IllustrationTHERE IS A KNOWN SAFETY RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. TSB NUMBER IS 98043 .DEALERSHIP AND OLDSMOBILE WILL NOT REPAIR THIS PROBLEM UNLESS THEY ARE PAYED. *AK
1996 Oldsmobile Bravada
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Oldsmobile Bravada do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 58.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Bravada 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: 11 of 77 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 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
77 reportsDUE TO LOCATION OF THE BATTERY, ACID LEAKED ONTO BRAKE LINE, CAUSING BRAKE LINE TO RUPTURE, AND RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL BRAKE FLUID WHICH CAUSED COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHEN DRIVING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
ALL OF THES HAVE BEEN RECALLED, WHEN I CONTACTED OLDS. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT MY CAR. I FIND I VERY STRANGE THAT MINE IS A 1996 ALSO AND THEY SAY NOTHING IS COVERED I HAVE SPENT WELL OVER $1000.00 ON REPAIRS THAT ARE NOT COVERED
REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAD TO PAY FOR ITS REPAIR. FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ALSO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING SPOILER ABOVE TOP REARVIEW WINDOW FLEW OFF. PROBLEM WAS NOT REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LEANED INWARD DUE TO A BALL JOINT FAILURE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, FOUND REMAINING UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS SEVERLY WORN. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 77808 MILES WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. HAD TO REPLACE FOUR BALL JOINTS AND STUD KITS AT A COST OF APPROX. $700. VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENA…
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RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LEANED INWARD DUE TO A BALL JOINT FAILURE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, FOUND REMAINING UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS SEVERLY WORN. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 77808 MILES WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. HAD TO REPLACE FOUR BALL JOINTS AND STUD KITS AT A COST OF APPROX. $700. VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
EA94-038/ABS BRAKING SYSTEM: ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ABS BRAKE FAILURE. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUME RTHAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF ABS FAILURE. *AK
BRAKES PULSATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. WHEN THIS OCCURS, IT CAUSES THE WHEELS TO LOCK-UP. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. BUT PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK
NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN #:98VSL50000 SHOULD APPLY TO THIS DEFECT. THE VIN DOESS NOT FALL WITHIN TTHOSE COVERED BY MFG CAMPAIGN # 98043 EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED THEREIN FITS THIS VEHICLE EXACTLY. POSSIBLY THE MANUFACTURER OVERLOOKED GROUPS OF VEHICLES SIMILARLY DEFECTIVE,AND THERE MAY BE MANY UNSAFE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD.…
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NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN #:98VSL50000 SHOULD APPLY TO THIS DEFECT. THE VIN DOESS NOT FALL WITHIN TTHOSE COVERED BY MFG CAMPAIGN # 98043 EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED THEREIN FITS THIS VEHICLE EXACTLY. POSSIBLY THE MANUFACTURER OVERLOOKED GROUPS OF VEHICLES SIMILARLY DEFECTIVE,AND THERE MAY BE MANY UNSAFE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. *AK
Official recalls
303V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
01V200000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
Jun 28, 2001
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FAILURE OF AN UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY COULD OCCUR DUE TO CORROSION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN IMPAIRED STEERING OR STEERING LOSS, OR A PARTIAL OR COMPLETE COLLAPSE OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 4, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
96V234000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Nov 14, 1996
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4-DOOR, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ALL-WHEEL DRIVE MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING DEVELOPMENT TESTING, THE PROP SHAFT CONTACTED THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK ALLOWING FUEL LEAKAGE. THIS LEAKAGE WAS IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT PERMITTED BY FMVSS 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT, AND THERE IS A FUEL LEAK, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL ADDITIONAL SHIELDING OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS WILL BE ADDED WITHOUT REMOVING OR DISASSEMBLING THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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
3EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
EA99022 · Upper And Lower Control Arm Ball Joint
Opened Jul 30, 1999 · Closed Aug 28, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
EA94038 · Abs Braking System
Opened Oct 31, 1994 · Closed Feb 28, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.