1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA Complaints

REAR HATCH GLASS FLIES UP WHEN A TRUCK PASSED BY COMING TOWARD US.ABOUT A WEEK LATER THE SAME ON GMC JIMMY. *AK

CALLED DEALERSHIP REFERRED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE IN FLA., ON PROBLEM WITH STEERING COLUMN TALKED TO CENTRAL FLA. CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY WERE GOING TO CHECK AND CALL ME BACK. CLAIMED LEATHER WEARING OFF THE STEERING COLUMN WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, BUT WOULD LOOK INTO IT. NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN. PROBLEM WITH AC DELCO BATTERY OCCURRED WHILE I WAS ON VACATION. BATTERY WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE A 7 YEAR LIFESPAN. WHILE AT SHOPPING CENTER, BATTERY DIED AND HAD TO CONTACT TRIPLE AAA TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO GARAGE. EVIDENCE OF CORROSION WAS ON THE BATTERY CABLES AND BATTERY WAS DEAD. HAD TO PUT IN NEW BATTERY AND HAVE CABLES CLEANED. THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. WHEN I CONTACTED DEALER, I WAS ADVISED TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE OF OLDS. THEY INVESTIGATED THE CASE #0CO2791144 AND ADVISED THEY WOULD NOT REFUND FOR REPAIR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PHYSICALLY SEE THE BATTERY. AS STATED, THIS HAPPENED ON THE ROAD WHILE ON VACATION. I HAVE WITNESS TO TRIED TO HELP AND OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE CABLES AND SAW THAT BATTERY WAS DEAD. I INTEND TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH GM, OLDSMOBILE; HOWEVER, BASED ON CONVERSATION AFTER I WENT THROUGH THIS PROBLEM, IT APPEARS THAT MANY AC DELCO BATTERIES HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM, BELIEVE THE AC DELCO BATTERY INSTALLED IN 1998 CARS TO BE DEFECTIVE. REQUEST YOUR HELP IN INVESTIGATING AND HELPING CONSUMERS. THANK YOU. *AK

ENGINE STALLING / SHUTTING DOWN INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKS FROM COMPRESSION FITTING ONTO AN EXHAUST PIPE SITAUTED IMMEIDATELY BELOW FITTING. THE LEAKING OF THE FLUID ONTO THE VERY HOT PIPE BECOMES MORE INTENSE WHEN THE AUTO IS STOPPED. CONTACTED OLDS HOT-LINE AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THEY HAVE A SERIOUS PROGRAM WITH THIS PART; HOWEVER, THEY DECLINED TO RECALL AUTO AND THEY DECLINED TO PAY FOR REPAIR. FURTGER, THEIR OWN DEALER REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE SUV FOR SAFETY INSPECTION. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPAIRED PART FOR US$127.50 IN PARTS INCIDENTALLY PURCHASED FROM THE PARTS DEPARTMENT OF THE OLDS DEALER THAT REFUASED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. DEALER ALSO REFUSED TO CONTACT OLDS SAFETY PERSONNEL SAYING THAT THEIR DEALER CONTRACT WITH GM MAKES IT ILLEGAL FOR THE DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT SAFETY DEFECTS ON BEHALF OF A CONSUMER. *AK

APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS THE BRAKES HAVE NOT OPERATED OR OPERATED AT A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT. IT APPEARS TO BE AT LOW SPEED WHEN FIRST STARTING CAR OUT. I USUALLY BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. I STOP WITH NO PROBLEM. THEN DRIVE LESS THAN ONE BLOCK ON A SIDE STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. I PUT ON THE BRAKES AND THEY BARELY ENGAGE. I PUSH THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BUT IT DOES NOTHING. I TRY TO GIVE MYSELF AS MUCH ASSURED DISTANCE AS POSSIBLE AND HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY I HAVE NOT HIT ANYONE YET. I HAVE COME "REAL " CLOSE AND HAVE HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS CARS.. NO WARNING LIGHTS GO OFF ON THE DASHBOARD. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO RELIABLE IN JANUARY 1999, OCTOBER 20, 2000. OLDS HOT LINE REQUESTED THAT I TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER AND I TOOK IT TO EARL OLDSMOBILE IN BROOKPARK, OHIO. NEITHER COULD DUPICATE THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO FIX. WHEN I CALLED THE OLDSMOBILE HELP LINE(1-800-442-6537 TRACKING # C02031344) THEY REPEATED THE SAME STATEMENT AND REFUSED TO GIVE ME ANYONE ELSES PHONE# AT OLDSMOBILE OR GENERAL MOTORS. EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD FOR SAFETY OR HUMAN LIFE. WHEN I ASKED JIM OBER OF RELIABLE OLDSMOBILE " WHAT IF I KILL A SMALL CHILD WHO STEPS IN FRONT OF ME AND I CAN NOT STOP." HIS RESPONSE WAS A FLIPPANT " PEOPLE DIE IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS ALL THE TIME." I AM NOT THAT CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF, MY CAR , OR SOMEONE ELSES CAR. THIS PROBLEM CURRENTLY HAPPENS AT VERY LOW SPEEDS AND I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH 2 CARS HITTING EACH OTHER.. MY #1 FEAR IS IF A PEDESTRIAN STEPS IN FRONT OF ME. PLEASE HELP I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING I CAN THINK OF. IT DOES NOT APPEAR LIKE ANYONE AT OLDSBMOBILE CARES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING INTO THE SETTING SUN IN A PARKING LOT I STRUCK A3 INCH CURBING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. A LARGE FLAG POLE WAS SLIGHTLY SCRAPED WITH THE LEFT FENDER CAUSING SOME MINOR DAMAGE. THE LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAUSING THE TIE ROD END TO SNAP AND LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. THE CAR TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 CAR LENGTHS BEFORE STOPPING WITHOUT USE OF THE BRAKES. THE ONLY SKID MARKS WERE FROM THE NOW SIDEWAYS TIRE AND FROM THE DRAGGING UNDERCARRIGE BOLTS. THERE IS NO REASON THAT THIS MINOR IMPACT SHOULD HAVE CUASED THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE. THE RIVETS CONNECTING THE BALL JOINTS HAD SHEARED OFF. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR ABUSED IN ANY WAY. IF THIS HAD OCCURED AT HIGHWAY SPEED AFTER HITTING A POT HOLE I WOULD LIKELY HAVE LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CAR. OUR OLDS DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS "NOT THEIR PROBLEM".

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH THE ENGINE STOPPED, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES FAILED. THE TRUCK WOULD NOT RESTART. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID A CHAFFED WIRE CAUSED THE COMPUTER FUSE TO BLOW. THIS WAS THE SECOND OCCURANCE IN 6 WEEKS.

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A POPPING NOISE. LEFT REAR TIRE HAD EXPLODED, AND TREAD SEPARATED. TIRE IS A MICHELIN, P23570 R1. #XW4. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE ENGINE STOPPED, POWER STEERING FAILED, AND POWER BRAKES FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND PARK SAFELY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THE COMPUTER FUZE WAS BLOWN.

LOST ALL GUAGES AFTER ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON THEN WENT OUT; ALSO LOST POWER, ENGINE RPM'S SHOT UP TO 3000 FROM NORMAL 2000