AI Damage1987 Oldsmobile 98: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Oldsmobile 98 filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 15
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 27% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 20% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 7% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (27% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (20% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (20% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While coming out of a parking stop throttle got stuck, resulting in sudden acceleration, which caused vehicle to go down an embankment. Cause unknown. Please provide further information.
Several parts on the vehicle failed such as 2 egr valves, idle passage switch, power antenna, transmission gasket, cv boot, automatic air condition control unit, radio speakers, cruise control, random stalling, cracked radiator, water pump, the right rear brake spring, wheel alignment did not hold, air condition did…
Oldsmobile has refused to do anything for this failure even though they know that the failure is caused by bad manufacturing on their part. The vehicle was never brought in to a dealer for repair during the time that the warranty was in effect since no failures were noted at that time/would appreciate hearing from a…
Car dies at highway speeds - service persons can not find failure. Very dagerous when traveling at high speed in heavy (five lanes of vehicles)traffic.
Steel engine mounts rusted through, causing rear cradle bolt to shear off and engine to fall out unexpectedly which may have caused a crash. Engine mounting cradle has not failed but mechanic tells to consumer it may fail, and checks it regulary.
Excessive play in steering column. Problem may be related to tilt steering mechanism. I was told by a repair shop that the "anchor bolts" securing the steering column have come loose and would need to be retightened. I was also told that this is a common problem on this type of vehicle.
Vehicle stalls unpredictably and at any speed. Ecm replaced - no change
Brake failure. Was informed that recall #87v093000 does not cover this vehicle.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,286 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 98 has 14 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 15, about average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Oldsmobile 98?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, steering. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (13%), stalls while driving (13%), A/C or heater (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Oldsmobile 98?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1987 Oldsmobile 98 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1987 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.