1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 Complaints

IN FEBRUARY I WENT TO START MY ENGINE IN THE MORNING AND IT BLEW UP. I TURNED THE KEY, NO ENGINE TURNOVER BUT SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD, FLAMES CAME OUT. THE FIRE DEPT. PUT OUT THE FIRE AND SAID THE CAR WAS TOTALLED. SOME OF THE VINYL SIDING ON MY HOUSE WAS SLIGHTLY MELTED.*AK

LEAK IN COOLANT SYSTEM SPREAD TO THE ENGINE WHICH RESULTED IN THE ENGINE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. *MR THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM BEFORE IT HAD BECOME OBVIOUS, THE LEAK SPREAD TO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER'S FATHER HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A NEW 02 BUICK LESABRE DUE TO THE 3800 ENGINE'S DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE LEAK. (THIS HAPPENED TO THREE OF THEIR BUICK VEHICLE'S) NHTSA ACTION #EA02030 *SCC *JB

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MT 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88 FAILED RECENTLY. THE PLASTIC ON ALUMINUM INTAKE MANIFOLD IS VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION. APPARENTLY MINE FAILED AND ALL THE WATER DRAINED FROM THE ENGINE. THE REPAIR BILL TO GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN WAS $1838. I AM TOLD BY SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON GM CARS. BECAUSE OF THE COMMON OCCURANCE OF THIS PROBLEM, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT A RECALL IS IN ORDER. *AK

THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BECAUSE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE CYLINDER. *NLM

NAR 06/19/2003. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE TWO PROBLEMS, ONE WAS A FAULTY HEAD GASKET, AND THE OTHER WAS A FAULTY THERMOSTAT IN WHICH GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR. IN ADDITION, THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED THE WARRANTY RATES OFFERED SO THE CONSUMER ENDED UP PAYING LARGE SUMS OF MONEY TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE. WITH FRUSTRATION THE CONSUMER RETURNED THE VEHICLE BACK TO MILLER BROTHERS AND IS NOW ASKING THAT THE TOTAL REPAIR COST BE REFUND FOR THE AMOUNT OF $2,946. *CB *JB

FAULTY HEAD GASKET RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAK AND DAMAGE TO ENGINE COSTING $2946. + CAR RENTAL. *AK

THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE SPLIT AND LEAKED FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF MY MOTHER'S 1998 OLDSMOBILE 88. HAD SHE NOT SMELLED THE FUEL AND PARKED THE CAR, I'M SURE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE.*JB

OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88, 1998 63000 MILES "COOLANT TEMPERATURE WARNING" LIGHT CAME UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. I DROVE ABOUT 1/2 MILE TO THE SERVICE AREA. TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. WHITE SMOKE EXPELLED OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE, A SMOKE ODOR WAS INSIDE OF THE CAR. TURNED THE ENGINE ON 10 MINUTES LATER. THERE WAS COMPLETE SILENCE. THE ENGINE GOT LOCKED UP BECAUSE A COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE FROM THE UPPER PLASTIC INTAKE PLENUM. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 1995-2000 GM 3800 VIN K ENGINES.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *NLM

ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM HAS FAILED 3 TIMES. 1ST TIME WAS 01-10-03. 2ND TIME WAS 04-11-03 AND 3RD TIME WAS 04-21-03. IST TIME RESULTED IN ACCIDENT AND LAST 2 TIMES I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF HIGHWAY BEFORE REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WILL ENTER THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED. *JB