1994 Oldsmobile 88
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Oldsmobile › 88 › 1994
These records cover every 1994 Oldsmobile 88. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 1994 Oldsmobile 88. Newest first.
A spring in the head lamp portion of the head park lamp switch can fail preventing latching of the head lamp portion of the switch in the "on" position.
Risk and remedy
Risk
The head lamps would not stay illuminated resulting in reduced driver visibility.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect head/park lamp switch build date codes and replace switches with suspect date codes.
Owner complaints
63 complaints5 involved a crash2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags · Structure › Body
TL* the contact owned a 1994 oldsmobile 88 royale. While driving approximately 10 mph, the contact's vehicle was suddenly rear ended. The front driver and passenger seats fell backwards and the bolts that held the seats detached. As a result, the seats disengaged from the floorboard of the vehicle.…
TL* the contact owned a 1994 oldsmobile 88 royale. While driving approximately 10 mph, the contact's vehicle was suddenly rear ended. The front driver and passenger seats fell backwards and the bolts that held the seats detached. As a result, the seats disengaged from the floorboard of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed. A police report was filed. The driver sustained injuries to the leg, knee, head, shoulder, arm, and hand. The contact sustained injuries to the neck, back, knees, and ribs. Both required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000. The vin was not available. updated 02/03/17*lj the consumer requested a status update. *Js vin invalid updated 7/11/18*jb *tr
- Structure › Frame and members
Tl*the contact owns 1994 oldsmobile delta 88. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph the cradle bolt that holds the engine and transmission was damaged by rust causing the steering column to disconnect from the rack and pinion. The failure caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle.…
Tl*the contact owns 1994 oldsmobile delta 88. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph the cradle bolt that holds the engine and transmission was damaged by rust causing the steering column to disconnect from the rack and pinion. The failure caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer regarding the rust on the bolts and was advised that there were no recalls and the warranty had expired. The contact will be responsible for the repair cost. The vehicle can not be driven to due the failure. The contact stated that the rust was caused by salt build up during inclement weather. The failure mileage was 182,000.
- Latches/locks/linkages · Structure › Frame and members
The hood on a 1994 oldsmobile delta 88 was lifted to check battery and both gas filled struts designed to keep the hood up suddenly failed. this resulted in the hood falling and trapping my right wrist and hand. laceration was inflicted along with radial and/or ulnar nerve damage. *Tr
- Structure › Frame and members
1994 olds 88 has to be sold for salvage due to the frame rusting and cracks have been formed in the frame. the car has been stored inside a garage 10 out of the 12 years of ownership (2 owners)*jb
- Engine and engine cooling
While driving 20 mph, the vehicle stalled. The consumer restarted the vehicle, but it was hard to shift. The dealership was aware of the problem but was unable to resolve the issue. The cause was not determined. Please provide more information. *jb
- Unknown or other
I received a price quote from a local gm dealership of $2500 to repaint the car. the bodyshop mgr. Told me that there was a prolem with gm paint from 1985 to 1995. I called gm canada and their response was that they had no information regarding my complaint. so I am lodging this info with your website.
- Structure › Body
Finish coat and clear coat bubbling and peeling off in flakes on right rear door and leaving the primer in tact. called customer service for oldsmobile and was told vehicle too old to claim manufacturer defect but no doubt this appears to be a manufacture defect. *la
- Seat belts › Front › Retractor
Rear passenger side seat belt locked in place and will not retract. dealer will have to replace the seat belt. *ak
- Suspension › Rear · Tires
The rear tire collapsed onto the body of vehicle. the bolt broke in half inside the bushings and the nut side of the bolt fell off allowing only the remaining half of the bolt to hold up the suspension arm.*jb *ts *jb
- Electrical system › 12v/24v/48v battery · Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
Both alternator and batteries have been replace on numerous occassions since this date. the battery seems to drain the alternator resulting in failure . *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
The intake IS plastic and the egr tube srews directly into it,thus causing the intake to melt and distort cause your coolant to leak into the engines cylinder walls.which antifreeze has sugars in it thus causeing the engine to burn up.have been to several dealerships in the area and they all say…
The intake IS plastic and the egr tube srews directly into it,thus causing the intake to melt and distort cause your coolant to leak into the engines cylinder walls.which antifreeze has sugars in it thus causeing the engine to burn up.have been to several dealerships in the area and they all say that it happens to all the cars with this particular engine.though they do not want to admit it IS a factory production mess up.you cant mix a metal egr tube with a plastic intake that gets in excess of 3 or 400 degrees and not expect it to melt the plastic intake.so now I have a practically blown up engine due to a factory production screw up and its going to cost "me" thousands of dollars to repair. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Vehicle will shut down unexpectedly and without prior warning. Intermittently vehicle will crank back up immediately, but there were times that it will not.dealer and mechanic have not been able to dulpicate defect. Cause was unknown.*ak
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
After driving for a short distance and turning the vehical off, vehical will turn over, but not start. "After checking, no spark to plugs" after 20 minutes or more of trying to restart vehical, it will finally start. Dealership does not seem to know what IS wrong.*ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Brake lines became corroded/ rusted through. One of the lines cracked, causing no braking ability, which almost resulted in a crash. *ak
- Structure › Body
Paint began to bubble around edges and peeled off in large portions. major peeling was occuring on roof top/trunk and hood. it has multiple spots of peeling. *Ak
- Power train › Automatic transmission
No summary listed for that vehicle. *Ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
ABS light came on, indicating a malfunction of the ABS braking system which may cause extended stopping distance or inoperative ABS brakes at 37,000 miles. system checked out by independent repair shop, indicated pump defective. *Ak *ML
- Power train › Automatic transmission › Park/neutral start interlock switch
The ignition key can be removed without the gear being in neutral or park due to master lock cylinder failure. Yh
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Engine will stall while vehicle IS in motion intermittently and without warning. Dealer cannot determine cause. *ak
- Seat belts › Rear/other
Rear passenger's restraint has jammed in place. dealer will be notified. *ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Drum › Wheel cylinders · Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Master & both rear wheel cylinders leaking brake fluid.my next door neighbor also had the same thing happen on his low mileage 1995 buick lesabre which IS the same IS the same platform. Seals on brake cylinders should not leak on such low mileage. This IS a quality defect in my judgement and a safety problem. Thank you.
- Seats › Front assembly › Power adjust
The passenger 8-WAY power seat back fell to a total recline position with the adult passenger in it. she was shaken but not injured. the potential for injury when this event were to occur during rapid decelerartion or evasive manuvering IS great. th possibility of slipping under the lap-belt…
The passenger 8-WAY power seat back fell to a total recline position with the adult passenger in it. she was shaken but not injured. the potential for injury when this event were to occur during rapid decelerartion or evasive manuvering IS great. th possibility of slipping under the lap-belt with the seat in the total recline position IS great if, for some other reason, this event coupled with others, result in a crash. the manufacturere must understand the sever potential of this type of event. one reported occurence may not mandate a recall but the manufacturer shouild be encouraged to treat this type of event as they would a warranty issue. *ak
- Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator · Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner · Service brakes, air › Antilock · Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
Windshield wiper/washer-do not function properly unless wiper switch IS turned to 'high' and then down to the interval I need. I had to pull off the highway at 70mph when I turned the washers on and the wipers did not come on. oldsmobile has refused to correct. air conditioning-knob fell off in…
Windshield wiper/washer-do not function properly unless wiper switch IS turned to 'high' and then down to the interval I need. I had to pull off the highway at 70mph when I turned the washers on and the wipers did not come on. oldsmobile has refused to correct. air conditioning-knob fell off in my hand this afternoon. I cannot select the defrost mode and it IS cold and raining. ABS modulator valve was replaced by oldsmobile (i thought nhtsa would like to know). air conditioning-evaporator was replaced at 38798 miles. oldsmobile refused to reimburse because I had the work done at a nearby chevrolet dealer since smoke was pouring out of the vents and into the passenger compartment. alternator died at 39196 miles and oldsmobile refused to reimburse me.
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Randomly engine cut off. Dealer was contacted,and major repairs were made. yet, vehicle still has same problem. *ak dealer replaced plenium and throttle sensor at 93710 miles, however continues to stall. *mjs
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline · Vehicle speed control
Vehicle experiencing engine failure continually, replacement of the faulty throttle position sensor and plenium (which was warped and allowing coolant to short out the senbsor) did not rectify failure. Mjsd
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10246631Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- 6089996Some vehicles equipped with hydra-matic 3T40, 4T60 or 4t60-e transxales may comment on a grinding and / or growling noise that IS noticeable when in park on incline.
- 4040200Unknown
- 619370Owners of some vehicles equipped with hydra-matic 3T40, 4T60, 4t60-e or 4t65-e transaxles may comment on a grinding and / or growling noise that IS noticeable when standing in park on a hill or slope with the engine running and the parking brake not applied.
- 603085Some customers may comment that there IS corrosion ( rust ) appearing on the left and /or right rocker panel(s).
- 602983Concerns of door handles on white painted vehicles truning yellow.
- 602751Some customers may comment that the vehicle
- 445802ABS adn traction off indicator lamps come on.
- 54328Experiencing intermittent steering column snap or click noise when turning.
- 54065Comments on inoperative power door locks (front and/or rear doors).
- 52600Cln indicator appears on radio display and does not turn off (reset cln indicator with the eject button on tape).
- 52567Driveline vibration over 37 mph (replace prom).
- 52564Excessive vibration of electrochromic inside rearview mirror.
- 51497Cold start rattle noise (diagnosis/service procedure).
- 50571Cold start rattle noise.
- 45881Grinding and/or growling noise in park on incline.*sd
- 45819Intermittent dead battery (repair trunk lamp ground to body(.
- 43039Unknown
- 43036Unknown
- 39814Dim headlamps, slow windshield wipers, etc resulting from low/no generator output.
- 39308Cold start rattle noise.
- 39277Windshield wiper blade chatter.
- 39276Defroster grill warpage.
- 37848Faint buzzing noise from front of dash area.
Every Oldsmobile 88 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.