FaultScore

1999 Oldsmobile 88 electrical problems

10 of the 106 complaints about the 1999 Oldsmobile 88 are about the electrical system — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 91,147 miles.

F

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

3

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Electrical System 4 40.0%
Interior/Under Dash 2 20.0%
Starter Assembly 2 20.0%
12V/24V/48V Battery 1 10.0%
Front Underhood 1 10.0%

Electrical System across every Oldsmobile 88 year

1994 13 15.5%
1995 16 19.0%
1996 11 13.1%
1997 17 20.2%
1998 17 20.2%
1999 10 11.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 145,000 miles Eagan, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1999 OLDSMOBILE 4.8L ENGINE WILL SHUT COMPLETELY OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURS BOTH AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS OF 65 MPH OR AT SLOWER SPEEDS OF 35 OR 35 MPH. ALL OF THE POWER ASSISTED FEATURES SUCH AS POWER BRAKES AND STEERING ALSO STOP WORKING WHEN THE ENGINE STOPS. THE ENGINE SHUTTING DEFECT DOES NOT OCCUR DAILY AND IS UNPREDICTABLE. THE ONLY CHECK ENGINE CODE PRESENT WAS A "EGR VALVE" CODE. THE EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED AT THE COST OF $344.00. THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF UNEXPECTEDLY DEFECT HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THAT APPEARS TO REPLICATE THE GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL THAT THIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN. FROM "GOOGLING" THIS DEFECT IT APPEARS TO AFFECT A LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILAR VEHICLES WITH 3.8L GM ENGINES AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.

NHTSA complaint #10820776 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mendora Heights, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE WILL RANDOMLY "KILL" AND IT HAPPENS SPORADICALLY - ALSO POSSIBLY SOMETHING IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAILING - MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES WITH REFERENCE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #10619369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 64,000 miles Tampa, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, BUT DEALERSHIP DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10094703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 118,295 miles Fredonia, KS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

1) ROUGH IDLE WHEN STOPPING CAR. UPON RESTART,STRANGE NOISE FROM ENGINE. WOULD NOT RESTART. 2) SMOKE FROM STARTER. ENGINE LOCKED UP. WATER LOSS FROM RADIATOR. CRACKED MANIFOLD. 3) REPLACED UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD & GASKET. CLEANED LOWER INTAKE. REPLACED SPARK PLUGS & WIRES. CHANGED OIL, OIL FILTER, & REPLACED STARTER.

NHTSA complaint #10088771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles North Babylon, NY Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE VEHICLE'S REAR POWER WINDOW WIRE HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10073408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EAU Claire, WI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE LOST POWER. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE, AND NOTICED ENGINE WAS LOCKED. TECHNICIAN REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, MANIFOLD, AND STARTER.

NHTSA complaint #10055399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EAU Claire, WI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE LOST POWER. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE, AND NOTICED ENGINE WAS LOCKED. TECHNICIAN REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, MANIFOLD, AND STARTER.

NHTSA complaint #10055399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dover, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER TWICE, DUE TO LEAKING. *JB *SCC

NHTSA complaint #10014565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clovis, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

COMPLETE LOSS OF DASH LIGHTING. INTERMITENT LOST OF INSTRUMENT DIGITAL INDICATORS I.E. MILEAGE, TRANSMISSION INDICATOR AND RADIO/CLOCK READOUT. "FACTORY TRAINED PERSONNEL" BEAT ON DASH AND PULLED ON WIRES BOTH TIMES ALONG WITH COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY OF DASH BOARD. BOTH TIMES THE LIGHTS STARTED WORKING ON THEIR OWN. WE ARE BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE FAILURE WITH INTERMITENT LOST OF LIGHTS AND DIGITAL INDICATION AGAIN. DEALER WANTS TO WAIT UNTIL THEY GO OUT COMPLETELY. HAZARD EXIST WHEN DRIVING EXPECIALLY AT NIGHT WITH NO DASH LIGHTS OR INDICATORS.

NHTSA complaint #723427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rock Island, IL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

OWNER TRIED TO START CAR AND THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, AND SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER VEHICLE DUE TO THE ENGINE CATCHING ON FIRE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #854566 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1999 Oldsmobile 88 problems

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