1998 Oldsmobile Bravada

MY VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE PRIOR TO TAKING IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. NO DASH BOARD LIGHTING, NO POWER STEERING, NO ACCELERATION AND BRAKING WAS VERY DIFFICULT. IF I TAPPED ON THE STEERING COLUMN THE POWER WOULD SOMETIMES COME BACK ON. I DO HAVE THE PAPERWORK FROM 2001 WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THE IGNITION PROBLEM GOES BACK FURTHER THAT GM KNOWS. *TR

THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA WITH AWD SMARTRACK WEAR AT A VERY ACCELERATED RATE. THEY, ALONG WITH THE TIE RODS WERE REPLACED SOON AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT APPROX 86000 MILES WITH ALL GM PARTS, AND NOW AT 93000 MILES NEED REPLACING AGAIN. THEY HAVE BEEN PROPERLY LUBRICATED, AND THE FRONT END HAS BEEN ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES, ALL BY A GM DEALER. THE VEHICLE IS NOT USED OFF ROAD OR FOR PLOWING. HAVING SPOKE TO SEVERAL OTHER BRAVADA OWNERS, I AM FINDING THIS TO BE A RATHER COMMON PROBLEM. THESE COMPONENTS ARE CRITICAL, AND SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THEY HAVE, ESPECIALLY ON AN ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE THAT NEVER GOES OFF ROAD. NO RECALL IS NOTED, HOWEVER FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THESE HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. THE VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH QUALITY NAME BRAND STANDARD SIZE TIRES IN GOOD CONDITION. *NLM

CALLED DEALERSHIP REFERRED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE IN FLA., ON PROBLEM WITH STEERING COLUMN TALKED TO CENTRAL FLA. CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY WERE GOING TO CHECK AND CALL ME BACK. CLAIMED LEATHER WEARING OFF THE STEERING COLUMN WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, BUT WOULD LOOK INTO IT. NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN. PROBLEM WITH AC DELCO BATTERY OCCURRED WHILE I WAS ON VACATION. BATTERY WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE A 7 YEAR LIFESPAN. WHILE AT SHOPPING CENTER, BATTERY DIED AND HAD TO CONTACT TRIPLE AAA TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO GARAGE. EVIDENCE OF CORROSION WAS ON THE BATTERY CABLES AND BATTERY WAS DEAD. HAD TO PUT IN NEW BATTERY AND HAVE CABLES CLEANED. THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. WHEN I CONTACTED DEALER, I WAS ADVISED TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE OF OLDS. THEY INVESTIGATED THE CASE #0CO2791144 AND ADVISED THEY WOULD NOT REFUND FOR REPAIR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PHYSICALLY SEE THE BATTERY. AS STATED, THIS HAPPENED ON THE ROAD WHILE ON VACATION. I HAVE WITNESS TO TRIED TO HELP AND OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE CABLES AND SAW THAT BATTERY WAS DEAD. I INTEND TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH GM, OLDSMOBILE; HOWEVER, BASED ON CONVERSATION AFTER I WENT THROUGH THIS PROBLEM, IT APPEARS THAT MANY AC DELCO BATTERIES HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM, BELIEVE THE AC DELCO BATTERY INSTALLED IN 1998 CARS TO BE DEFECTIVE. REQUEST YOUR HELP IN INVESTIGATING AND HELPING CONSUMERS. THANK YOU. *AK

WHILE DRIVING INTO THE SETTING SUN IN A PARKING LOT I STRUCK A3 INCH CURBING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. A LARGE FLAG POLE WAS SLIGHTLY SCRAPED WITH THE LEFT FENDER CAUSING SOME MINOR DAMAGE. THE LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAUSING THE TIE ROD END TO SNAP AND LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. THE CAR TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 CAR LENGTHS BEFORE STOPPING WITHOUT USE OF THE BRAKES. THE ONLY SKID MARKS WERE FROM THE NOW SIDEWAYS TIRE AND FROM THE DRAGGING UNDERCARRIGE BOLTS. THERE IS NO REASON THAT THIS MINOR IMPACT SHOULD HAVE CUASED THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE. THE RIVETS CONNECTING THE BALL JOINTS HAD SHEARED OFF. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR ABUSED IN ANY WAY. IF THIS HAD OCCURED AT HIGHWAY SPEED AFTER HITTING A POT HOLE I WOULD LIKELY HAVE LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CAR. OUR OLDS DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS "NOT THEIR PROBLEM".