1998 Oldsmobile 88 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
145 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
69,080 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 62 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 15 of 145 complaints (10.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 21 | 14.5% |
| Engine operation | 18 | 12.4% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 5.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 2.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 2.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 14 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 14 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 14 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery | 11 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Engine | 6 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 14; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery: 11; Unknown Or Other: 8; Engine: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 11 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 23 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 15 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 23; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 2
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (23). 83 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 11 |
| 2001 | 19 |
| 2002 | 23 |
| 2003 | 32 |
| 2004 | 30 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2000: 11; 2001: 19; 2002: 23; 2003: 32; 2004: 30; 2005: 11; 2007: 6; 2009: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 2; 2015: 1; 2016: 3; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 18 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10016366 · 2003-04-22 (April 22, 2003)
ANTI- LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED 3 TIMES RESULTING IN ONE ACCIDENT. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND NOTHING CAN BE FOUND WITH WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 60,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016366 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016369 · 2003-04-22 (April 22, 2003)
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED 3 TIMES. 1ST TIME WAS 01-10-03. 2ND TIME WAS 04-11-03 AND 3RD TIME WAS 04-21-03. IST TIME RESULTED IN ACCIDENT AND LAST 2 TIMES I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF HIGHWAY BEFORE REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WILL ENTER THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 60,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016369 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10011955 · 2003-03-18 (March 18, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS DIFFICULT TO RESTART. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011955 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10012373 · 2003-04-03 (April 3, 2003)
WHITE SMOKE EXPELLED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THE ENGINE STALLED. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE SLEEVE WHICH SEALED THE EXHAUST GAS AS IT ENTERED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED. *MR...*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012373 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10009565 · 2003-02-27 (February 27, 2003)
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING WHEEL.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009565 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017439 · 2003-04-23 (April 23, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017439 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041273 · 2003-10-05 (October 5, 2003)
WHILE MERGING INTO INTERSTATE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING ENGINE FAILED CAUSING LOST OF BRAKING AND STEERING EFFECTIVENESS. NO WARNING WAS RECEIVED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND UPPER INTAKE WAS FOUND CRACKED ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER COMBUSTION CHAMBER. ONE WEEK AND $800.00 LATER CAR WAS "REPAIRED" VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEMS. HARD STARTING, RANDOM STALLING. DEALER ADVISED ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 3800 SERIES II ENGINE REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE OR TYPE OF USE AND MAINTENANCE. CONSIDERING THE SUDDEN L…
Owner-reported narrative. 73,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041273 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10073204 · 2004-05-26 (May 26, 2004)
I PURCHASED A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 IN MARCH OF 2003, I PUT NEW WIRING ON THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY IN DECEMBER AFTER I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED BECAUSE THE CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AGAIN AND THE CAR WAS USING ALL THE WATER ABOUT EVERY 10 MILES, I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. AFTER LEAVING THE REPAIR SHOP, I STOPPED BY A STORE AND WAS INSIDE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START RIGHT AWAY, I HAD TO TRY STARTING NUMEROUS TIMES…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10073204 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071326 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
TRANSMISSION: UPPER PLATE GASKET WENT, CAUSING GEAR SLIPPAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS WHICH GRADUALLY BECAME WORSE IN THE LOWER GEARS. TRANSMISSION REPLACED UNDER WARRENTY. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT UNIT WHICH IS NOW EXHIBITING MUCH OF THE SAME SLIPPAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS (ONLY MINORLY AT THE MOMENT) @ 156,000KM. ENGINE: FIRST ENGINE HAD THE EGR/EXHAUST DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO MELT AND COOLANT TO POOR INTO THE ENGINE. REPORT FROM THE SHOP WAS THAT ENTIRE BOTTOM END WAS DESTROYED BY THE COOLANT, AND A FULL NEW ENGINE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071326 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10083141 · 2004-08-02 (August 2, 2004)
WHILE ENTERING MY GARAGE AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 OR 4 TIMES WHEN COMING TO A RED LIGHT OR STOPPED VEHICLES OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. I REMEMBER THE AUDI THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I REALLY THOUGHT I'D END UP IN MY LIVING ROOM. I QUICKLY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL ON ALL OCCASIONS. IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION ISN'T DROPPING DOWN TO IT'S LOW RANGE. HELP. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083141 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10504705 · 2013-03-27 (March 27, 2013)
I JUST BOUGHT THIS USED CAR ON JAN 1, 2013. I NOTICED A SMELL FROM THE CAR BUT WASN'T SURE WHAT IS WAS AND BOUGHT THE CAR ANYWAYS. WELL A COUPLE WEEKS LATER MY BOYFRIEND WAS CHECKING MY FLUIDS ON THE CAR AND NOTICED A FUEL LEAK UNDER THE HOOD, SO WE WENT TO AUTO ZONE AND BOUGHT A FUEL LINE THAT COST AROUND $30, HE PUT IT ON, STILL LEAKING, WELL WE FIGURED SINCE THE FUEL LINE THAT WE BOUGHT WASN'T PRECRIMPED IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK, SO WE WENT TO THE JUNK YARD AND GOT THE EXACT SAME PART OFF ANOTHER 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88, FIGURED SINCE IT WAS PREC…
Owner-reported narrative. 190 miles reported. Look up ODI 10504705 at NHTSA ↗