105 of the
625 complaints filed about the Oldsmobile Achieva
are about the engine —
17% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A BURNING ODOR WAS DETECTED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IDLED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD A CERTIFIED MECHANIC CHECK THE OIL WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLING LIQUID LEAKED ONTO THE OIL PAN, WHICH MIXED THE TWO LIQUIDS. COOLANT ALSO LEAKED INTO THE AIR VENTS. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
NHTSA complaint #10853272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I BOUGHT MY DADS 1996 OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA, ON ABOUT THE 7-22-13, HE HAD IT AT OUR MECHANICS CAR LOT FOR SALE AND MY TRUCKS TRANSMISSION STARTED FAILING ON ME SO I PURCHASED MY DADS CAR, WENT TO PICK IT UP AND NOW AFTER 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND 5 WEEKS LATER THEY STILL CAN'T GET MY CAR FIXED SO IT WILL RUN,THIS IS WHAT IT DOES,SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF FLASHING UNTIL IT COMES ON FULLY ALL THE TIME,DIES AND REFUSES TO START, SO I DONE SOME LOOKING ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE ACHIEVA, MALIBU'S,BASICALLY ALL G.M. CARS FROM EARLY 90'S- UPPER 90'S ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT CAN HAPPEN WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN IN SOME CASES, SO I FILL LIKE IF THIS IS NOT TOOK CARE OF IT COULD CAUSE A WRECK,FIRE OR AN ACCIDENT OF SOME KIND BEING IT IS THE # 1 THING TO GO WRONG WITH THIS KIND AND YEAR MODEL'S OF OLDS-ACHIEVA, JUST WAS WONDERING IF MY CAR GOT MISSED ON RECALL OR IF IT SHOULD BE RECALLED, I'M ABOUT HALF WAY AFRAID TO DRIVE IT EVEN IF IT GETS FIXED, THAT IT WILL DO IT AGAIN AND ME BE DRIVING IT NEXT TIME, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANY HELP FOR MY CAR TO GET RECALLED..
NHTSA complaint #10535676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA. THE CONTACT WAS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE. SHE WOULD HAVE TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL OCCASIONALLY IN ORDER FOR IT TO START. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE SMELL AND SMOKE OCCURRED AT RANDOM. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AT LEAST THREE TIMES. INITIALLY, WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD IMMEDIATELY RESTART. AFTER A SHORT TIME, IT WOULD TAKE LONGER TO RESTART. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE THE STALLING OCCURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V287000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY). THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,900.
NHTSA complaint #10217302 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED 3 TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE STATION AND PUT ON THE COMPUTER, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND WHAT WAS WRONG. THE INTAKE GASKET BLEW TWICE ALLOWING WATER IN THE ENGINE. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10125502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR CONDITIONER LEAKS COOLANT AND NEEDS TO BE REPEATEDLY SERVICED BECAUSE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS WARM AIR. AIR CONDITIONER CHECKED WHEN UNDER WARRANTY 4/1/98 AND DEALER STATED RECHARGED A/C. HOWEVER, COOLANT NEEDED TO BE ADDED 5/28/99, 5/12/00, 4/29/01, 6/9/04 FOR A TOTAL COST OF $482.48. DYE INJECTED AND NO LEAK NOTICED. LEAKAGE OCCURS OVER MONTHS WHERE DYE NOT DETECTABLE. SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSING THE COOLANT TO LEAK OUT OVER TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10079180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO KNOCK. THEN , ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED SOME PARTS.
NHTSA complaint #10071651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK. ALSO, ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND HE DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10071606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT. COMPUTER CONTROLS HAVE BEEN NONRELIABLE SINCE PURCHASE, FROM AIRBAG LIGHT, ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT, SPEEDOMETER, ETC POWER WINDOWS BECAME INOPERABLE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, FIXED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY, LATER AT A COST OF SOME 400.+ DOLLARS TO ME.
NHTSA complaint #10069581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ALTERNATOR,SERP BELT TENSIONER, SERP BELT, R& R ALTERNATOR,R & R BELT TENSIONER ... THE TENSION ACUTALLY BROKE OFF AND DESTROYED THE OTHER PARTS. HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN???? FOR ONLY 43000 MILES ON THIS CAR THATS RIDICULOUS... ANY HELP HERE/?
NHTSA complaint #10068779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
(1)54,971 MILES "LOW COOLANT LIGHT" DEX-COOL COOLANT GUARANTEED FOR 5 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES REPORTED "DIRTY COOLANT" FLUSHED AND REPLACED. STATED NO LEAKS,(2) INTERMITTENT "LOW COOLANT LIGHT" TOPPED UP "DEX-COOL" AS PER MANUFACTURES INSTRUCTIONS. (3)56,000 MILES REPLACED HOSE THAT HAD DISINTEGRATED (4)59,350 MILES "COOLANT LEAK" REPLACED WATER PUMP, REPLACED SERP. BELT SATURATED WITH COOLANT. POSSIBLE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK! ENGINE SHAMPOO BECAUSE OF COOLANT SATURATION.(5)62,370MILES "COOLANT LEAK" REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND GASKET REPLACED DEX-COOL FOR THE 4TH TIME. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH DEX-COOL COOLANT CAUSING COOLANT SYSTEM TO BREAK DOWN. (6) POSSIBLE RAD LEAK!!!
NHTSA complaint #10071328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BAD PAINT JOB ON HOOD AT DELIVERY, RE-CLEARCOATED IT. NOISY CATALYTIC CONVERTER, REPLACED BAD WHEEL BEARING AND BRAKES NOW FAILING (COMPLETE LOSS OF FLUID IN REAR) HORRIBLE DASH SQUEAK THAT CANNOT BE LOCATED OR FIXED. AWD FLUID HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO "WRONG FLUID USED" AT ASSEMBLY. I BOUGHT THIS "0" DOWN AND "0" INTEREST & OWE $5,000 MORE THAN THE THING IS WORTH FOR A TRADE IN!!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT IT IS WORTH A LITTLE MORE THAN 30% OF ITS PURCHASE PRICE AT 35000 MILES 3 MODEL YEARS LATER!!! IT LOOSES VALUE FASTER THAN I CAN PAY FOR IT!!!
NHTSA complaint #10069807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER SENT A LETTER TO OLDSMOBILE DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS AND DIDN'T RECEIVE A RESPONSE. *PH THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. AT TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. THIS CONDITION WAS INTERMITTENT. THE LINKAGE WAS CHECKED, BUT NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. *TT
NHTSA complaint #10057266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, STRONG GAS FUMES CAME THROUGH THE VENTS. *AK THE SMELL WORSENED PER CONSUMER. THE MECHANIC TIGHTENED THE GROUND TO THE COMPUTER, CHECKED FOR EXHAUST LEAKS AND FOUND NONE. THERE WERE CRACKS IN THE FLANGE AT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS, THE WIPERS DID NOT WORK, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK WERE INOPERATIVE AS WELL, AND NOISE OCCURRED WHEN THE A/C WAS IN USE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF REPAIRS THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRED. *SC THE BATTERY, TIRES, LOWER RADIATOR HOSE, FRONT STRUTS,WATER PUMP, DISC BRAKE, CALIPERS, PADS AND STARTER SOLENOID WERE ALL REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10057476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, STRONG GAS FUMES CAME THROUGH THE VENTS. *AK THE SMELL WORSENED PER CONSUMER. THE MECHANIC TIGHTENED THE GROUND TO THE COMPUTER, CHECKED FOR EXHAUST LEAKS AND FOUND NONE. THERE WERE CRACKS IN THE FLANGE AT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS, THE WIPERS DID NOT WORK, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK WERE INOPERATIVE AS WELL, AND NOISE OCCURRED WHEN THE A/C WAS IN USE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF REPAIRS THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRED. *SC THE BATTERY, TIRES, LOWER RADIATOR HOSE, FRONT STRUTS,WATER PUMP, DISC BRAKE, CALIPERS, PADS AND STARTER SOLENOID WERE ALL REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10057476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE INTAKE GASKET LEAKS COOLANT AND A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT GM APPARENTLY DOESN'T CARE ABOUT. IT HAPPENS TO MANY OF ITS V6 3.1 AND 3.4 ENGINES AND COULD CAUSE SEVER DAMAGE TO THE CAR'S ENGINE WHICH LEADS TO POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS IF NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER DOESN'T WANT TO PERFORM RECALLS, THEREFORE, WHO WANTS TO PAY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED TO BE RECALLED?
NHTSA complaint #10041428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE THE OIL PRESSURE EXCEEDED ITS NORMAL RANGE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE 02 SENSOR AND CLEANED THE FUEL TANK, ALSO THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED A HARD SHIFT. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10019548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE THE OIL PRESSURE EXCEEDED ITS NORMAL RANGE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE 02 SENSOR AND CLEANED THE FUEL TANK, ALSO THE TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED A HARD SHIFT. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10019548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED, THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, FUEL PRESSURE VALVE, MASTER CYLINDER, ABS BOOSTER, RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP AND BRAKES, AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10019488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.