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.

3 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

98 reports

76,000 miles · Sep 4, 2003

Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE PAST. SOMETIMES HAVE TO TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON TO GET THEM TO WORK. EXTREME HAZARD WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN. DON'T EVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. SAME PROBLEM ON GM S-10 (1989) WHERE THERE ARE TOO MANY DEVICES ON THE WIPER STEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10037201

75,000 miles · Aug 17, 2003

Power Train

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE IS A HARD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND SOMETIMES A SOMEWHAT HARD ONE FROM 2ND TO 3RD. THIS ONLY HAPPENS AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNTIL YOU LET IT COOL DOWN. MANY BRAVADA OWNERS REPORTING SAME OCCURRENCES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033000

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2003

Power Train

CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WAS HEARING A GRINDING NOISE FOR ABOUT A WEEK, AND IT GOT PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER. HE FINELY TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT AXLE BEARING WAS BROKEN. ALSO, TRANSMISSION SUPPORT BRACKET WAS FOUND TO BE RUSTED , AND HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10031295

27,031 miles · Jul 18, 2003

Visibility

THE PULSE WINDSHIELD DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT HAD BEEN RECALLED BY GM. PH *CB *JB

NHTSA ODI #10029697

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2003

Visibility

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND OFF. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10027011

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 2003

Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, SOMETIMES CUTTING OFF WHILE ENGAGED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10024325

74,285 miles · Jun 12, 2003

Vehicle Speed Control

INTERNAL PIECE (PART NUMBER?) OF THE THROTTLE BODY (21247) ATTACHED TO THE THROTTLE PLATE (21465) THAT IS HELD IN BY (2) RIVETS. THE 2 RIVETS FAILED CAUSING WHATEVER WAS THERE TO GET SUCKED INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I HAVE THE OLD PART WITH THE BROKEN RIVETS. THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY ANY FOREIGN OBJECT. THE TOTAL FOR THE REPAIR = …

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NHTSA ODI #10021463

49,053 miles · May 20, 2003

Visibility

WIPER MOTOR FAILURE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. ALSO, WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER NOT WORKING DUE TO RUST CLOGGING THE HEATER CORE ALSO CAUSING MOTOR TO OVERHEAT AND STALL IN THE SUMMER. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10019018

91,000 miles · May 14, 2003

SteeringSuspension

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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

NHTSA ODI #10018724

40,000 miles · Jan 17, 2003

Visibility

THE WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IN OPERATION. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER DURING A RAIN STORM. RECALL 98V150001 WAS ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKE/MODEL VEHICLES, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN#. *TS *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10004139

Official recalls

98V053000 · 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

RQ02012 · 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.