY BECAUSE OF THE COST. VEHICLE LATER TAKEN TO A SPECIALIST, SAID THAT THE WHEEL SENSORS NEEDED…

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ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE DASH PANEL, WHEN IT ILLUMINATES ABS SYSTEM WILL GO INTO EFFECT WHEN DRIVING. DELAER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. DEALER SAID THAT THE ABS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THE OWNER DIDN'T COMPLY BECAUSE OF THE COST. VEHICLE LATER TAKEN TO A SPECIALIST, SAID THAT THE WHEEL SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, NOT THE ABS SYSTEM. OWNER WANTS MANUFACTURER TO PAY FOR REPAIR EXPENSES. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #860447

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 5MPH IN SLOW TRAFFIC, PRESSED ON BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER REAREDNDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER INDICATED THIS HAPPENED FREQUENTLY. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #859606

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT WAS HARD WITH EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHR INFORMATON. *AK

NHTSA ODI #856621

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THIS IS TOTAL BREAK FAILURE.PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. THREE PUMPS & BRAKES WORKED FINE. HAD SYS.PURGED & MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED BY OLDS DEALER. THIS SAME INCINDENCE OF TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES NOW. FIRST TIME WAS IN 1994, LAST TIME HAPPENED TODAY.11/16/1999 ALSO HAD REPLACED 2ND MASTER CYINDER. ONE & ONE HAL…

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THIS IS TOTAL BREAK FAILURE.PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. THREE PUMPS & BRAKES WORKED FINE. HAD SYS.PURGED & MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED BY OLDS DEALER. THIS SAME INCINDENCE OF TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES NOW. FIRST TIME WAS IN 1994, LAST TIME HAPPENED TODAY.11/16/1999 ALSO HAD REPLACED 2ND MASTER CYINDER. ONE & ONE HALF YRS. AGO. *AK

NHTSA ODI #714867

Mileage unknown · Jun 7, 1999
Equipment

WHILE USING THE JACK (PART # 14063553) IT DROPPED DUE TO THE METAL OF WHICH JACK IS MADE OFF NEEDS TO BE "HEAT TREATED" IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE JACK. THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA ODI #838973

Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 1999
Air Bags

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAGS DEPLOYED-NO INJURIES INCURRED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #835577

Official recalls

2

91V198000 · 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

1

PE93007 · 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