1997 Oldsmobile 98 problems & reliability
30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 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.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts → | 15 | 50% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 10% |
| Visibility | 3 | 10% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 7% |
| Suspension | 2 | 7% |
| Engine | 1 | 3% |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% |
| Seats | 1 | 3% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 13 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Steering · filed Dec 4, 2014
“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.”
Seat Belts · filed Dec 30, 2003
“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…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed May 12, 2003
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
Recall Query RQ03001 · opened Jan 2, 2003 · closed Sep 15, 2003
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA02030 · opened Oct 22, 2002 · closed Mar 9, 2004 · led to recall 04V090000
Technical service bulletins
22 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Oldsmobile 98. The 10 most recent:
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the media disc player with the latest calibrations to correct a condition of the rear entertainment system not operating as intended in colder ambient…
16NA260 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2016
Vehicle Recalls
Recalls · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 30, 2014
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
130089009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2013
Intermittent chuggle or fishbite on light acceleration or a highway speeds with no diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs). *tt
050604058 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2005
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
Some customers may comment that the cupholder does not stay latched. *yc
98838313 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 1998
Experiencing a transaxle gear whine noise on coast down or light acceleration between 20 and 40 mph. *yc
98777155A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1998
Some owners may comment that the battery is low or dead. *yc
738153 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 1998
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 1997 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 1997 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.