1996 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/31/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE BLOW UP AND CAUSE SEVERAL PROBLEMS TO THE VEHICLE. ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 1996 FOR CRACKS ON THE ENGINE AND FOR THE COMPUTER FOR THE ENGINE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT HAD A PROBLEM WITH A FEW OF THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT THE MANUFACTURE IS AWARE OF IT. TS

• 12/19/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE STALLED TWICE DUE TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. DEALER REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, BUT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. *AK 1996 OLDSMOBILE LSS 88 STALLED TWICE DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. CONSUMER HAD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM AND GASKETS REPLACED AS WELL AS A NEW BATTERY INSTALLED AND A NEW STARTER AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL.*MR

• 12/14/2006· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE NEAR THE SIDE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM.

• 12/14/1998· AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  WHILE DRIVING THE ACCLERATOR GOT STUCK AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING A FRONTAL IMPACT IN WHICH BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

• 12/07/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGFire

  I WAS DRIVING THROUGH TOWN, EASTON MA, AND THE ENGINE SPUTTERED A BIT. NEXT, A KID HAILED ME DOWN AND I SAW SMOKE FROM MY REAR. I PULLED INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT AND OPENED THE HOOD. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS IN FLAMES. GOOD THING I KEPT MY DISTANCE BECAUSE PARTS BLEW APART. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME THAT HE SAW TWO OTHER GM VEHICLES JUST LIKE MINE (3.8 LITER) ALSO BURN UP. I JUNKED THE VEHICLE. WROTE TO GM, BUT RECIEVED NO RESPONSE. JUST SAW ON CARS.COM THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS RAISING AN INVESTIGATION ON THE GM 3.8 LITER ENGINES. IT REALLY HURTS LOSING $13,000. THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE IF THAT KID DIDN'T WARN ME. NO WONDER THEY DISCONTINUED THE DELTA 88. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN BE COMPENSATED FOR MY LOSS? DT

• 12/05/2002· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AS MENTIONED IN RECALL 96 V 116 000, HOWEVER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. TS *TT *JB. *AK

• 12/05/2002· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP, BRAKES MADE A THUNKING NOISE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED EXCESSIVELY, ABS LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATED. TOOK TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THEY FOUND THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE TO BE FAULTY. REPLACED MODULE AND PAID FOR REPAIR. ENGINE PROBLEM STARTED CAR, SLIGHT BACKFIRE OCCURED, SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAR ROUGH IDLED, HAD SLIGHT LOSS OF POWER. TOOK TO DEALER, THEY FOUND THE UPPER INTAKE CRACKED ALONG WITH THE LOWER INTAKE AND GASKETS TO BE CRACKED. REPLACED AT COST TO ME. DT

• 11/21/1996· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  FAILURE OF THE GAS PEDAL, WHEN TRAVELING UP A HILL, WHEN APPLYING FORCE TO THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. *AK

• 11/19/1996· SEATS

  IN THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION THE HEADRESTS OFFER NO PROTECTION FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER OVER 5FEET AND 5INCHES TALL. *AK

• 11/09/2009· STRUCTURE

  SIR'S I HAVE A 1996 OLDSMOBILE 88 LS. I WAS DRIVING TO A FRIENDS HOUSE,STARTED TO PULL OUT OF AN INTERSECTION AND THE 4 REAR ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS PULLED THROUGH THE SUBFRAME, WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE ENGINE DROPPED AND THE STEERING SHAFT CAME APART AND I COULDN'T TURN THE WHEELS TO GUIDE THE CAR. LUCK HAD IT THAT NO ONE WAS COMING AT THE TIME. I HAVE NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS AS A DRIVER EVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN. I KNOW IT'S AN OLDER CAR AND THINGS HAPPEN ,BUT NEVER THIS. IF THE MOUNTS WERE DEFECTIVE WHY WEREN'T THEY RECALLED, THEY WERE ON OTHER MODELS OF THE OLDSMOBILES OF THIS YEAR. SHERIFF DEPUTY CAME AND ASSISTED WHILE WE COULD LOAD IT ONTO A FLATBED WRECKER. DON'T KNOW IF THEY MADE A REPORT OR NOT. *TR

• 11/06/2003· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  IT IS MY OPINION THAT MODERN HALLOGEN LAMPS ARE DANGEROUSLY AND UNECESSARILY BRIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN INDICATED TO ME WHEN I USE MY CAR EQUIPPED WITH SEALED BEAM LIGHTS SET ON HIGH BEAM. NO ONE" BRIGHT LIGHTS "ME , INDICATING THAT OTHER DRIVERS DO NOT PERCIEVE THAT THE HIGH BEAM IS BRIGHTER THAT LOW BEAM HALLOGEN LAMPS. ON-COMING LIGHTS THAT ARE TOO BRIGHT IMPAIR VISION AND MAY CAUSE INJURY TO THE EYE. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A STANDARD OF LIGHT INTENSITY BASED ON ACTUAL COMPARISON OF HALLOGEN AND SEALED BEAM LAMPS. *AK

• 10/31/2002· POWER TRAIN

  CAR LOST POWER ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. REPAIRS CONSISTED OF REBUILD OF TRANSMISSION, REPLACEMENT OF TORQUE CONVERTER, MODULATOR, SHAFT OUTPUT, CLUTCH DRUM WHICH TOTALED $2600. DT

• 10/30/2002· STRUCTURE

  NO SUMMARY. DT

• 10/30/1998· EQUIPMENT

  CAR JACK BROKE WHEN USING, DESIGN TOO SMALL FOR VEHICLE.

• 10/29/2015· ENGINEFire

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE 88. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE NOT REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE.THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

• 10/27/1997· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  TURN SIGNAL LIGHT BULB FAILED.

• 10/26/1997· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  WATER LEAKS INTO LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHT AS A RESULT, BULB BLOWS/WATER SEAPS INTO TRUNK.

• 10/10/2017· FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEMFire

  FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LEAKED FUEL CAUSING FIRE,WHEN IT STARTED UP,I WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT THAT HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER

• 09/30/1999· POWER TRAIN

  AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF DRIVE POSITION INTO NEUTRAL UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. THERE IS A TSB ON IT, BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATED IT DID NOT APPLY TO THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

• 09/29/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  NHTSA RECALL 96-V-116-000 A BACKFIRE DURING ENGINE STARTING, CAN CAUSE BREAKAGE OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

• 09/22/2005· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  FUEL GAUGE FAILURE--SENDING UNIT GOT SO HOT IT FUSED THE WIRES TOGETHER AND THEN SENT A JOLT OF ELECTRICITY TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BURNING OUT PART OF THE CLUSTER; IN ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR THESE PROBLEMS THE PLASTIC FUEL LINES WERE SO BRITTLE THAT THEY FELL APART THEREFORE, IT WOULD SEEM THAT EACH OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD LEAD TO A FIRE OR AN EXPLOSION. I HAVE THE SENDING UNIT OUT OF THE FUEL TANK WITH THE FUSED WIRES. *NM

• 09/16/2005· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  DT: EARLIER IN THE DAY THE CAR WAS HARD TO START AND THE GAS GAUGE WAS LOWER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THE FUEL CENTER LINE LEAKED , AND THE REPAIR SHOP SAID IT RUSTED. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL CENTER LINE, AND THE TWO LINES LEADING UP TO THE CENTER LINE, FOR A TOTAL OF $720.00. *AK *JB

• 09/13/2007· TIRES

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE 88. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER MULTI-MILE GRAND AM RADIAL SE, SIZE P205/70R15 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING. THE TIRE MECHANIC BALANCED THE TIRES, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE TIRE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND HE REPLACED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRES. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER, THE STEERING WHEEL VEERED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE TIRE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS A BULGE ON THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND HE REPLACED BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 97,016. UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ

• 09/05/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CONSUMER STATES THAT PLASTIC MANIFOLD CRACKS AFTER ABOUT 60000 MILES AND CAUSES ANTI-FREEZE TO MIX WITH OIL INTO ENGINE.*JB

• 09/03/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL JUST STALL OUT WITHOUT WARNING. HAVE NO STEERING OR BRAKE POWER. CONTACTED DEALER. CANNOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK.

• 08/20/1996· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  REMOTE CONTROL DOES NOT LOCK TRUNK, BUT UNLOCKS IT.

• 08/19/2015· AIR BAGS

  1996 OLDSMOBILE 88. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE AIRBAG EXPLOSION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. THE AIR BAG DAMAGED THE WINDSHIELD AND SENT SHARDS OF GLASS FLYING. *JB

• 08/17/2009· VISIBILITY,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE

  ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 8, 2009, I WAS DRIVING MY 1996 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY EIGHT ON NORTHBOUND US-27, NEAR ALMA, MICHIGAN. AT ONE POINT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD CAME ON. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED SPONTANEOUSLY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT IT WAS RAINING QUITE HEAVILY PRIOR TO AND THROUGHOUT THIS INCIDENT. MY CAR IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS SHATTERED AND IS BEING REPLACED. THE DASHBOARD NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AND THE AIR BAGS ARE BEING REMOVED. I ALSO HAD TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR A WEEK IN ORDER TO KEEP PRIOR ENGAGEMENTS. *TR

• 08/14/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,INTERIOR LIGHTING

  INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, THEN BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD. VEHICLE WOULD START. THEY REPLACED MALL MODULAR AND THEN BATTERY EXPLODED. *AK

• 08/13/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,SERVICE BRAKES, AIRCrash

  WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, A DELAY IS EXPERIENCED BEFORE IT BEGINS TO BRAKE. BRAKES LOCKED UP TWICE.*AK

• 08/01/1999· POWER TRAIN

  SOMETIMES DURING WARM-UP(NOT MOVING)..THERE WILL BE A LOUD "THUD" AT REAR OF VEHICLE. AT OTHER TIMES I MAY DRIVE 2-3 BLOCKS BEFORE I HEAR THE THUD. AFTER THE INITIAL THUD SOUD(WHICH IS VERY LOUD), IT WILL NOT MAKE THE SOUND AGAIN DURING DRIVING. I SUSPECT IT MAY BE MECHANICAL OR A BACKFIRE. TO DATE THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT FOUND THE PROBLEM

• 07/29/1999· AIR BAGSCrash

  THIS AUTO IS GOING TO A TOTAL LOSS, I HIT A CAR AT 30 IN THE REAR END AND ANOTHER AUTO HIT ME IN THE REAR END THEN I HIT # 1 CAR IN THE REAR A SECOND TIME. I VERY CONCERNED AND MAD THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON EITHER SIDE, DRIVER OR PASSENGER. BOTH BUMPERS WERE HIT, LIGHTS BROKEN, TRUCK PUSHED IN AT LEAST 10 INCHES AND RADIATOR WAS PUSHED IN TO THE MOTOR WITH BUMPER, BUT NO DEPLOYMENT. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR? I BOUGHT BECAUSE IT WAS TALKED ABOUT AS SUCH A SAFE CAR, YOU CAN'T PROVE IT MY ME!

• 07/29/1996· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED, PORBLEM CAN NOT BE FOUND BY DEALER.

• 07/23/1999· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  FUEL LINE FROM GAS TANK AT ATTACHMENT FITTING TO FUEL FILTER DEVELOPED A LEAK RESULTING IN FUEL SPILLAGE WITHIN A CLOSED SPACE(GARAGE). NO FIRE RESULTED, HOWEVER, THE SITUATION COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION AND LOSS OF HOME AND/OR LIFE.

• 07/23/1998· SUSPENSION

  EXTREME VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, REPAIRS TO WHEEL AND TIRES HOWEVER CONTINUES TO VIBRATE.

• 07/21/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  WHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE NEAR WINDSHIELD POST OF THE LEFT SIDE. THEN, CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND PASSENGER NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. WHEN PULLING ON THE HANDLES TO OPEN DOORS, THEY WILL NOT RELEASE BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET OUT, BUT THE SPEAKERS WERE ON FIRE.*AK THE FIRE STARTED AT MIRROR CONTROL SWITCH POSSIBLY CAUSED BY A FUSE OR CIRCUIT BREAKER BLOWING OUT. *YH

• 07/18/1996· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. RECALL 95V204000. *AK

• 07/17/1996· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPAIR VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE INFORMATION ON RECALL 95V204000. *AK

• 07/13/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  A HOLE WITHIN INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AS A RESULT VEHICLE HAD DIFFICULTY IN STARTING INTERMITTENTLY.*AK

• 07/09/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE STALLS.

• 07/07/1998· TIRES

  TIRES REPLACED DUE TO UNEVEN TREAD AND RIB CUPPING. (GOODYEAR P205/7015).

• 07/04/2017· STRUCTURE

  WHILE WASHING THE CAR A CHIP CAME OFF THE TRUNK. THERE AFTER THE PAINT CONTINUED TO FLAKE OFF THE REST OF THE CAR. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES

• 07/04/1999· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

  WHEN ENTERING AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH A CLOVERLEAF INTERCHANGE THE ENGINE STALLS BECAUSE THE FUEL IN THE GAS TANK SURGES TO ONE SIDE. GENERALLY OCCURS WHEN THE GAS GAUGE INDICATES ONE QUARTER TANK OF FUEL OR LESS. ALSO, LONG SWEEPING TURNS TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT AGGRAVATE THE SITUATION. THE ENGINE STALLS JUST WHEN I AM TRYING TO MERGE WITH OTHER VEHICLES. THIS IS HAZARDOUS BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC. ADDITIONAL BAFFLES SHOULD BE IN THE GAS TANK AND/OR THE FUEL PUMP PICKUP SHOULD BE MODIFIED. *AK

• 06/25/2007· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEFire

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE LSS. ON NOVEMBER 7, 2007, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE PULLED OVER, EXITED THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED FLAMES RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT BELIEVED SAFETY RECALL # 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM) WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CAUSING THE FIRE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 186,272 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,272.

• 06/25/2000· POWER TRAIN

  BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT NEED TO BE DEPRESSED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. ACCORDING TO HERB GORDON OLDSMOBILE THE BTSI SOLENOID IS PROBABLY DEFECTIVE.*AK

• 06/23/2011· TIRES

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY EIGHT WITH A SET OF MASTERCRAFT GLACIER GRIP II TIRES, SIZE P205/70/R15, AND THE DOT NUMBER: U9MOFHB296A16L029248E4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE AS IF IT WERE BOUNCING. WHEN HE FINALLY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER TIRE TREAD HAD DETACHED, WHICH ULTIMATELY CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A TIRE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE TREAD HAD BEGAN SHIFTED WHICH CAUSED THE BLOW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED YET THE FAILURE RECURRED SHORTLY AFTER REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000.

• 06/13/2001· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE STARTING,PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE. *AK

• 06/12/2003· VISIBILITY

  ELECTRICAL WINDOW WILL COME UP AND DOWN INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

• 06/12/2003· BACK OVER PREVENTION

  ALARM SYSTEM WILL COME AND OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AND WEAR THE BATTERY DOWN, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR VEHICLE TO START.*AK

• 06/12/2003· STRUCTURE

  DOOR STRUCTURE WILL NOT OPEN, IT WILL GET STUCK. *AK