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1993 Oldsmobile 98

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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 13 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 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Structure complaints

2 reports
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140,000 miles · May 20, 2003
Structure

WHEN ACCELERATING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD "CLUNK" AND ALL CONTROL WAS LOST AS I ENTERED THE HIGH SPEED LANE. THE ENGINE QUIT, NO BRAKES AND THE STEERING WHEEL JUST TURNED FREELY AND THE CAR ROLLED TO A STOP IN THE HIGH SPEED LANE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE REAR FRAME BOLTS UNDER THE ENGINE FAILED AND FRAME AND ENGINE…

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WHEN ACCELERATING TO ENTER A HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD "CLUNK" AND ALL CONTROL WAS LOST AS I ENTERED THE HIGH SPEED LANE. THE ENGINE QUIT, NO BRAKES AND THE STEERING WHEEL JUST TURNED FREELY AND THE CAR ROLLED TO A STOP IN THE HIGH SPEED LANE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE REAR FRAME BOLTS UNDER THE ENGINE FAILED AND FRAME AND ENGINE FELL DOWN, DISCONNECTIONS THE STEERING. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS HURT AS OTHERS STOPPED TO DIRECT TRAFFIC AND PUSH THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR IS IN NEAR PERFECT CONDITION, NO VISIBLE RUST, NO FLUID LEAKS AND HAS ONLY 140,000 MILES. IT APPEARS THAT THE DESIGN MECHANISM TO MAKE THE ENGINE DROP IN A CRASH(TO PROTECT THE DRIVER) FAILED (RUSTED) WAY BEFORE IT SHOULD HAVE. THE OLDSMOBILE HOTLINE SAID THE CAR WAS PAST THE 100,000 RUST WARRANTY, WHAT DID I EXPECT? I HAVE HAD 3 OTHER OLDSMOBILES AND PUT OVER 250,000 MILES ON EACH ONE AND CERTAINLY EXPECTED SIMILAR RESULTS FROM THIS ONE. I BELIEVE THAT THE FRAME SHOULD NOT RUST OUT AND HAVE THE ENGINE FALL OUT BEFORE ANY OF THE NORMAL HIGH MILEAGE FAILURES SUCH AS TRANSMISSION, ENGINE, RADIATOR OR EVEN THE FAILURE OF THE BATTERY IN THE REMOTE LOCKING DEVICE. I BELIEVE THAT OLDSMOBILE SHOULD BEAR THE COST OF SOME OR ALL THE CHARGES TO REPAIR THIS. HAD IT HAPPENED 5 MINUTES LATER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 70 MPH AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGEDY. IF THERE IS A GENERAL DEFECT, ALL OTHER OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10018992

Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 1996
Structure

RUBBER DOOR GASKETS LEAKED.

NHTSA ODI #510222

Official recalls

1

96V015000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines

Jan 23, 1996

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.