1991 Oldsmobile 98 problems & reliability
47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 Oldsmobile 98. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (3 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 18 | 38% |
| Electrical System | 8 | 17% |
| Air Bags | 7 | 15% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 9% |
| Equipment | 4 | 9% |
| Power Train | 3 | 6% |
| Visibility | 3 | 6% |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 4% |
| Child Seat | 1 | 2% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 16 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I smelled what seemed to be burning wire coming from inside my vehicle while I was driving. Shortly thereafter I noticed smoke coming from the steering wheel. Subsequently, the airbag deployed while I was operating the vehicle.*ak”
Air Bags · filed Mar 25, 2005
“The buckle on the harness will not fit into the latch between the child's legs. Consumer has to hold the two sections of the buckle together with both hands in order to get the system to work. *ak”
Child Seat · filed Dec 5, 2003
“There is a problem with the emergency flasher activation switch. The center activation portion cannot be depressed to energize the flasher. It is mounted internally and the entire steering column must be disassembled. To repair or replace. *jg the arrows for turn signals was not visible. *yh”
Exterior Lighting · filed Aug 20, 2002
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL LINE FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE93007 · opened Feb 10, 1993 · closed May 3, 1993
Technical service bulletins
10 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 Oldsmobile 98.
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
130089009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2013
Some customers may comment that there is corrosion ( rust ) appearing on the left and /or right rocker panel(s). *yc
832006 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1998
Concerns of door handles on white painted vehicles truning yellow. *yc
831704 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1998
Some customers may comment that the vehicle
98833005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1998
Comments on inoperative power door locks (front and/or rear doors).
971101631041 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 1997
Excessive vibration of electrochromic inside rearview mirror. *tw
731608 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 1997
Cold start rattle noise (diagnosis/service procedure). *tw
577106A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1997
Cold start rattle noise. *tw
577106A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1996
Cold start rattle noise. *tw
577106 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1995
Faint buzzing noise from front of dash area. *tw
436302 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 1994
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1991 Oldsmobile 98 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1991 Oldsmobile 98?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.