1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 Complaints

ENGINE HYDRO LOCKED WHEN A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWED COOLANT TO BE SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE CYLINDERS, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT. FORTUNATELY, NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW BY GM. WE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED, AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, AT A COST OF $5,400.00. WE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT PEOPLE WERE JUST AFFORDED A SHORT TIME TO ACT ON IT, AND WE WERE NOT EVEN NOTIFIED. IS THERE ANOTHER SUIT THAT WE CAN BE A PART OF? WE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AN ENGINE WITH JUST 44,000 MILES ON IT. *JS

MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE LATEST GM RECALL IN CARS WITH THE 3.8 L MOTOR IN WHICH OIL LEAKS OUT ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE NUMBER GIVEN BUT IT SHOWED MY 1998 OLDS 88 IS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE SAME MOTOR AND PROBLEM IN THE RECALL. *TR

GRADUALLY YOU WILL SEE A DEPLETION OF THE ANTI-FREEZE FROM THE HOLDING RESERVOIR. THIS IS COULD BE A SIGN THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS BEGINNING TO LEAK ANTI-FREEZE (JUST A LITTLE) INTO THE ENGINE. SOONER OR LATER WHEN THE EROSION IS LARGE ENOUGH THEN A PLUME OF WHITE SMOKE WILL COME OUT OF THE EXHAUST AND YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PULL OVER AND CALL THE TOW TRUCK. I HAVE REPLACED THE ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD TWICE ON MY 1998 OLDS 88 DUE TO DEGRADING OF THE INTERIOR WALL WHERE THE ANTI-FREEZE FLOWS BACK INTO THE ENGINE. BOTH TIMES THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR (INCLUDING PLUGS, WIRES, NEW MANIFOLD, LABOR) WAS AROUND $1,200. ON THE LAST MANIFOLD GM HAD ESTABLISHED ADDING A PIECE OF METAL WHERE THE ANTI-FREEZE WAS ERODING THE "SPACE AGE PLASTIC" INTAKE MANIFOLD. BASED ON THIS, GM KNOWS THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM, BUT THEY WILL NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT AND OR PAY FOR IT. *TR

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT JAMMED AND IS UNUSABLE. GM WEBSITE LIMITS CONTACT TO EXISTING BRANDS. THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR OLDSMOBILE OWNERS, AND NO DEALERSHIPS TO CONTACT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 LS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE THE PLASTIC NUT THAT SECURED THE SPARE TIRE WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE NUT WAS BROKEN WITH A HAMMER SO THAT THE TIRE COULD BE CHANGED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN BECAUSE HE NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. UPDATED 09/12/07 *TR

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING I'LL HIT BRAKES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BRAKES GRIND LOUDLY AND ENGINE STALLS. ALSO THE ENGINE WILL STALL AT ANY CRUISING SPEED OVER 40 MPH. CAUSING FULL POWER LOSS INCLUDING BRAKES MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE RECEIVED INJURIES FROM THIS IN THE PAST. NEED HELP ASAP *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE DELTA EIGHTY EIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND SHUT DOWN AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED GASOLINE IN THE FUEL LINE. THIS SAME FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED ON TWO PRIOR OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ONCE BEFORE ,AND THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AGAIN AND HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS STATED IN RECALL # 04V09000. THE CONTACTWAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 113,000.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 LS. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, THE STEERING DIDN'T LOCK AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SIX OCCASIONS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE ABLE DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,435. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES HAS TAKEN VEHICLE INTO DEALER FOR 2 DIANOSTICS CHECKS NO FAILURES FOUND. ENGINE STILL CONTINUES TO STALL. UPDATE *4/23/07TR

DT: THE METAL BRACKETS THAT HOLD THE SEAT TO THE FLOOR RIPPED IN HALF, THEY WERE 4 INCHES OFF THE FLOORBOARD, RIGHT UNDER THE SEAT. THE SEAT CONTROLS WERE DAMAGED FROM THE SEAT. CONSULTED WITH THE MANUFACTURER, WHO HAD NO IDEA WHY THE SEAT BROKE OR WHTAT WAS THE STRESS ON THE SEAT. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN THE SEAT CAME UP AND FELL INTO THE BACK FLOORBOARD. THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP AT THIS POINT FOR REPAIRS.*AK

1998 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY EIGHTY HAS PROBLEM WHERE THERE IS LEAKAGE OF BATTERY FLUID FROM THE POSITIVE POLE OF THE BATTERY. *MR THE POSITIVE POLE HAD COME OUT OF THE BATTERY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THREE BATTERY'S HAD BEEN REPLACED, THE FIRST WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. (AC DELCO BATTERY) *SC *JB