1997 Oldsmobile ACHIEVA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
37 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
76,400 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 13 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 37 complaints (16.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 21.6% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 16.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 10.8% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 8.1% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 2.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 2.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 5 |
| Air Bags | 3 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 3 |
| Power Train | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 5; Air Bags: 3; Electrical System: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 3; Power Train: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 24 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 | 7 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2000: 7; 2001: 5; 2002: 9; 2003: 6; 2004: 5; 2007: 1; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 8 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 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 10002622 · 2003-01-13 (January 13, 2003)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRING.
Owner-reported narrative. 74,081 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002622 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007410 · 2002-09-14 (September 14, 2002)
I JUST GOT WORK DONE TO IT 9/13/02 THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, AND TIMING CHAIN. WHEN I FIRST START UP THE CAR AND DRIVE ABOUT TWO BLOCKS THE TEMPERATURE GO STRAIGHT TO THE HALF MARK AND WORK IT'S WAY TOWARDS THE HOT TEMPERATURE. THE CAR GETS HOT TOO FAST. I HAVE SPENT $600.00 ON THIS CAR SO FAR AND I JUST BOUGHT IT. THE WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO. IT WAS A THREE MONTH WARRANTY ON THE CAR. PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**767158
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007410 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10009760 · 2003-03-13 (March 13, 2003)
THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER LEVER DID NOT MOVE TO PARK AND THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE SWITCHED OFF. THE SHIFTER LEVER WAS JAMMED IN DRIVE AND THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE BOOT AND CONSOLE WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED 2 TIMES. HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTED AND DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ADMIT PART WAS DEFECTIVE. *TT *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009760 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10011447 · 2003-03-20 (March 20, 2003)
THE WHEEL RIM WAS OUT OF ROUND WHICH CAUSED A SEVERE VIBRATION. *TS *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 22,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011447 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015488 · 2003-04-18 (April 18, 2003)
THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE WINDOW TO GO UP AND DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. *MR *PH *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015488 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019548 · 2003-05-19 (May 19, 2003)
THE VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE THE OIL PRESSURE EXCEEDED ITS NORMAL RANGE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE 02 SENSOR AND CLEANED THE FUEL TANK, ALSO THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED A HARD SHIFT. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019548 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024328 · 2003-06-18 (June 18, 2003)
VEHICLE BATTERY SHORTED OUT WHICH RESULTED IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. THIS CAUSED POWER DOORS TO BE INOPERATIVE. CONSUMER WAS TRAPPED IN VEHICLE, DOORS COULDN'T BE OPENED FROM INSIDE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024328 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10059102 · 2004-02-27 (February 27, 2004)
CAR WOULD NOT START SO WE TOOK THE CAR IN ON 1/22/2004 AND HAD TO HAVE AN IGNITION MODULE REPLACED. COST $492.45 ON 2/6/2004 ONCE AGAIN CAR WOULD NOT START , SO WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO A DIFFERENT SHOP AND HAD TO HAVE THE ECM MODULE REPLACED . COST $629.28 THE TRUNK OF THIS CAR FILLS WITH WATER, HAS POWER SURGES THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM--NOTICEABLE WHEN THE HEAT, DEFROST OR FAN HAS TO BE USED. ON OCCASION THE CAR ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON IT AND I FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE THE FOURTH OWNERS OF THIS …
Owner-reported narrative. 18,848 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059102 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
02V070000 · Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
Reported: 2002-03-06 (March 6, 2002)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 27, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V059000 · Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
Reported: 1997-04-08 (April 8, 1997)
THE PROTECTIVE COVER FOR THE UNDERHOOD FUSE CENTER WAS OMITTED. WITHOUT THIS COVER, THE POSITIVE TERMINAL BOLT ON THE FUSE BLOCK IS EXPOSED AND CAN CONTACT THE INSULATED NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE. IF THE INSULATION ON THE NEGATIVE CABLE BECOMES SUFFICIENTLY WORN, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT CAN OCCUR BETWEEN THE POSITIVE TERMINAL AND NEGATIVE CABLE RESULTING IN EXTREMELY HIGH CURRENT FLOW.
Consequence: THIS HIGH CURRENT FLOW CAN CAUSE ARCING AND RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE PROTECTIVE COVER AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER TO THE UNDERHOOD FUSE CENTER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗