1998 Oldsmobile 98 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 98 years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Oldsmobile 98. That ranks 3rd out of 6 98 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (8 complaints, 30%), typically at around 86,975 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 27owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 30% | 86,975 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 4% | 22,647 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Oldsmobile 98 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1998 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.
Bought my 1998 oldsmobile regency in july of 2005 with 78000 miles on it. March of 2006 the check engine light would come on and go off. The coolant was bone dry upon inspection by self. There were no visible leaks. I took it to my mechanic who had to replace the plenum at a cost of $533.00. The…
My 1998 oldsmobile regency was losing coolant. I could not see a visible leak. The check engine indicator light came on, so i took the vehicle to be serviced. The mechanic found the upper intake (plenum) to be leaking the coolant into the engine (cylinder #3.) the leak was caused due to the fact…
Dt: 1996 oldsmobile 98 elite. The consumer stated the vehicle hit a deer, and the passenger's side air bag did not deploy. The driver's side air bag did deploy. This air bag had a big hole in it, almost 6-7 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. Also it had a burned look to it. No one investigated to see…
Coolant leaked out the intake manifold. Had to replaced intake manifold and gaskets. *bf e-mailed consumer response exhaust gases had gotten into the plastic upper manifold had thermally broke down the plastic and caused the leak. *sc
I own a 1998 olds regency with 62000 miles on it. This car has the standard 3.8 liter v-6 which has been in production for probably 30 years. I noticed recently the coolant reservoir level was slightly down and added coolant to bring it up to level. Two weeks later my engine temperature was…
Other Oldsmobile 98 years
See all Oldsmobile 98 problems by year, every Oldsmobile model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Oldsmobile 98?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, air bags, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Oldsmobile 98?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.