1987 Oldsmobile 98: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
10 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1987 model year. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Ignition is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 10 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 20.0% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 20.0% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 20.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 10.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 10.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Electrical System:Horn | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control | 1 |
| Equipment | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
Electrical System:Ignition: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Electrical System:Horn: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control: 1; Equipment: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 10 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1996 | 2 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2003 | 1 |
1995: 3; 1996: 2; 2000: 4; 2003: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Ignition leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10012364 · 2003-03-24 (March 24, 2003)
NAR 03-25-2003. *MR. SEVERAL PARTS ON THE VEHICLE FAILED SUCH AS 2 EGR VALVES, IDLE PASSAGE SWITCH, POWER ANTENNA, TRANSMISSION GASKET, CV BOOT, AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITION CONTROL UNIT, RADIO SPEAKERS, CRUISE CONTROL, RANDOM STALLING, CRACKED RADIATOR, WATER PUMP, THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE SPRING, WHEEL ALIGNMENT DID NOT HOLD, AIR CONDITION DID NOT WORK DUE TO A FREON LEAK, HEAD LIGHT ADJUSTING SCREW BROKE, TIE RODS, BATTERY CABLES, GAS GAUGE BROKE, CATALYTIC CONVERTER BROKE, THE HORN WAS HARD TO PUSH. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012364 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 506286 · 1996-07-11 (July 11, 1996)
TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 506286 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 722717 · 2000-05-15 (May 15, 2000)
EXCESSIVE PLAY IN STEERING COLUMN. PROBLEM MAY BE RELATED TO TILT STEERING MECHANISM. I WAS TOLD BY A REPAIR SHOP THAT THE "ANCHOR BOLTS" SECURING THE STEERING COLUMN HAVE COME LOOSE AND WOULD NEED TO BE RETIGHTENED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 722717 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 732860 · 2000-09-29 (September 29, 2000)
CAR DIES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS - SERVICE PERSONS CAN NOT FIND FAILURE. VERY DAGEROUS WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED IN HEAVY (FIVE LANES OF VEHICLES)TRAFFIC. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 732860 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 733366 · 2000-10-03 (October 3, 2000)
OLDSMOBILE HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING FOR THIS FAILURE EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THAT THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY BAD MANUFACTURING ON THEIR PART. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER BROUGHT IN TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR DURING THE TIME THAT THE WARRANTY WAS IN EFFECT SINCE NO FAILURES WERE NOTED AT THAT TIME/WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING FROM A REAL WARM BODY WHO CARES ABOUT THE PRODUCTS PLACED INTO SERVICE . WHEN THIS FAILS AT 70 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE URGE TO GET TO .SOME ONE IN OLDSMOBILE THAT KNOWS ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT SAFETY IS OVERPOWERING. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 733366 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 866305 · 2000-07-31 (July 31, 2000)
STEEL ENGINE MOUNTS RUSTED THROUGH, CAUSING REAR CRADLE BOLT TO SHEAR OFF AND ENGINE TO FALL OUT UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. *AK ENGINE MOUNTING CRADLE HAS NOT FAILED BUT MECHANIC TELLS TO CONSUMER IT MAY FAIL, AND CHECKS IT REGULARY. *YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 866305 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 965655 · 1995-05-22 (May 22, 1995)
THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT LATCH. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 965655 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 966451 · 1995-06-07 (June 7, 1995)
REPAIRED POWER BRAKES. 8AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 966451 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
87V093000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Reported: 1987-06-23 (June 23, 1987)
THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH MAY EXHIBIT BRAKE FLUID SEEPAGE WHICH EVENTUALLY CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR. ADDITIONALLY, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR AND ABS ELECTRICAL RELAYS MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO WATER CONTAMINATION DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR AND/OR LOSS OF THE ABS FUNCTION.
Consequence: LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR WOULD RESULT IN A TOTALLOSS OF REAR BRAKES AS WELL AS POWER ASSIST TO THE FRONT BRAKES. THE RED BRAKEWARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON. IF THIS WARNING IS NOT HEEDED, ALOSS OF REAR BRAKES AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE IS REQUIRED COULDRESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. AN INOPERATIVE ABS ELECTRICAL RELAY COULD CAUSELOSS OF THE ABS FUNCTION, BUT NORMAL POWER ASSISTED BRAKING WOULD BE RETAINED.THE AMBER ANTI LOCK WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON.
Remedy: THE ABS AND HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR ELECTRICAL RELAYS AND 30 AMP FUSES WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF REQUIRED, REPLACED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗87V135000 · Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers
Reported: 1987-09-01 (September 1, 1987)
AN IN LINE FUSIBLE LINK MAY MELT DOWN AND CAUSE A FIRE.
Consequence: THE IN LINE FUSIBLE LINK LOCATED IN THE AREA OF THEPLASTIC WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE BRACKET MAY, UNDER A HIGH RESISTANCE LOAD,MELT DOWN AND IGNITE THE WASHER BOTTLE BRACKET RESULTING IN AN ENGINECOMPARTMENT FIRE.
Remedy: THE WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE BRACKET WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA campaign record ↗88V080000 · Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
Reported: 1988-05-16 (May 16, 1988)
EXCESSIVE ACCELERATOR CABLE FRICTION MAY RESTRICT THE CABLES FREE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE THROTTLE BODY.
Consequence: THIS COULD PREVENT THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO CLOSED(IDLE) POSITION WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED; THUS, ENGINE SPEED WOULDNOT DECREASE, AND LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE ACCELERATOR CABLE.
NHTSA campaign record ↗