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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 →
98Owner complaints

Model-year median: 58

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
2
199577
1996104
199798
199860
199976
200033
2001
Compare all Bravada years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Visibility
31Electrical System
19Steering
12Suspension
12Power Train
9
All reported categories
Engine And Engine Cooling
7Service Brakes, Hydraulic
6Vehicle Speed Control
5Exterior Lighting
4Fuel System, Gasoline
4Tires
4Equipment
3Seats
3Air Bags
2Engine
1Fuel System, Other
1Seat Belts
1Service Brakes
1Unknown Or Other
1

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.

3 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

98 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED EHICLE WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND OTHER PARTS, BUTPROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858020

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2000
Equipment

ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL IS DEFECTIVE WHEN ACTIVATED, OUTSIDE AIR WITH BAD ODOR ENTERS. YH

NHTSA ODI #551024

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2000
Electrical System

CAR WOULD NOT START AT TIMES. WHEN CAR WOULD START IT WOULD NOT GO OUT OF FIRST GEAR. ALL DASH LIGHTS WOULD LIGHT UP. TOOK TRUCK IN 3 TIMES BEFORE PROBLEM WAS FOUND.TRUCK LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. OLDMOBILE DID NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR RENTAL CAR WHILE TRUCK WAS BEING LOOKED AT 3 TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #718627

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2000
Electrical SystemService Brakes, HydraulicVisibilityCrash

DUE TO DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WINDOWS WENT UP AND DOWN/ HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED, AND BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A CRASH. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING BATTERY CABLE FELL APART WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. *AK

NHTSA ODI #851082

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2000
Exterior Lighting

ADVERTISED SAFETY FEATURE "DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS" WERE NOT INSTALLED ON BRAVADAS, WITH A VIN NUMBER OF "[XXX]," AND LATER, DURING THE 1998 MANUFACTURING SEASON. I WAS INFORMED BY OLDSMOBILE ON 10/16/1998 THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON CORRECTING THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. TO DATE, 01/10/2000, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS S…

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ADVERTISED SAFETY FEATURE "DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS" WERE NOT INSTALLED ON BRAVADAS, WITH A VIN NUMBER OF "[XXX]," AND LATER, DURING THE 1998 MANUFACTURING SEASON. I WAS INFORMED BY OLDSMOBILE ON 10/16/1998 THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON CORRECTING THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. TO DATE, 01/10/2000, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #717159

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 1999
SeatsInjury

HEATING ELEMENT LOCATED IN SEAT BACK SHORTED OUT OR OVERHEATED CAUSING RIGHT FRONT SEAT COVER TO MELT. THE PASSENGER SITTING IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT RECEIVED VERY LIGHT SUPERFICIAL BURNS ON HER BACK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SERIOUS IF THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE PASSENGER SAT DOWN IN THE SEAT. I…

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HEATING ELEMENT LOCATED IN SEAT BACK SHORTED OUT OR OVERHEATED CAUSING RIGHT FRONT SEAT COVER TO MELT. THE PASSENGER SITTING IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT RECEIVED VERY LIGHT SUPERFICIAL BURNS ON HER BACK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SERIOUS IF THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE PASSENGER SAT DOWN IN THE SEAT. IT HAPPENED ON A WARM DAY, AND THE HEATING UNIT WAS NOT PURPOSELY SWITCHED ON. THE SWITCH TO THE HEATING UNIT IS LOCATED ON THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE SEAT. OFTEN IT IS ACCIDENTALLY KICKED ON WHEN ENTERING OR LEAVING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #709186

Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 1999
Suspension

I WAS HIT IN THE REAR QUARTER PANEL BY A VW. THE BRAVADA ROLLED TWICE. THE VW WAS HARDLY DAMAGED. I WAS ACCUSED OF SPEEDING WHILE IN FACT I WAS NOT. THE VEHICLE JUST ROLLED SO EASILY. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THESE SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLES ROLLING?

NHTSA ODI #708414

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES FAILED. CALIPER HAD INTERNAL SEAL FAILURE. MANAGED TO STOP WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE/ANYTHING. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. REPLACED FAULTY CALIPER.

NHTSA ODI #704308

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 1999
Air BagsVehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE IN STOP POSITION VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, HITTING A BUILDING IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #834419

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

TENSIONER PULLEY FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #608742

Official recalls

2

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

1

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.