1998 Oldsmobile 88: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 213 complaints
213
Total Complaints
65,580mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
Top Issue
10
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

53,875 25th Percentile
65,580 Median Mileage
91,162 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
22
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
14
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
14
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
11
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
10
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
9
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
8
ENGINE
6

Severity Assessment

10
Crashes
19
Fires
11
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON BWI PKWY AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SO HIGH THAT CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT, HE DID REMAIN IN CONTROL, ALTHOUGH VEHICLE RUPTURED THE LEFT FRONT AND REAR TIRES AFTER WHICH THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. CONSUMER WAS THEN ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE WA..."
"WHILE GOING DOWN HILLS IN CRUISE CONTROL THE CAR CONTINUES TO GAIN SPEED UNTIL THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED."
"BRAKE PEDAL TOO CLOSE TO THE LOWER DASH AREA CAUSING FOOT TO HIT DASH DUE TO DESIGN."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28