WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING CAUSING A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *JB
1998 Oldsmobile Bravada
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
39 reports with mileage · 59 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.
- Visibility. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Visibility complaints
31 reportsTRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING, HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING, AWD PROBLEMS, COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS, FUEL PUMP, CONTROL ARM & BALL JOINT PROBLEMS ARE JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES ON 96-99 GM BLAZERS, BRAVADA'S, & JIMMYS. THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKED INTO AND RECALLED. MOST PROBLEMS STARTING RI…
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TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT WORKING, HEADLIGHTS NOT WORKING, AWD PROBLEMS, COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS, FUEL PUMP, CONTROL ARM & BALL JOINT PROBLEMS ARE JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES ON 96-99 GM BLAZERS, BRAVADA'S, & JIMMYS. THESE PROBLEMS SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKED INTO AND RECALLED. MOST PROBLEMS STARTING RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. CAN'T BELIEVE GM IS GETTING AWAY WITH THIS. TRANSMISSION WENT BAD AT 71000 MILES AND DEALER SAYS THAT THEY KNOW THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS ALSO PROBLEM (CODE 1870) BUT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. THIS STARTED LAST WINTER. OLDSMOBILE TOLD THE CONTACT THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED. HE CITED A RECALL. *AK *NM
DT: 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADO, WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED. TOOK TVEHICLE TO THE DEALER ,WHERE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE CAR, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS, BUT IT COULD BE THE MODULE AND THEY COULD REPLACE THE MODULE AT THE COST, OF $200.00. DID NOT HAVE THE WORK DONE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DU…
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DT: 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADO, WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED. TOOK TVEHICLE TO THE DEALER ,WHERE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE CAR, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS, BUT IT COULD BE THE MODULE AND THEY COULD REPLACE THE MODULE AT THE COST, OF $200.00. DID NOT HAVE THE WORK DONE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE LAST 13 MONTHS AND NOW IT IS STARTING UP AGAIN. TALKED TO THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY COULD NOT HELP CONSUMER. THEY CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS, AND THERE WERE NONE.*AK
I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE USED (ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON IT). ROUGHLY 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. I WOULD TURN THEM OFF AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO GO, SOMETIMES I WOULD USE MY SPRAYERS TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WIPES WOULD WIPE 14 TIMES (I COUNTED). SOMETIMES I WOULD TURN THEM ON AND…
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I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE USED (ABOUT 30,000 MILES ON IT). ROUGHLY 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. I WOULD TURN THEM OFF AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO GO, SOMETIMES I WOULD USE MY SPRAYERS TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WIPES WOULD WIPE 14 TIMES (I COUNTED). SOMETIMES I WOULD TURN THEM ON AND THEY WOULDN'T COME ON AND OTHER TIMES I WOULD TURN THEM OFF AND THEY WOULD STOP RIGHT IN MY VIEWING AREA OF THE WINDSHIELD. HAPPENED QUITE FREQUENTLY.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE, WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. *JB WIPER MOTOR FAILED DUE TO A CRACKED WELD ON THE MOTOR. *TC
SOMETIMES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. WHEN THEY DO WORK THEY USUALLY STOP WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF RAINING. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I KNOW ANOTHER PERSON THAT OWNS A BRAVADA THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAS STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS RIDING ON THE FREEWAY BEFORE IN THE MIDDLE…
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SOMETIMES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. WHEN THEY DO WORK THEY USUALLY STOP WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF RAINING. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I KNOW ANOTHER PERSON THAT OWNS A BRAVADA THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAS STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS RIDING ON THE FREEWAY BEFORE IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM, I COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I AM ALMOST SCARED TO DRIVE WHEN THE FORECAST SAYS RAIN BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE GOING TO WORK.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING RAINSTORM. HAD TO PULL OFF ROAD DUE TO LACK OF VISIBILITY. WIPERS WORKED AGAIN AFTER WEATHER CLEARED AND VEHICLE SAT FOR AN HOUR. CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER BRAVADA OWNERS INDICATE THIS IS A PREVALENT PROBLEM. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM? IS THE ACCESSORY CONNECTION BOX PROB…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING RAINSTORM. HAD TO PULL OFF ROAD DUE TO LACK OF VISIBILITY. WIPERS WORKED AGAIN AFTER WEATHER CLEARED AND VEHICLE SAT FOR AN HOUR. CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER BRAVADA OWNERS INDICATE THIS IS A PREVALENT PROBLEM. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM? IS THE ACCESSORY CONNECTION BOX PROBLEM RELATED TO THIS TOO? *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM NEED TO CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS (OLDSMOBILE), I SPOKE WITH A WOMAN THERE, SHE SAID THEY WEREN'T EVEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. EVERYBODY EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM SHOULD CONTACT THEM BECAUSE THIS IS A SEVERE HAZARD AND THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. I HAD THE WIP…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM NEED TO CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS (OLDSMOBILE), I SPOKE WITH A WOMAN THERE, SHE SAID THEY WEREN'T EVEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. EVERYBODY EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM SHOULD CONTACT THEM BECAUSE THIS IS A SEVERE HAZARD AND THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. I HAD THE WIPER MODULE REPLACED (MY EXPENSE) AND THE SAME THING WAS WRONG WITH IT THAT WAS WRONG WITH THE BLAZERS THEY HAD RECALLED FOR DEFECTIVE WIPERS. YOU CAN CONTACT THEM BY THE FOLLOWING: EMAIL: CAC@OLDSMOBILE.COM OR CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE (ASK FOR THE MANAGER)@ 1-800-442-6537 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8:00 TO 11:00 EASTERN TIME. PLEASE CALL AND LET THE MANUFACTURER NOW ABOUT THIS, THEY SAID IF MORE PEOPLE CALL THEN MAYBE IT WILL BE RECALLED!!!! THANKS GW
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. THE MOTOR WOULD BE RUNNING BUT THE WIPER WOULD NOT MOVE. THIS ALSO OCCURED WHEN TRYING TO WASH THE WINDSHIELD AND WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *LA
Official recalls
298V053000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
Mar 9, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE OR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE. ONE OR BOTH OF THE ATTACHING NUTS FOR THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM ARE UNDER TORQUED. THIS CAN ALLOW THE ATTACHMENT BOLT TO LOOSEN AND SUBSEQUENT BREAK RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM THE FRAME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RETIGHTEN THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM NUTS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION.
97V218000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Nov 24, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE REAR AXLE RIGHT-HAND BRAKE PIPE CAN OCCUR CAUSING A SLOW BRAKE FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. IF THE BRAKE PIPE BREAKS, THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN DROP IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPE.
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
1RQ02012 · Front Control Arm Ball Joints
Opened Sep 10, 2002 · Closed Mar 7, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension; Suspension:front; Suspension:front:control Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint; Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Additional source detail variants (7)
Suspension:front:control Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
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Suspension:front
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Illustration