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1994 Oldsmobile 88

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 63 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

63 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE INTAKE IS PLASTIC AND THE EGR TUBE SREWS DIRECTLY INTO IT,THUS CAUSING THE INTAKE TO MELT AND DISTORT CAUSE YOUR COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINES CYLINDER WALLS.WHICH ANTIFREEZE HAS SUGARS IN IT THUS CAUSEING THE ENGINE TO BURN UP.HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA AND THEY ALL SAY THAT IT HAPPENS TO ALL THE CARS W…

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THE INTAKE IS PLASTIC AND THE EGR TUBE SREWS DIRECTLY INTO IT,THUS CAUSING THE INTAKE TO MELT AND DISTORT CAUSE YOUR COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINES CYLINDER WALLS.WHICH ANTIFREEZE HAS SUGARS IN IT THUS CAUSEING THE ENGINE TO BURN UP.HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA AND THEY ALL SAY THAT IT HAPPENS TO ALL THE CARS WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE.THOUGH THEY DO NOT WANT TO ADMIT IT IS A FACTORY PRODUCTION MESS UP.YOU CANT MIX A METAL EGR TUBE WITH A PLASTIC INTAKE THAT GETS IN EXCESS OF 3 OR 400 DEGREES AND NOT EXPECT IT TO MELT THE PLASTIC INTAKE.SO NOW I HAVE A PRACTICALLY BLOWN UP ENGINE DUE TO A FACTORY PRODUCTION SCREW UP AND ITS GOING TO COST "ME" THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739097

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL CRANK BACK UP IMMEDIATELY, BUT THERE WERE TIMES THAT IT WILL NOT.DEALER AND MECHANIC HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DULPICATE DEFECT. CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #868914

Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE LINES BECAME CORRODED/ RUSTED THROUGH. ONE OF THE LINES CRACKED, CAUSING NO BRAKING ABILITY, WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN A CRASH. *AK

NHTSA ODI #867278

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2000
Structure

PAINT BEGAN TO BUBBLE AROUND EDGES AND PEELED OFF IN LARGE PORTIONS. MAJOR PEELING WAS OCCURING ON ROOF TOP/TRUNK AND HOOD. IT HAS MULTIPLE SPOTS OF PEELING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #867061

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2000
Electrical System

AFTER DRIVING FOR A SHORT DISTANCE AND TURNING THE VEHICAL OFF, VEHICAL WILL TURN OVER, BUT NOT START. "AFTER CHECKING, NO SPARK TO PLUGS" AFTER 20 MINUTES OR MORE OF TRYING TO RESTART VEHICAL, IT WILL FINALLY START. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT SEEM TO KNOW WHAT IS WRONG.*AK

NHTSA ODI #725607

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 2000
Power Train

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THAT VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #724159

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS LIGHT CAME ON, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION OF THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM WHICH MAY CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OR INOPERATIVE ABS BRAKES AT 37,000 MILES. SYSTEM CHECKED OUT BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, INDICATED PUMP DEFECTIVE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #863248

Mileage unknown · May 25, 2000
Power Train

THE IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED WITHOUT THE GEAR BEING IN NEUTRAL OR PARK DUE TO MASTER LOCK CYLINDER FAILURE. YH

NHTSA ODI #552406

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE WILL STALL WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #855628

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2000
Seat Belts

REAR PASSENGER'S RESTRAINT HAS JAMMED IN PLACE. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #855054

Official recalls

1

94V138000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch

Aug 2, 1994

A SPRING IN THE HEAD LAMP PORTION OF THE HEAD PARK LAMP SWITCH CAN FAIL PREVENTING LATCHING OF THE HEAD LAMP PORTION OF THE SWITCH IN THE "ON" POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE HEAD LAMPS WOULD NOT STAY ILLUMINATED RESULTING IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT HEAD/PARK LAMP SWITCH BUILD DATE CODES AND REPLACE SWITCHES WITH SUSPECT DATE CODES.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.