AI DamageOldsmobile Bravada: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Oldsmobile Bravada across 15 model years: 966 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 26% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 11% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 4% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 255 complaints (26% of all), 36 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 140 complaints (14% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 137 complaints (14% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 118 complaints (12% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 102 complaints (11% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.2 L · petrol · 6 cyl 2002–2004
- 4.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1991–2001named in 2 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed 1991–2004
Drive: AWD, RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 966 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 | 255 | 36 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 140 | 5 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 137 | 8 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 118 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility | 102 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 91 | 6 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 58 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 43 | 5 | 0 |
| Structure | 42 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 40 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 39 | 8 | 0 |
| Air bags | 37 | 27 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 27 | 3 | 0 |
| Seats | 23 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I was in a full impact collision driverside front took all impact of another vehicles front end. NO airbags deployed in my 2004 bravada!!
The airbags DID NOT deploy during this accident, even when the car rolled back and hit the wall again. Since the airbags did not deploy, I suffered trauma to my chin and inside my mouth. I have facial cellulitis, and I needed to receive 3 stitches inside my mouth to stop the bleeding.
Brakes system keeps malfunctioning. Service brake system.notice keeps coming on dash even after new brakes had been put on and serviced. Had to do a last mo.ent quick stop but brakes went to floor amd I hit a car head on cause brake system keeps malfunctioning and the ABS
I was involved in a crash. Doing 35 miles an hour. The air bag never deployed and I tee boned the other vehicle.
During the crash, the airbags did not deploy. The driver suffered an injured right knee and the front passenger suffered a head and neck injury. Both required medical attention. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was towed but the cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired.
Takata recall, my wife was in two accidents, one in april 2011 she was driving down a suburb street to catch a light on a left turn and when the light turned green for the other side coming at her, a car already at speed limit continued and my wife struck that car on its left side with her front left bumper ; airbags…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
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.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other models of this make
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.