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Oldsmobile 98Model year report

1996 Oldsmobile 98 Problems

Complaints
10filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
230,000miles, 1 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1996 Oldsmobile 98 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 10 consumer complaints for the 1996 Oldsmobile 98. The part named most often is air bags, with 3 complaints (30% of the total), followed by electrical system (3) and seat belts (2). 1 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 230,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 5 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the control module and 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Air bags: “The contact owns a 1996 Oldsmobile 98. The contact stated while driving at 10-15 MPH, the driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was drivable; however, the contact's boyfriend pushed the vehicle in the nearby parking lot with assistance of a bystander. The vehicle was towed to the residence of the contact's friend. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. …”

NHTSA complaint #11461221, filed 2022-04, 230,000 miles

Electrical system: “Upon starting the vehicle it iwas missing like a spark plug if iwas not firing. There was a recall on that very issue. However, consumer contacted gmc, and was told that was not included in the recall.”

NHTSA complaint #10099824, filed 2004-11

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 1 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 230,000 and 230,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–500%50–750%75–1000%100–150100%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (1 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 230,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

19951996199742004201020122022
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1996 Oldsmobile 98 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 5 on record; the latest 5 are shown.

Other model years of the Oldsmobile 98

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
19982781,5000——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19973051,0000——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199610230,0002———Not enough data
199530113,0002——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199416—1———Stable
199313124,0001———Not enough data
199238127,0001——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199147145,9852——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199017160,0000———Stable
198911117,0000———Not enough data
198810—0———Not enough data
198715—3———Stable
198613—2———Not enough data
19859—1———Not enough data

All Oldsmobile 98 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1996 Oldsmobile 98 have?

NHTSA recorded 10 consumer complaints for the 1996 Oldsmobile 98 as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1996 Oldsmobile 98 is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 3 complaints (30% of the total), followed by electrical system with 3.

Has the 1996 Oldsmobile 98 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 1996 Oldsmobile 98 reported?

Among the 1 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 230,000 miles and the middle half falls between 230,000 and 230,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.