1996 Oldsmobile 88 Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 5%of 92 total for the year
- Median mileage
- —not reported
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 1996 Oldsmobile 88, 5% of the 92 complaints for this model year.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Sometimes during warm-up(not moving)..there will be a loud thud at rear of vehicle. At other times I may drive 2-3 blocks before I hear the thud. After the initial thud soud(which is very loud), it will not make the sound again during driving. I suspect it may be mechanical or a backfire. To date the dealership has not found the problem”
NHTSA complaint #709454, filed 1999-08“Consumer stated the fuel sending unit was leaking fuel, vehicle was taken to auto tech where they verified the problem (pinpoint holes in sending unit), and repaired it, upon inspection consumer was made aware of the front brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced the engine was leaking oil, the power steering pump and pressure line was leaking and the transmission pan had a minor leak.”
NHTSA complaint #8004229, filed 2002-02“Car lost power on the freeway causing a hazardous situation. Repairs consisted of rebuild of transmission, replacement of torque converter, modulator, shaft output, clutch drum which totaled $2600. Dt”
NHTSA complaint #769150, filed 2002-10“Automatic transmission slips out of drive position into neutral unexpectedly while driving which may cause a crash. There is a TSB on it, but the manufacturer stated it did not apply to this vehicle. Please provide further information.”
NHTSA complaint #849519, filed 1999-09Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 8 | 10% |
| 1998 | 10 | 6% |
| 1997 | 12 | 12% |
| 1996 | 5 | 5% |
| 1995 | 4 | 3% |
| 1994 | 6 | 10% |
| 1993 | 18 | 24% |
| 1992 | 11 | 15% |
| 1991 | 1 | 6% |
| 1990 | 1 | 4% |
| 1989 | 1 | 4% |
| 1988 | 1 | 3% |
| 1986 | 2 | 11% |
Other parts of the 1996 Oldsmobile 88
23 complaintsElectrical system
11 complaintsAir bags
10 complaintsFuel system
10 complaintsBrakes
6 complaintsBody and structure
6 complaintsTires
6 complaintsVehicle speed control
4 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
4 complaintsExterior lighting
3 complaintsSeats
3 complaintsSteering
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1996 Oldsmobile 88
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology