1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE Complaints

CONSUMER STATES A SERIOUS WIRING PROBLEM EXISTS BETWEEN BATTERY'S SIDE MOUNTED POSITIVE TERMINAL AND THE VEHICLE'S CHASSIS. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. UPON INSPECTION, CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT WIRING WAS VERY TIGHT AND CLOSE TO BATTERY HOLDER RESULTING IN A SHORT. CONSUMER STATES AFFECTING WIRING COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY TO FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. UNABLE TO TURN WHEEL, ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CONTACTED DEALER. MR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED THE POWER RACK AND PINION (STEERING COMPONENT MAKE NOISE). SEE 8870 ES-02-003 AND 8746 EA-01-038, DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

ALL THREE PROBLEMS (ABS FAILURE/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS/ OIL LEAK) DESCRIBED BY DEALER AS "VERY COMMON" FOR 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUES. MR

IF DRIVING AT 45MPH VEHICLE WILL HEAVILY VIBRATE, ALSO STEERING COLUMN WILL MAKE A POPPING NOISE WHILE TURNING. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING SHAFT HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE, DUE TO A POPPING NOISE, THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOPW STICKS.*JB

WHILE DRIVING FRONT AXLE COLLAPSED AT SPEED 30 MPH. RIGHT FRONT TIRE CAME OUT OF AXLE BOOT AND BALL JOINT WAS SHEARED OFF. LEFT FRONT TIRE ALSO COLLAPSED. PRIOR TO ACCIDENT VEHICLE HAD TRANSMISSION SOLENOIDS AND BEARINGS REPLACED. AFTER LOOKING OVER VEHICLE, INSURANCE INSPECTOR STATED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PUT BACK TOGETHER PROPERLY WHEN TRANSMISSION REPAIRS WERE MADE. *TT

MY OLDS INTRIGUE HAD A CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT STEERING AND A SHIMMY WHEN IT WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT. GM RESOLVED IT BY GREASING THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND SAID IT WAS A "STICTION" PROBLEM. IF THAT IS THE CASE THEN THEY ONLY DELAYED THE FIX AND SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE I WILL HAVE TO SPEND $150 TO GET IT "FIXED" AGAIN. THEY EITHER NEED A SEAL TO RETAIN THE GREASE IN THIS AREA OR A MEANS OF SERVICING THIS PART AS OPPOSED TO ASKING THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR THEIR POOR DESIGN PRACTICE. HAS NHTSA LOOKED INTO THE AMOUNT OF WEAR IN THIS JOINT ON THE VEHICLES WITH A "LACK OF LUBRICANT" WHICH CAN ACTUALLY IMPACT THE STEERING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE?*AK

RACK AND PINION SXTEERING FAILED PREMATURELY UNDER NORMAL USAGE, CREST OLDSMOBILE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT 60,000 MILES WASN'T CONSIDERED EARLY FAILURE. THE CREST GENERAL MANAGER TOLD ME TO CALL OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PERSON TOLD ME THAT WITHOUT THE CREST SERVICE MANAGER'S O.K., HE COULD DO NOTHING. THE REPAIR COST WAS $1449.00.*AK

WINDSHILED WIPERS ARE NOT WORKING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WILL TAKE A LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK *YH

I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE CAR BUT OF COURSE THAT FELL ON DEAF EARS. MY WIFE, INFANT SON & I WERE DRIVING AT APPROX. 35 MPH WHEN I TURNED RIGHT I COULD NOT PULL IT BACK TO THE LEFT WITHOUT USING BRUTE FORCE. AT THAT POINT I JUST HAD TO PULL OVER & CALL A TOW TRUCK. I'M JUST GLAD I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME & NOT MY WIFE WHO WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM VERY UPSET THAT A 1998 VEHICLE OR ANY NEWER VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SUCH SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. I SINCERELY HOPE YOUR DEPARTMENT RESOLVES THIS WITH GM. NOT TO MENTION THE $1000.00 IN REPAIR COSTS.*AK