AI Damage1997 Oldsmobile 98: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Oldsmobile 98 filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 30
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 50% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 3 Visibility 10% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 3% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 3% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 15 complaints (50% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Visibility: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (7% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 30 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
Engine shut off while getting on freeway and she wa able to start car back up. This week, tuesday, my daughter was driving she came to a full stop at a stop sign and as she started to go the oil light came on and the voltage light came on, car would not move forward, she tried to rev engine nothing happened that is…
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.
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 3.1l as well as 3.8l, which is what I have.
Vehicle has stalled 7 times at various speeds. Dealer has inspected vehicle twice, but could not find the cause. To stop engine stalling, the dealer replaced the crank shaft position sensor.
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.
Battery blew up because acid leaked from the positive terminal. Dealer has replaced the battery at the owner's expense.
Wires to spark plugs are defective and cause misfiring. Owner's manual says to replace at 100,000 miles. They are causing problems at 46,000 miles.
This vehicle has an elctrical drivers seat, when the consumer shut the vehicle off the seat automaticaly adjusted itself all the way up to the steering whell and will not return. The seat is so close the consumer cannot sit in the drivers seat. The dealer has been contacted. Mjs
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 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 98 has 14 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 30, above average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- 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 1997 Oldsmobile 98?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, electrical system, visibility. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (40%), A/C or heater (7%), stalls while driving (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 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 1997 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 1997 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.