1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA POWER STEERING VIBRATES AND SHAKES WHEN MAKING TURNS WITH THE VEHICLE AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 60 DEGREES. (I.E. THIS DEFECT OCCURS IN THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL BUT NOT IN WINTER.) *AK
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.
What owners actually said
98 reportsTHERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL OF 600,000 SUVS BY GMC DUE TO FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. OLDSMOBILE BRAVADAS ARE INCUDED, BUT GMC SAYS MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN THE SPRING, AND HAD THEM REPAIRED. THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR, AND I THINK IT IS A DESIGN DE…
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THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL OF 600,000 SUVS BY GMC DUE TO FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. OLDSMOBILE BRAVADAS ARE INCUDED, BUT GMC SAYS MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN THE SPRING, AND HAD THEM REPAIRED. THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR, AND I THINK IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND RESOLVED IN ALL BRAVADAS. ON THE INTERNER, IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OLDSMOBILE BRAVADAS, AND THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. ALSO THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVER ELECTRONIC WINDOW- WORKS SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT. MY FRIEND HAS AN OLDS ALERO WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. NEEDS TO BE RESEARCHED. THIS IS INCONVENIENT AND DANGEROUS
NO HEAT. *CB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL TURN ON & OFF AT WILL EVEN IN HEAVY RAIN. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND WHEN IT DOES THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BOUNCES AND PULLS TO ONE SIDE. WIPERS WOULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING, BUT BY THE TIME THE CONSUMER GOT HOME AND TRIED THEM AGAIN, THEY WOR…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND WHEN IT DOES THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BOUNCES AND PULLS TO ONE SIDE. WIPERS WOULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING, BUT BY THE TIME THE CONSUMER GOT HOME AND TRIED THEM AGAIN, THEY WORKED. *PH
CONSUMER STATED THAT WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING, WHICH RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK IN HEAVY RAIN , THE WIPERS HAD BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND HAD SUDDENLY GONE OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AGAIN ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER THEE WIPERS WORKED AGAIN. …
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CONSUMER STATED THAT WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING, WHICH RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK IN HEAVY RAIN , THE WIPERS HAD BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND HAD SUDDENLY GONE OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AGAIN ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER THEE WIPERS WORKED AGAIN. *SCC *JB
I PURCHASED MY 1998 BRAVADA 4/02 AND SINCE THEN HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE (THEY WERE REPLACED AND APPROX 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THE PARTS WERE "FAULTY"). I HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES--HAD THEM FIXED , THEN HAD PROB…
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I PURCHASED MY 1998 BRAVADA 4/02 AND SINCE THEN HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE (THEY WERE REPLACED AND APPROX 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THE PARTS WERE "FAULTY"). I HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES--HAD THEM FIXED , THEN HAD PROBLEMS AGAIN,TOOK IT BACK AND AGAIN IT WAS BLAMED ON "FAULTY" PARTS. THE BRAKES STILL SQUEAK BADLY, SO I'M SURE I WILL HEAR AGAIN THAT I HAD "FAULTY" PARTS. THE TREAD ON THE FRONT TIRES WORE UNEVENLY (THEY WERE PRO-RATED 80,000 MILE TIRES AND AFTER LESS THAN 3,000 MILES THE INNER EDGES WERE COMPLETLY BALD). SO OF COURSE, THE TIRES WERE SUPPOSEDLY "FAULTY". THE IGNITION MODULE GOES OUT EVERY 6 MONTHS WITH OUT FAIL. THE IGNITION WILL STICK IN THE LOCK POSITION AND THE KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED UNLESS YOU FORCE IT WHICH RESULTS IN THE BRAVADA BEING ABLE TO BE STARTED WITHOUT THE KEY. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A MEMO PUT OUT ON THIS PART, BUT NO RECALL. THESE ARE ONLY THE REPAIRS THAT HAVE HAD TO BE REPEATEDLY DONE. I AM REALLY BEGINING TO WONDER IF MAYBE THE TRUCK IS "FAULTY" AND NOT THE PARTS. ALSO, I REFUSE TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO THE OLDS DEALERSHIP. I THINK THERE MOTO IS "IT ISN'T OUR PROBLEM", AND IF IT ISN'T, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE THEY SAY IT ENOUGH. AND LETS BE HONEST--YES OLDSMOBILE, IT IS YOUR PROBLEM. YOU MAUFACTURED THESE VEHICLES AND NOW MANY, MANY PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR THEM. MAYBE THEY SHOULD STAND UP AND ACTAULLY START TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. ANYONE ELSE AGREE?*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 03V159000. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER*AK THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERABLE, THEY NEVER WORKED ON FAST OR HIGH. *TS THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT FAILURE ABOVE 75 PERCENT OR THREE OUT OF FOUR TR…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 03V159000. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER*AK THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERABLE, THEY NEVER WORKED ON FAST OR HIGH. *TS THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT FAILURE ABOVE 75 PERCENT OR THREE OUT OF FOUR TRIES. GM REFUSED REPAIR. *SCC *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY OCCASIONALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD DURING STORMS, THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I AM ABLE TO TURN THEM ON BUT NOT OFF! *LA
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING A RAINSTORM. *AK *TS *JB
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
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Illustration