FaultScore report
Owners have filed 33 complaints about the 1986 Oldsmobile 88 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2002. The largest single group is the brakes.
33
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
1 crashes, 0 fires
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
BRAKE FAILURE
BRAKE FAILURE
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REAR BRAKE PIN
SUMMARY:THESE VEHICLES HAVE REAR DRUM BRAKES.THE PARKING LEVER PIVOTPIN IS HELD BY AN E RING.WHEN THE RING FAILS, PARTS OF THE RING ANDPIN FALL LOOSE INTO THE DRUM AND MAY JAM THE BRAKE, LOCKING THE WHEEL.A STRONGER E RING IS USED IN 1988 AND NEWER CARS.THIS INVESTIGATIONHAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE GMS C BODY CARS LISTED ABOVE (E RING COMMONTO ALL CARS SHOWN).===
REAR BRAKE PIN
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ANTI LOCK BRAKES
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THROTTLE NON-RETURN
STALLING
SUMMARY:THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGE THAT STALLING IS DUE TO VARIOUS FAULTYCOMPONENTS OF THE FUEL INJECTION AND/OR IGNITION SYSTEM. THE FOLLOWINGMODELS ARE INVOLVED:BUICK ELECTRA, LESABRE, RIVERA, CENTURY; OLDS CUTLASSCIERA, 88, 98, TORONADO; PONTIAC BONNEVILLE.STATUS:THIS INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.WE ARE CONTINUING TO ANALYZEINFORMATION PROVIDED BY GM AND ARE PREPARING AN ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONREQUEST TO GM TO CLARIFY CERTAIN TECHNICAL ITEMS.===
THROTTLE SYSTEM FAILURE
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:GM REPORTED KNOWLEDGE OF 137OWNER COMPLAINTS, 317 FIELD REPORTS, AND 2 LAWSUITS, IN ADDITION TO THEREPORTS RECEIVED DIRECTLY BY THE NHTSA.THE REPORTS RECEIVED BY GM CITETHE OCCURRENCE OF 263 ACCIDENTS,INCLUDING 77 INJURY ACCIDENTS, 100 INJURIESAND 1 FATALITY.SEVERAL POSSIBLE MODES OF THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE OR MALFUNCTIONARE UNDER CONSIDERATION IN THIS PE, INCLUDING SELF-ACTUATION, FAILURE TODEACTIVATE UPON DRIVER COMMAND, AND THROTTLE SYSTEM STICKING OR BINDING.HAVING EVALUATED THE 456REPORTS RECEIVED DIRECTLY AND THE 36 CONSUMERCOMPLAINTS SUBM...
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
SUSPENSION:REAR
THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT STUD TO KNUCKLE ATTACHMENT MAY HAVE BEEN INADEQUATELY TIGHTENED. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS COULD ALLOW THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT STUD TO LOOSEN AT THE KNUCKLE ATTACHMENT. A LOOSE BALL JOINT STUD COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK AND SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE. SEPARATION COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE TRAVELING WENT INTO EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION WITHOUT INDICATION DUE TO CRUISE CONTROL BEING STUCK. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, AND WAS INJURED. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #859030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS ABOUT 3 MINUTES AFTER FIRST START, MOSTLY WHEN MAKING TURNS OR WHEN COMING TO A STOP. NLM
NHTSA complaint #8008047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE TRAVELING WENT INTO EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION WITHOUT INDICATION DUE TO CRUISE CONTROL BEING STUCK. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, AND WAS INJURED. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #859030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLS/ AND HESITATES. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #848209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHEN PUT IN REVERSE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #544891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL MECHANISM GETS STUCK OR CANNOT MOVE PROPERLY WHICH MAY CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #833104 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF HITTING OTHER VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #535708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER CYLINDER LEAKS.
NHTSA complaint #539791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC
BRAKE MOTOR FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKING POWER.
NHTSA complaint #603357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC
THE PUMP MOTOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #603357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS
REAR BRAKE SHOES FAILED AND THE DRUMS WERE RESURFACED.
NHTSA complaint #603357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
BRAKE SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER BRAKES.
NHTSA complaint #603357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
AXLE SEALS WERE LEAKING.
NHTSA complaint #603357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
VENT SWITCH STUCK DUE TO FAILED CONTROL HEAD.
NHTSA complaint #603357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE SHOES FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #517739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ACCUMULATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #517739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ACCUMULATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #603382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP
SHORT IN BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAUSES BRAKE LIGHT TO COME ON.
NHTSA complaint #517739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS.
NHTSA complaint #515761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION REPLACED.(1ST VEHICLE ON 601619)
NHTSA complaint #506065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
VEHICLE DOES NOT OPERATE WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #803600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
VEHICLE REVVED EXTREMELY HIGH WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. DLRS. DIAGNOSIS: IDLE CONTROL MOTOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #985676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
FAILUE OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, BALL JOINT SUDDENLY IS LOOSE.
NHTSA complaint #984051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
REPLACED WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP.
NHTSA complaint #487740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
REPLACED POWER WINDOW SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #487740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
REPLACED IGNITION COIL.
NHTSA complaint #487740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.