17 of the 129 complaints about the 1997 Oldsmobile 88 are about the electrical system — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 115,000 miles.
17
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DIED WHILE AT STOP LIGHT. WONT RESTART, TURNS OVER BUT WONT KEEP RUNNING.
NHTSA complaint #10511176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ON FEBRUARY 25, 2004 MY GRANDPARENTS PURCHASED A 1997 OLDSMOBILE LSS FROM NORTH LAKE FORD IN LAKEPORT CALIFORNIA. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PURCHASE THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED AN INTERMITTENT STALL, AND WOULD NOT RESTART FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. IN FACT THE VEHICLE STALLS WITH NO WARNING AND THEY WERE NEARLY RAN OVER BY A SEMI TRUCK WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED FOUR TIMES, AND IT STILL STALLS TO THIS DAY. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM TO PREVENT A CATASTROPHE.
NHTSA complaint #10100167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
MY COMPLAINT IS THAT WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD, MY HORN DOESN'T WORK UNTIL THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL WARMS UP, WHICH CAN TAKE UP TO AN HOUR. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MY OLDS DEALER IS APPARENTLY AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE THEY ADVISED THE ONLY THING I CAN DO IS TO REPLACE THE $700+ AIR BAG BECAUSE ALL THE WIRING FOR THE HORN IS RUN THROUGH THE AIR BAG. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. THERE WAS NO "INCIDENT" BUT APPARENTLY I HAVE TO PUT IN A DATE SO I WILL JUST MAKE ONE UP SO I CAN PROCEED WITH MY COMPLAINT.
NHTSA complaint #10056659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR AWHILE. HAD GOT IN AND INSERTED KEY IN IGNITION AND STARTED IT. SUDDENLY, VEHICLE BLEW UP AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD BLOWN. HAD NO INDICATION OF CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK FIRE POSSIBLY CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #882968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR AWHILE. HAD GOT IN AND INSERTED KEY IN IGNITION AND STARTED IT. SUDDENLY, VEHICLE BLEW UP AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD BLOWN. HAD NO INDICATION OF CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK FIRE POSSIBLY CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #882968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
AT 27 MPH VEHICLE STALLS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER 4 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AIK
NHTSA complaint #880555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURES IS CAUSING THE HORN TO SOUND WHILE THE VEHICLES IS PARKED (OFF), THE COURTESY LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATED AND THE TRUNK WOULD POP UP ON IT'S OWN. NLM
NHTSA complaint #551892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
SPARK PLUG WIRES BURNED OUT AT THE PLUG END, CAUSING ENGINE TO MISFIRE AND BUCK. DELAER HAS REPLACED THE IGNITION WIRES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED.
NHTSA complaint #861400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
SPARK PLUG WIRES BURNED OUT AT THE PLUG END, CAUSING ENGINE TO MISFIRE AND BUCK. DELAER HAS REPLACED THE IGNITION WIRES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED.
NHTSA complaint #861400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR MAKING NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #545130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLES ENGINE DIED FOR NO REASON. DEALER FOUND A FAULTY CODE FROM VEHICLE COMPUTER.
NHTSA complaint #825618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
DRIVER HEARD A POP IN THE RADIO, SHORTLY ATER THE RADIO WENT DEAD AND A FIRE ERUPTED ON THE PASSEGERS DOOR.
NHTSA complaint #541938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
HORN DESIGN IS DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE.
NHTSA complaint #538659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
HAD SWITCH ON HEADLIGHTS. HEARD A NOISE & LEFT VEHICLE. OVERHEAD DOME LIGHT DID NOT GO OUT ON OITS WN. WENT BACK TO VEHICLE & BATTERY DEAD. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BATTERY WAS GONE & NOT SHORT IN ELECTRICAL WIRING. *AK BATTERY WAS A DELCO, ONLY USED FOR 7 MONTHS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #825351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
HAD SWITCH ON HEADLIGHTS. HEARD A NOISE & LEFT VEHICLE. OVERHEAD DOME LIGHT DID NOT GO OUT ON OITS WN. WENT BACK TO VEHICLE & BATTERY DEAD. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP & WAS INFORMED BATTERY WAS GONE & NOT SHORT IN ELECTRICAL WIRING. *AK BATTERY WAS A DELCO, ONLY USED FOR 7 MONTHS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #825351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. HAS BEEN TO DEALER 2 TIMES AND PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK *SLC DEALER FELT THE PROBLEM WAS A COMBINATION OF A COMPUTER PROBLEM AND FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM, OLDSMOBILE TOOK VEHICLE BACK. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #815531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.