FaultScore

1998 Oldsmobile 88 transmission problems

10 of the 213 complaints about the 1998 Oldsmobile 88 are about the transmission — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 40,000 miles.

A

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 5 50.0%
Power Train 1 10.0%
Manual Transmission 1 10.0%
Torque Converter 1 10.0%
Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch 1 10.0%
Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) 1 10.0%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Oldsmobile 88 year

1992 11 20.4%
1993 20 37.0%
1997 13 24.1%
1998 10 18.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 40,000 miles Chalfont, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE ENTERING MY GARAGE AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED AND MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 OR 4 TIMES WHEN COMING TO A RED LIGHT OR STOPPED VEHICLES OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. I REMEMBER THE AUDI THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I REALLY THOUGHT I'D END UP IN MY LIVING ROOM. I QUICKLY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL ON ALL OCCASIONS. IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION ISN'T DROPPING DOWN TO IT'S LOW RANGE. HELP.

NHTSA complaint #10083141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

North BAY, UN

POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION: UPPER PLATE GASKET WENT, CAUSING GEAR SLIPPAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS WHICH GRADUALLY BECAME WORSE IN THE LOWER GEARS. TRANSMISSION REPLACED UNDER WARRENTY. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT UNIT WHICH IS NOW EXHIBITING MUCH OF THE SAME SLIPPAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS (ONLY MINORLY AT THE MOMENT) @ 156,000KM. ENGINE: FIRST ENGINE HAD THE EGR/EXHAUST DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO MELT AND COOLANT TO POOR INTO THE ENGINE. REPORT FROM THE SHOP WAS THAT ENTIRE BOTTOM END WAS DESTROYED BY THE COOLANT, AND A FULL NEW ENGINE HAD TO BE ORDERED (COMPLETE WITH ACCESSORIES, ETC.). THE NEW ENGINE'S IDLER FOR THE SERPENTINE HAD THE BEARING CEASE, KNOCKING THE BELT OFF. SINCE THE WATERPUMP WAS BELT DRIVEN, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE CAR WAS LEFT TO IDLE IN THE PARKING LOT FOR A TOTAL TIME OF ~ 5-15MIN. (THE TEMPERATURE OUT WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND -40C / -40F.). BRAKES: PERHAPS CRONICALLY UNDERSIZED FOR THIS VEHICLE, ROTORS HAVE WARPED LIKE CLOCKWORK EVERY 30,000KM. THEY ARE CURRENTLY WARPED APPROACHING 160,000KM AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED --- AGAIN --- SHORTLY. THIS IS NOT A CAR THAT SEE'S MUCH HEAVY USE. GROCERIES ON WEEKENDS, ~ 15-20KM MAX. TOTAL DAILY TRIP DURING WORKDAYS. IT HAS YET TO ACCOMPLISH AN EXTENDED ROAD TRIP (I.E., NORTH BAY -> OTTAWA OR NORTH BAY -> TORONTO, 4 HOURS (~400KM) AND 3 HOURS (~300KM) RESPECTIVELY) WITHOUT THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT BEING LIT. ADDITIONAL RECOLLECTION: FRONT FOG LIGHTS CONSTANTLY FILLING WITH CONDENSATION AS WELL, HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4-5 TIMES WHILE UNDER WARRENTY. NO SOLUTION WAS FOUND AND NOW THEY'RE JUST NOT USED.

NHTSA complaint #10071326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Long View, WA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER TRIED TO PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PUT IN DRIVE, STILL NOTHING HAPPENED. CONSUMER CUT OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED, AND IT WENT INTO GEAR. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AKTHE FAULTY PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #8018700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Elkhart, IN

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION STOPS OPERATING WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEALER CONTACTED. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #8018587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Elkhart, IN

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING AT 25MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE SHUT OFF. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AKTHE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT WOULD NOT MOVE INTO GEAR. ALSO THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT SWITCH PLATE.

NHTSA complaint #8017095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hastings, MN

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

THE "ABS" AND "TRACTION CONTROL OFF" INDICATOR LIGHTS STARTED TO COME ON AND STAY ON SOME TIME IN NOVEMBER 2000. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT. AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE ICE BUILDUP WHICH CAUSES THE SPEED SENSORS TO GO OFF. THE COST TO REPLACE ANY ONE SPEED SENSOR WAS APPROX $450-$500 PER WHEEL HUB. IN JULY 2001 I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE THE ABS AND TRACTIONCONTROL ISSUES FIXED. THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ISSUES WERE FIXED BY REPLACING THE "BRAIN BOX" FOR THE SPEED SENSORS. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FIX, THE ABS/TRACTIONCONTROL OFF LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND THEY THEN FOUND THE BREAK PRESSURE MODULATOR VALVE HAD A DEAD SPOT IN THE ARMATURE. TO REPLACE THE BPMV WILL COST APPROX $1600. THESE ISSUES ALL SEEM TO BE ELECTRONIC. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY ISSUES WITH THE ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL IN THIS CAR? THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #751625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Borden, IN

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

VEHICLE WAS IN PARKED GEAR WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING IN CONSUMERS GARAGE, CONSUMER LEFT VEHICLE TO GO INTO HOUSE AND UPON RETURNING FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE HAD JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE AND CRASHED INTO GARAGE DOOR. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #556391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Liverpool, NY

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER BLADES, WHICH WERE SPOT WELDED, HAD BROKEN LOOSE AND PIECES OF METAL WERE CONTAMINATING THE TRANSMISSION. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #553590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EL Cerrito, CA

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

WHILE DECENDING A STEEP GRADE THE TRANSMISSION (IN LOW GEAR) AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. NLM

NHTSA complaint #547964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Peabody, MA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUAL NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION, UNABLE TO RECTIFY.

NHTSA complaint #543139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Oldsmobile 88 problems

← Full 1998 Oldsmobile 88 report