Your vehicle report
1991 Oldsmobile 98
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 47
- Received Jun 1995 to Mar 2005
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up7 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes5 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly4 complaints · 8.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #91V198000The console mounted shift lever may disengage from the shift control cable bracket causing loss of gear indicator reference and shift selector operation.
- Recall #91V167000When applied, the parking brake lever assembly may release one or more teeth, reducing the cable load to the rear brakes.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 2 fires, 3 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 6 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 6 |
| 1996 | 7 |
| 1997 | 6 |
| 1998 | 4 |
| 1999 | 7 |
| 2000 | 6 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 47 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 7 | 15% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 11% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 4 | 8.5% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 6.4% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 6.4% | – | |
| Brake master cylinder leaks fluid and fails | 3 | 6.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #91V198000November 14, 19916,866 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
The console mounted shift lever may disengage from the shift control cable bracket causing loss of gear indicator reference and shift selector operation.
The driver Can place the gear shifter in the parkposition without setting the parking brake and the transaxle may not actually bein park, resulting in unexpected vehicle movement if the vehicle is stopped on agrade. Also, the driver Can place the gear selector in drive or reverse withoutturning the engine off and the transaxle may not be in the position indicated,causing the vehicle to move in the opposite direction. Both conditions canresult in a vehicle accident without prior warning.
Remedy
Install two transaxle shift control cable retaining clips.
NHTSA recall #91V167000September 23, 199120,765 vehicles affected
parking brake: conventional: mechanical
When applied, the parking brake lever assembly may release one or more teeth, reducing the cable load to the rear brakes.
Depending on the extent of the lever release and roadlevel. The parking brake may not hold the vehicle, allowing it to roll, whichcould result in an accident. Vehicle does not comply with FMVSS 105.
Remedy
Replace parking brake lever assembly.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1991 Oldsmobile 98.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN