IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 35-40 MPH UPPER BALL JOINT BROKE, AND CONSUMER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
1997 Oldsmobile Bravada
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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
00–25K
425–50K
1450–75K
975–100K
4100–150K
2150K+
33 reports with mileage · 71 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 17 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 reports7 fire reports4 injury reports
Suspension complaints
17 reportsUPPER BALL JOINTS WENT BAD, MAKING IT HARD TO STEER VEHICLE.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM REAR WHEEL. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER STATED, BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED, AUTOMATIC DOOR STOPPED FOR A SHORT TIME, LIGHTS OFTEN FLICKER, LUMBER DRIVERS SEAT BLEW, A FUSE THAT CONTROLS DOOR LOCKS, REAR HATCH AND SEAT SAFETY ADJUSTMENTS, WERE ALL INOPERATIVE. *YD
SORRY I FORGOT TO GIVE A STREET NUMBER. ONCE AGAIN OLDS IS SAYING MY 97 BRAVADA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN BUT IT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED FROM AN AUTHORIZED GM SERVICE CENTER WITH THESE ISSUES..I FEEL I AM BEING PUSHED AROUND AND THAT THE RECALL SHOULD BE WIDENED BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET HURT AND MY TRUCK SHOULD BE COVERED, IT IS…
Read full complaint
SORRY I FORGOT TO GIVE A STREET NUMBER. ONCE AGAIN OLDS IS SAYING MY 97 BRAVADA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN BUT IT HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED FROM AN AUTHORIZED GM SERVICE CENTER WITH THESE ISSUES..I FEEL I AM BEING PUSHED AROUND AND THAT THE RECALL SHOULD BE WIDENED BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET HURT AND MY TRUCK SHOULD BE COVERED, IT IS A 97, IT WAS SOLD IN IL AND IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL AT 50,000 MILES THIS IS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE FOR ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT. KEN CHAMBERLAIN. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
THERE IS ALREADY A RECALL OUT FOR THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY BUT OLDS IS TELLING ME THAT MY TRUCK DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN..I THINK WE NEED TO EXPAND THIS RECALL AND THAT I AM GETTING PUSHED AROUND..THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME. *AK
THE LEFT FRONT OUTPIT AXLE LEAKING. NLM
Official recalls
203V117000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Mar 31, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY THAT CONTAINS AN ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP. SUSTAINED LOADS OF SUFFICIENT MAGNITUDE AND DURATION ON THE BELT IN SEVERE CRASHES COULD FULLY DEPLOY THE BUCKLE ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP, INTRODUCING A TOTAL OF 10 ADDITIONAL INCHES OF WEBBING INTO THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM. THE FREE FALLING LATCH PLATE USED IN THIS SYSTEM MAY ALLOW WEBBING TO DYNAMICALLY DISTRIBUTE BETWEEN THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT AS THE DRIVER'S POSITION CHANGES DURING A MULTIPLE ROLLOVER EVENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP FULLY DEPLOYS IN A SEVERE MULTIPLE ROLLOVER CRASH, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A BELTED DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE PARTIAL OR EVEN COMPLETE EJECTION FROM THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENERGY-ABSORBING SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WITH ONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 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.
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
1EA94038 · 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.