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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

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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 · Feb 24, 1999
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT ABOUT 2-3MPH, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SOLENOID SENSOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON JUST BEFORE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR THE OCCUPANT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. PLEASE PR…

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT ABOUT 2-3MPH, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SOLENOID SENSOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON JUST BEFORE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR THE OCCUPANT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #835203

Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 1999
Electrical SystemFire

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40-50 MPH SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE DASH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND DRIVER HAD TO JUMP OUT TO BORROW A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT FLAMES OUT. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #835035

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 1999
Air BagsInjury

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG CAUSING MINIMAL INJURIES TO CONSUMER.

NHTSA ODI #543861

Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER IT WOULD COST $75.00 TO INSPECT, AND ESTIMATED $1000.00 FOR REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #833391

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 1998
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #541817

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 1998
Power Train

TRANSMISSION CAUSES VEHICLE TO JUMP OUT OF GEAR WHEN CONSUMER SHIFTS INTO REVERSE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #827825

Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 1998
Electrical SystemFire

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE COMPARTMENT FOR NO REASON .POSSIBLE CAUSE OF FIRE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #825206

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #537255

Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 1997
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

MAIN COMPUTER FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #525297

Mileage unknown · Nov 6, 1997
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #818441

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