Oldsmobile Bravada Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Oldsmobile Bravada across 9 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (53). The words owners use most often: “transfer case” (18% of reports).
- 130power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 25%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Transfer case: mentioned in 23 of 130 complaints (18%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the Oldsmobile Bravada at $3,700, and half of them between $2,600 and $4,400.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2008), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 63 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 130 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 2 an injury.
Oldsmobile Bravada power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Bravada | 1 | 8% | 20,092 |
| 2003 Bravada | 6 | 22% | 53,000 |
| 2002 Bravada | 53 | 22% | 48,975 |
| 2001 Bravada | 10 | 30% | 67,000 |
| 2000 Bravada | 14 | 18% | 65,000 |
| 1999 Bravada | 15 | 25% | 60,500 |
| 1998 Bravada | 9 | 9% | 73,000 |
| 1997 Bravada | 18 | 17% | 59,654 |
| 1996 Bravada | 4 | 5% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission
Model years: 2002, 2003
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection." these vehicles are equipped with a mechanical override that could allow the ignition key to be removed with the shift lever in a position other than park. In addition, these vehicles have an override that can allow the transmission to be shifted out of park with the ignition in the off position.
Risk: These overrides are not permitted unless the vehicle has a locking steering column.
Fix: Dealers will eliminate these conditions by disabling the overrides. Owner notification began on may 29, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or hummer at 1-866-486-6376.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
1997 oldsmobile bravada. Consumer writes in regards to voltage dropping while vehicle in stopped causing headlights to dim. *ld *js
At 60k miles had to replace transmission and motor (with 2003 chevy blazer). Mirrors don't recall and move when unlocking car. Passenger seat belt gets tight after braking and has to be undone, recoiled, and put back on. Backup lights blow every year. The awd was fixed twice by dealer and messed up…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 oldsmobile bravada. The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was diagnosed that the pcm failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Subject: gross mechanic error , possible fire / explosive situation while in palm bay fl, i had my fuel filter changed at tire kingdom for about $90. Their mechanic installed a fuel filter that rattled / defective and he destroyer the fuel line it mounted to. The tire kingdom mechanic, threw out…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 oldsmobile bravada. The contact stated that the transmission would slip when shifting gears and the vehicle hesitated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who was unable to replicate the failure. The vehicle then was taken to an independent mechanic, who…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Oldsmobile Bravadas have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 130 owner complaints about power train for the Oldsmobile Bravada. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Oldsmobile Bravada power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Oldsmobile Bravada?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,700 (half paid between $2,600 and $4,400), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Oldsmobile Bravada?
The most frequent phrase is “transfer case”, in 23 of 130 complaints.
Other Oldsmobile Bravada problems
See all Oldsmobile Bravada problems.