IllustrationAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT GEARS BEFORE IT GETS TO CORRECT SPEED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. MAUFACTURER AND DEALERS CANNOT FIX PROBLEM.*AKI
1997 Oldsmobile 88
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 88 years →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: 16 of 101 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. 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.
4 crash reports14 fire reports4 injury reports
Power Train complaints
12 reportsWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING SIGN OF TROUBLE, UPON INSPECTION CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED AT ONLY 30K MILES. NLM
MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE 88- ANTI-LOCK BRAKE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION CONTROL BOX REPLACEMENT AND NOW THE CAR HAS A SHAKING PROBLEM THAT DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT WITH 54000 MILES IT IS ON IT'S 5TH SET OF TIRES AND NUMERIOUS COMPUTER BALANCING'S AND CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM THE ARE HAS HAD ROTORS TURNED, WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED.…
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MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE 88- ANTI-LOCK BRAKE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION CONTROL BOX REPLACEMENT AND NOW THE CAR HAS A SHAKING PROBLEM THAT DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT WITH 54000 MILES IT IS ON IT'S 5TH SET OF TIRES AND NUMERIOUS COMPUTER BALANCING'S AND CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM THE ARE HAS HAD ROTORS TURNED, WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED. AXELS AND ROD'S CHECKED INTO BUT DEALER SAYS THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT AND HAS GIVEN UP!!! PLEASE HELP THANKS( DOT NUMBER: )
WHEN VEHICLE IS IDLING AND SHIFTING INTO REVERSE VEHICLE ISN'T DOING ANYTHING, WON'T MOVE INTO ANY GEAR UNTIL 30 SECOND LATER. THEN VEHICLE WILL JUMP INTO REVERSE. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE IS HAVING TROUBLE GOING INTO REVERSE GEAR IF NOT IN GEAR SHIFT IN THE RIGHT POSITION, MOVING GEAR SHIFT TO DRIVE AND REVERSE GEAR AGAIN SOLVES PROBLEMS. MJS
TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO MODULATING VALVE. MJS
THE CAR LOST COMPLETE POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. STARTED AGAIN WITH ENOUGH POWER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE GM DEALER IN TRAVERSE CITY MI. STATED THE CAR NEEDED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE SHAFT. IF THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD, IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. THIS CAR WAS NEVER ABUSED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT 49000. MIL…
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THE CAR LOST COMPLETE POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. STARTED AGAIN WITH ENOUGH POWER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE GM DEALER IN TRAVERSE CITY MI. STATED THE CAR NEEDED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE SHAFT. IF THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD, IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. THIS CAR WAS NEVER ABUSED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT 49000. MILES.
TRANSMISSION HAS TROUBLE ENGAGING INTO REVERSE GEAR.
TRANSMISSION WON'T ENGAGE IN REVERSE (STICKING) INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO PISTON SEAL LEAK.
WHEN THE THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND SHAKES . ROTORS WERE ROTATED AND REPLACED. LATER THEY CHANGED THE REAR HUBS,THEN THE PADS. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.