Tl* the contact owns a 1998 oldsmobile 88. The contact stated that when turning on the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact proceeded to check the coolant in the vehicle finding that there was no coolant in the reservoir. When attempting to turn on the vehicle, the exhaust pipe in the rear of the vehicle released large amounts of white smoke. The contact stated that the when having the vehicle diagnosed by the dealer, the vehicle stalled. The dealer diagnosed that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 36,000. The VIN was not available.
Oldsmobile 88 check engine light comes on
22 of the 800 owner complaints about the Oldsmobile 88 describe check engine light, most of them for the 1998 model year.
- owner complaints
- 22
- worst model year
- 1998
- typical mileage
- 85,000
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
By model year
Often reported together
Overheating 6Stalling 5Engine failure 4Loss of power 3Won't start 2Transmission failure 2Misfire 2Grinding brakes 2
Trouble codes mentioned
P0300 1P0135 1
What owners say
1999 oldsmobile 4.8l engine will shut completely off unexpectedly while driving. This occurs both at highways speeds of 65 MPH or at slower speeds of 35 or 35 MPH. All of the power assisted features such as power brakes and steering also stop working when the engine stops. The engine shutting defect does not occur daily and is unpredictable. The only check engine code present was a "egr valve" code. The egr valve was replaced at the cost of $344.00. The engine shutting off unexpectedly defect has continued to occur after the check engine repair was completed. This is an extreme safety issue that appears to replicate the gm ignition switch recall that this VIN is not included in. From "googling" this defect it appears to affect a large number of similar vehicles with 3.8l gm engines and electrical systems.
1995 oldsmobile delta 88. Consumer writes in regards to defective sensor light problems. *smd the consumer stated he spent hundreds of dollars, even thousands to try and fix the problem, but to no avail. The defective sensor light, caused him to have an accident in december 2012. The engine light, has been on for five years.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 oldsmobile 88. The contact stated that while traveling 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated as the engine overheated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who confirmed that the failure was caused by a hole that had melted in the intake manifold, causing coolant to leak into the manifold. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 72,602 and the current mileage was 73,102.
Tl* the contact owns a 1993 oldsmobile 88. The contact stated the vehicle was losing transmission fluid and the service engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the federal safety agency recall campaign id number (96v015000) power train: automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines was related to the safety issue, but the manufactured stated the recall was closed. The failure and current mileage was 164,000.
For several months we were noticing leaks from the car on the driveway. We knew from touching it was not oil. The car started to hesitate at times and feel like it was going to stall out. Eventually it did stall out and continued to do so, it always started right up though, so we knew it wasn't the battery. The check engine light went on when it stalled. We brought it to the shop and they ran a diagnostic and found repair codes p0300 and p0135, which caused the vehicle check engine light to come on resulting in random misfire and 02 sensor heater circuit malfunction. Followed diagnostic troubleshooting flowchart and found faulty 02 sensor and coolant inside cylinder#4. Upon disassembly of intake manifold to inspect system, found intake manifold cracked. Removed and replaced intake manifold assembly, front 02 sensor assembly and spark plugs with all new oem parts. Refilled coolant and bleed system. Rechecked operation, cleared codes. After further research we found that this was a common problem with this car and probably should have been addressed by gm.
I brought my car in to the dealership for an oil leak and while there the mechanic also checked the coolant level. It was low. He pressure tested the system and found the coolant cap to be not sealing properly. I paid for my repairs and left. The next morning the check engine light came on. I brought the car back to the dealership. They found the engine was misfiring. They checked the coolant level again and it was dry. The intake manifold had melted and coolant had leaked into the engine and was consumed by the engine. Now I need a new intake manifold, gaskets, spark plugs, wires, and an oil change to the tune of $800+. I have searched on the internet and found many similar complaints. Why does gm not do anything. The intake manifold was plastic. Plastic does not belong in an engine. I hope you make them recall this.
On numerous occasions while driving I'll hit brakes check engine light comes on brakes grind loudly and engine stalls. Also the engine will stall at any cruising speed over 40 MPH. Causing full power loss including brakes my daughter and I have received injuries from this in the past. Need help asap
Was driving my 99 olds 88 up a hill in tn and it started to shake and lose power. The check engine light came home and the engine was excessively hot. All of the radiator would take the fluid but nothing would leak out. I pulled the car over and waited for it to cool down but then after the 3rd time trying to start it, it made a clunk noise and wouldn't start any more. I was told it was a hydraulic lock up. Car sat for 5 months and finally got the money to have it towed to a collision center to have it looked at. I wish to be reimbursed after it is fixed.
While driving,\ the check engine light flashed on the dashboard and remained on. Then, the vehicle stalled. Driver was unable to restart vehicle. Noticed that coolant leaked from underneath the vehicle. It was towed to the dealer, and mechanic determined that the intake manifold needed replacement. Driver informed the mechanic that this problem occurred more than once ,and has not been resolved.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Oldsmobile 88 check engine light
Why does the check engine light come on in the Oldsmobile 88?
Owners who report it most often also describe engine overheating, engine stalls while driving and engine failure, and the codes they mention most are P0300 and P0135.
Which Oldsmobile 88 years have check engine light problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1998 (11 complaints), 1999 (6 complaints) and 1995 (2 complaints).
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