While getting on the freeway the engine just stopped. I noticed the steering wheel froze, and looked down and saw that the lights had come in and the engine had stopped. I was able to put in park and start the engine. No further problems the rest of that trip. About a month later the same thing happened to my daughter. 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 when she put in park and it started right up. The mileage no is 117,375. I have looked on recall list and have not found this year and model.
The worst 1997 Oldsmobile 98 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Seat belts15
- Electrical3
- Engine3
- Visibility3
- Suspension2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Seat belts15
- Electrical3
- Engine3
- Visibility3
- Suspension2
- Body1
- Brakes1
- Seats1
- Steering1
- Transmission1
- Wheels1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Defect investigations
Power rack and pinion steering failure
Gm conducted a safety recall (the federal safety agency # 02v286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 pontiac grand prix vehicles built between march 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, 1996-1998 pontiac trans sport, chevrolet lumina apv, chevrolet venture, oldsmobile silhouette minivans, and chevrolet cavalier and pontiac sunfire sedans built between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997.odi opened this rq after receiving reports that other vehicles were exhibiting the same symptoms as the recalled vehicles.based on odi's review of technical and complaint data collected during the rq, the w-cars are associated with either a higher steering complaint rate or a higher lpb failure rate than the other vehicles investigated under the rq and are above or near the rates for the recalled vehicles.thus, odi will further examine the w-cars (1996-1997 oldsmobile cutlass supreme, 1996-1998 buick regal, chevrolet lumina, chevrolet monte carlo, 1997-1998 buick century, and 1998 oldsmobile intrigue) under a new investigation, engineering analysis (ea)03-019.
RQ03001
Engine compartment fires
Ea02-030 is closed with gmea02-030 is closed with gm?s actions in 03v‑473 and 04v‑090 recalling approximately 529,000 my 1998-99 c- and h-body vehicles equipped with defective fuel pressure regulators.these vehicles were equipped with plastic intake manifolds that are unable to contain pressures that occur in some backfire events and defective fuel pressure regulators with leaking diaphragms that can provide a source of fuel to produce a combustible air-fuel mixture in the manifold.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by odi that no safety defect exists in the vehicles that are not included in gm?s recalls.odi will continue to monitor the incidence of manifold ruptures and related fires in other my 1995-2002 gm passenger cars equipped with the subject intake manifold.for additional information, see the attached closing report.
EA02030
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Oldsmobile 98 22
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This technical bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the media disc player with the latest...
- Vehicle Recalls
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- Intermittent chuggle or fishbite on light acceleration or a highway speeds with no diagnostic trouble...
- Some customers may comment that there is corrosion ( rust ) appearing on the left and /or right rocker...
- Some customers may comment that the vehicle
- Concerns of door handles on white painted vehicles truning yellow
- Some customers may comment that the cupholder does not stay latched
- Experiencing a transaxle gear whine noise on coast down or light acceleration between 20 and 40 mph
- Some owners may comment that the battery is low or dead
What 1997 Oldsmobile 98 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
I own a 1997 oldsmobile regency v6-3800 3.8l, VIN: [xxx]. 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. I would like to know if there are other complaints on this same issue, and what is being done, or is my problem normal. Please respond asap. Thank you, [xxx]. *nlm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Vehicle has stalled 7 times at various speeds. Dealer has inspected vehicle twice, but could not find the cause.*ak 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.
Defect in the electrical system and visual system
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
Side bars holding windshield obstruct view. Seat belts hard to buckle because of placement.
Compare the 1997 Oldsmobile 98
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Questions about the 1997 Oldsmobile 98
Is the 1997 Oldsmobile 98 reliable?
Owners have filed 30 complaints about the 1997 Oldsmobile 98, close to a typical 98 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Oldsmobile 98?
Seat belts, with 15 complaints. Next is electrical (3).
How many recalls does the 1997 Oldsmobile 98 have?
No recalls on record.
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