THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH.*JB
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
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.
What owners actually said
104 reportsMY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS USED WITH 33,000 MILES, I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH HAS PAID FOR MANY REPAIRS TO DATE,MARCH OF 2002 MY VEHICLE HAD THE LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED UNDER THIS WARRANTY. I HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED PRIVATE GARAGE AND THEY NOTED LOWER BALL JOINT WEAR, I CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE R…
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MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS USED WITH 33,000 MILES, I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH HAS PAID FOR MANY REPAIRS TO DATE,MARCH OF 2002 MY VEHICLE HAD THE LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED UNDER THIS WARRANTY. I HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED PRIVATE GARAGE AND THEY NOTED LOWER BALL JOINT WEAR, I CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE REPLACED AT AN OLDS DEALER THE MANUFACTURER OF MY VEHICLE INCIDENT NUMBER 1-65943454 THEY NOTED CONTACTING DEALER AND WOULD REPAIR VEHICLE,AND SINCE IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY I PURCHASED WOULD NOT COMPENSATE OTHER REPAIRS,I WANTED TO FILE COMPLAINT BECAUSE REPLACEMENT BALL JOINTS ONLY LASTED A YEAR AND THAT THESE WERE ALSO DEFECTIVE PARTS. TS
1997 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA LIST OF REPAIRS AND COMPLAINTS SINCE PURCHASE IN 2000 PURCHASED USED FROM LOCAL DEALER WITH 30,000 MILES. 1)35,120 MILES,COMPLAINED OF SHIMMY IN FRONT STEERING. SERVICE PERFORMED,BALANCE TIRES,DRAIN AND REFILL TRANSFER CASE. 2)33196 MILES, AC NOT BLOWING COLD AIR,SERVICE TEDT SYSTEM,FOUND LEAK ON BACK…
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1997 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA LIST OF REPAIRS AND COMPLAINTS SINCE PURCHASE IN 2000 PURCHASED USED FROM LOCAL DEALER WITH 30,000 MILES. 1)35,120 MILES,COMPLAINED OF SHIMMY IN FRONT STEERING. SERVICE PERFORMED,BALANCE TIRES,DRAIN AND REFILL TRANSFER CASE. 2)33196 MILES, AC NOT BLOWING COLD AIR,SERVICE TEDT SYSTEM,FOUND LEAK ON BACK OF COMPRESOR, REPLACE COMPRESSOR. 3)35338 MILESSES LIGHT ON, SCANNED FOR CODES, BANK 1 SENSOR 2 OXYGEN SENSOR, REPLACE BANK 1 SENSOR 2. 4) 35,338 MILES,CHECK AC, TEST FOR LEAKS,LEAKING OUT SEAL BACK OF COMPRESSOR,REPLACE AC COMPRESSOR SECOND TIME.REPLACE ORFICE TUBE. 5)ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH, SERVICE SCAN FOR CODES, PULL AND CLEAN EGR VALVE. 6)39,434 MILES, FUEL SYSTEM WORK, FUEL GAGE ERRATIC, FUEL SENDER BAD, REPLACED 7)39,434 MILES, DOOR HINGE LOOSE,MISSING RETAINER CLIP, INSTALLED RETAINER CLIP. 8)45,361 MMILES CHECK AC, COMPRESSOR KICKS OFF AND ON RAPIDLY, AC SYSTEM IS LOW NEEDED CHARGE. 9)45,361 MILES, SERVICE COOLING SYSTEM (DEXCOOL) CHANGED COOLANT. 10)45,361 MILES, BRAKE SQUEEL, REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AND SHOES. 11)47,577 MILES,ELECTRICAL ENGINE WORK,ENGINE STOPPED,ALTERNATOR TEST GOOD, REPLACED BATTERY. 12)47,577 MILES, CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM,CHARGING LIGHT ON, TEST THE SYSTEM, ALTERNATOR FAILED LOAD TEST, REPLACED ALTERNATOR. NOTE SERVICE ABOVE ! 13)48,222 MILES CHECK FRONT END WANDER, REPLACED BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS,LEFT REAR AXLE SEAL LEAKING, REPLACE SEAL.OIL LEAK, REPLACED OIL COOLER LINES. 14)48,222 MILES, CHECK FRONT END WANDER, REPLACE IDLER ARM 15)49,322 MILES SERVICE COOLING SYSTEM , NO HEAT, FLUSHED COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH HEATER CORE, REPLACED COOLANT AGAIN. (DEXCOOL) 16)57,010 MILES HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED, LOWER BAALLJOINTS WORN AGAIN 1 YEAR LATER AFTER DEALER REPLACED.
WINDSHIED WIPERS EITHER WON'T WORK AT ALL OR STOP FAIL AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING. THIS CAUSING POOR VISIABITY. HAD TO REPLACE MOTOR AT OWNER EXPENSE
POWER SEAT SHORTED OUT AND THE DEALER REPAIRED THE BURNED AND CHAFED WIRES, BELT TENSIONER WAS NOISY, THE REMOTE LOCKS SHORTED OUT AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE RECEIVER MODULE, INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING COOLANT, REAR WIPER MOTOR SHORTED OUT, FUEL SENSOR SHORTED OUT, RIGHT AXLE SEAL FAILED CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK, MULTIFUNCTION SW…
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POWER SEAT SHORTED OUT AND THE DEALER REPAIRED THE BURNED AND CHAFED WIRES, BELT TENSIONER WAS NOISY, THE REMOTE LOCKS SHORTED OUT AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE RECEIVER MODULE, INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING COOLANT, REAR WIPER MOTOR SHORTED OUT, FUEL SENSOR SHORTED OUT, RIGHT AXLE SEAL FAILED CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK, MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH FAILED, THE TRANSMISSION HAD NO REVERSE, NO THIRD GEAR ONLY FIRST GEAR. NLM
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENLY NOW THE WIPER WON'T COME ON AT ALL. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
INTERMITTENTLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDE DUE TO THE VIN DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE DRIVESHAFT SEPARATED AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
VEHICLE HAS HAD MULTIPLE FAILURES. O SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
THIS VEHICLE IS PRONE TO MULTIPLE COMPONENT FAILURES.
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.
Illustration