IllustrationENGINE OVERHEATING UD-LIKE COOLANT (DEX-COOL). *AK
1996 Oldsmobile Bravada
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Oldsmobile Bravada do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 58.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Bravada 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: 11 of 77 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 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. 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 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 reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
10 reportsTHE VEHICLE BEGAN OVERHEATING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND SAID THAT THE COOLANT BECAME MUDDY AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT WHEN THE COOLANT GETS A LITTLE LOW. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A FLUSH AND FILL ON THE RADIATOR AND COOLING SYSTEM. THE DEALER WANTED TO PUT THE SAME COOLANT IN TH…
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THE VEHICLE BEGAN OVERHEATING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND SAID THAT THE COOLANT BECAME MUDDY AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT WHEN THE COOLANT GETS A LITTLE LOW. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A FLUSH AND FILL ON THE RADIATOR AND COOLING SYSTEM. THE DEALER WANTED TO PUT THE SAME COOLANT IN THE RADIATOR AND THIS WAS UNUSUAL TO ME. I HAD THEM PUT IN PRESTON AND HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE. *LA
DRIVER STOPPED AT TOLL BOOTH TO PAY TOLL AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO INVESTIGATE WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM, AND DETERMINED THAT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE EXHAUST.DRIVER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS OIL LEAKING ONTO THE BRAKES WHICH IS CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE TROUBLE STOPPING BECAUSE THE BRAKES WILL BECOME SLIPPERY. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. MR
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULD STALL, DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, COIL AND MODULE, FUEL PUMP, CRANK SENSOR AND IGNITION SWITCH, HOWEVER PROBLEM CONTINUED, CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED VEHICLE IN FOR A 2002 BRAVADA. *SLC
VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO THE TOP, ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES, DEALER FOUND THAT RADIATOR WAS FULL OF BAD COOLANT AND VERY MUDDY, THE MUD WAS CLOGGING THE RADIATOR WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF COOLANT FLOW AND OVERHEATED CONDITION, THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED, FLUSHED ENGINE BLOCK AND HEATER CORE OF MUDDY COOLANT, …
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VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO THE TOP, ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES, DEALER FOUND THAT RADIATOR WAS FULL OF BAD COOLANT AND VERY MUDDY, THE MUD WAS CLOGGING THE RADIATOR WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF COOLANT FLOW AND OVERHEATED CONDITION, THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED, FLUSHED ENGINE BLOCK AND HEATER CORE OF MUDDY COOLANT, AND THERMOSTAT AND RADIATOR CAP WAS REPLACED.*JB
BRAKE PEDAL IS EXTREMELY HARD TO PRESS, IT GOES LOW TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PROBLEM GETS BETTER WHEN THEY PUT NEW PADS ON. THEN 5,000 TO 8,000 MILES IT HAPPENS ALL OVER AGAIN.*AK MECHANIC FOUND ROTORS TO BE HARD THEY WERE REMOVED AND CLEANED AND READJUSTED AND ALSO CLEANED REAR DRUMS, ALSO CONSUME…
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BRAKE PEDAL IS EXTREMELY HARD TO PRESS, IT GOES LOW TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PROBLEM GETS BETTER WHEN THEY PUT NEW PADS ON. THEN 5,000 TO 8,000 MILES IT HAPPENS ALL OVER AGAIN.*AK MECHANIC FOUND ROTORS TO BE HARD THEY WERE REMOVED AND CLEANED AND READJUSTED AND ALSO CLEANED REAR DRUMS, ALSO CONSUMER STATES A LIGHT WAS ON, OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *JB
ABS BRAKES FAILED. ALSO REPLACED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS/CALIPERS AND ENGINE FAN BELT. *AK
BRAKES FAILED.
ENGINE LEAKS OIL SINCE DELIVERY.
Official recalls
303V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. 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, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
01V200000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
Jun 28, 2001
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FAILURE OF AN UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY COULD OCCUR DUE TO CORROSION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN IMPAIRED STEERING OR STEERING LOSS, OR A PARTIAL OR COMPLETE COLLAPSE OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 4, 2001. 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, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
96V234000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Nov 14, 1996
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4-DOOR, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ALL-WHEEL DRIVE MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING DEVELOPMENT TESTING, THE PROP SHAFT CONTACTED THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK ALLOWING FUEL LEAKAGE. THIS LEAKAGE WAS IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT PERMITTED BY FMVSS 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT, AND THERE IS A FUEL LEAK, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL ADDITIONAL SHIELDING OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS WILL BE ADDED WITHOUT REMOVING OR DISASSEMBLING THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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
3EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
EA99022 · Upper And Lower Control Arm Ball Joint
Opened Jul 30, 1999 · Closed Aug 28, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
EA94038 · Abs Braking System
Opened Oct 31, 1994 · Closed Feb 28, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.