1997 Oldsmobile 98 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 98 years
- More complaints than other years 1st of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Oldsmobile 98. That is the most of any 98 model year in the database (6 years). The most reported problem area is seat belts (15 complaints, 50%), typically at around 36,823 miles. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 30owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Oldsmobile 98 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 15 | 50% | 36,823 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 7% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 3% | 97,595 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | 97,595 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Oldsmobile 98 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1997 Oldsmobile 98.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Power rack and pinion steering failure (RQ03001) — opened Jan 2, 2003, closed Sep 15, 2003.
- Engine compartment fires (EA02030) — opened Oct 22, 2002, closed Mar 9, 2004, led to recall 04V090000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
While getting on the freeway the engine just stopped. I noticed the steering wheel froze, and looked down and saw that the lights had come in and the engine had stopped. I was able to put in park and start the engine. No further problems the rest of that trip. About a month later the same thing…
Rea seat belts unable to fasten them to secure passengers. Buckles recessed to far into rear seat cushion. Requires asistance tobuckles passengers belts. Very dangerous.
I own a 1997 oldsmobile regency v6-3800 3.8l, vin: [xxx]. The intake manifold is leaking coolant, and the cost to replace is approx. $800~$1000, due to a gasket failure. I don't feel that the gasket should have failed so soon. The service dept. At olds tells me that their are gasket problems with…
Vehicle has stalled 7 times at various speeds. Dealer has inspected vehicle twice, but could not find the cause.*ak to stop engine stalling, the dealer replaced the crank shaft position sensor. *yh
Female parts in three rear seat seat belts are too short, can't get a good grip to plug them into the male ends. Consumer stated that in winter time while having on a lot of clothes belts are impossible to fasten, so consumer is not properly restrained.*ak
Other Oldsmobile 98 years
See all Oldsmobile 98 problems by year, every Oldsmobile model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Oldsmobile models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Oldsmobile 98?
Owners most often report seat belts, electrical system, visibility problems. The top one, seat belts, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Oldsmobile 98?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1997 Oldsmobile 98 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 98 model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.