1997 Oldsmobile 88 Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 14about this part
- Share
- 14%of 101 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 115,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 14 complaints about the electrical system of the 1997 Oldsmobile 88, 14% of the 101 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 115,000 miles. 2 a fire, according to the filers.
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.
“My complaint is that when the weather is cold, my horn doesn't work until the whole steering wheel warms up, which can take up to an hour. The service department at my olds dealer is apparently aware of this because they advised the only thing I can do is to replace the $700+ air bag because all the wiring for the horn is run through the air bag. As far as I'm concerned, this is a manufacturer's defect and is extremely dangerous. This should be a recall. There was no incident but apparently I have to put in a date so I will just make one up so I can proceed with my complaint.”
NHTSA complaint #10056659, filed 2004-02“Vehicle had been parked for awhile. Had got in and inserted key in ignition and started it. Suddenly, vehicle blew up and then caught on fire. Engine compartment had blown. Had no indication of cause of problem. Fire possibly caused by an electrical failure.”
NHTSA complaint #882968, filed 2001-03“On february 25, 2004 my grandparents purchased a 1997 Oldsmobile lss from north lake ford in lakeport california. Immediately following the purchase the vehicle developed an intermittent stall, and would not restart for several minutes. In fact the vehicle stalls with no warning and they were nearly ran over by a semi truck when the vehicle stalled. The vehicle has been in to have the problem repaired four times, and it still stalls to this day. Please look into this problem to prevent a catastrophe.”
NHTSA complaint #10100167, filed 2004-11“Had switch on headlights. Heard a noise & left vehicle. Overhead dome light did not go out on oits wn. Went back to vehicle & battery dead. Vehicle towed to dealership & was informed battery was gone & not short in electrical wiring. Battery was a delco, only used for 7 months.”
NHTSA complaint #825351, filed 1998-07“The engine stalls while the vehicle is in motion. Has been to dealer 2 times and problem cannot be duplicated. Dealer felt the problem was a combination of a computer problem and fuel injection problem, Oldsmobile took vehicle back.”
NHTSA complaint #815531, filed 1997-08Related service bulletins
- 10170494Dec 2, 2019This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock.
Electrical system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 9 | 12% |
| 1998 | 15 | 9% |
| 1997 | 14 | 14% |
| 1996 | 11 | 12% |
| 1995 | 13 | 11% |
| 1994 | 10 | 16% |
| 1993 | 7 | 9% |
| 1992 | 7 | 10% |
| 1991 | 2 | 13% |
| 1990 | 3 | 13% |
| 1989 | 2 | 7% |
| 1988 | 1 | 3% |
| 1987 | 1 | 6% |
| 1986 | 1 | 5% |
Other parts of the 1997 Oldsmobile 88
27 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
12 complaintsBrakes
11 complaintsFuel system
9 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
8 complaintsSeat belts
6 complaintsSuspension
6 complaintsAir bags
5 complaintsSeats
4 complaintsVehicle speed control
3 complaintsSteering
2 complaintsEngine
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1997 Oldsmobile 88
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 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