1998 Oldsmobile Bravada Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Bravada years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada. That ranks 3rd out of 10 Bravada model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility (31 complaints, 32%), typically at around 60,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 2 fires, 3 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 98owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 31 | 32% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 19 | 19% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 12% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 12 | 12% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 9% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 7% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 6% | 91,400 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 5% | 48,701 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 4% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 4% | 63,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | 35 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 23,117 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Oldsmobile Bravada recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower arm
Problem: Vehicle description: multi-purpose passenger vehicle equipped with 4-wheel drive or all-wheel-drive. One or both of the attaching nuts for the right-hand lower control arm are under torqued. This can allow the attachment bolt to loosen and subsequent break resulting in separation of the lower control arm from the frame.
Risk: This condition can result in a loss of vehicle control.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and retighten the right-hand lower control arm nuts to the proper torque specification.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. A fatigue fracture of the rear axle right-hand brake pipe can occur causing a slow brake fluid leak resulting in a soft brake pedal. If the brake pipe breaks, the driver would experience a sudden drop in the brake pedal, the instrument panel brake light would illuminate, and there would be a loss of rear brake performance.
Risk: Partial loss of braking at a time when minimum stopping distance was required could result in a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pipe.
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
- Front control arm ball joints (RQ02012) — opened Sep 10, 2002, closed Mar 7, 2003, led to recall 01V200000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 oldsmobile bravada. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the passengers side rear axle broke and the rear passenger wheel fell off. The contact stated that the vehicle flipped, causing the air bags to deploy. The contact sustained major injuries that required…
Vehicle has a complete loss of power while driving. It happens numerous times without warning while driving to work 3rd shift 55-60 mph on a country road... Vehicle would suddenly shut down. With no lights, power steering, ect... I would have to try and pull over in the pitch black of night. After…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 oldsmobile bravada. The contact stated that while driving at 45-55 mph, the vehicle stalled numerous times without warning. The vehicle was taken toa dealer, who replaced the alternator. The repair failed to remedy the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the…
My vehicle had a complete loss of power while driving. It happened more than once prior to taking it in to the dealership. No dash board lighting, no power steering, no acceleration and braking was very difficult. If i tapped on the steering column the power would sometimes come back on. I do have…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 oldsmobile bravada. The contact stated that while reversing at unknown speeds, the driver's side front seat caught on fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Other Oldsmobile Bravada years
← 1997 Bravada · 1999 Bravada →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Bravada | 13 | 2 |
| 2003 Bravada | 27 | 7 |
| 2002 Bravada | 238 | 10 |
| 2001 Bravada | 33 | 1 |
| 2000 Bravada | 76 | 3 |
| 1999 Bravada | 60 | 0 |
| 1998 | 98 | 2 |
| 1997 Bravada | 104 | 2 |
| 1996 Bravada | 77 | 3 |
| 1995 Bravada | 2 | 0 |
See all Oldsmobile Bravada 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 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
Owners most often report visibility, electrical system, steering problems. The top one, visibility, accounts for 31 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Oldsmobile Bravada a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Bravada model years, the 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.