1997 Oldsmobile Bravada Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe electrical gremlins (intermittent interior lights, door locks working on their own, stalling or complete shutdowns) and front-end suspension problems, especially upper ball joints. Many complaints also mention a fuel gauge that stops reading correctly and windshield wipers that quit mid-drive, usually at moderate mileage.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Intermittent lighting, door locks and stalling

   • 18 complaints (17%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2018

   Complaints describe interior lights that flash or stay on, door locks that lock and unlock by themselves, power seats that stop working, and in some cases the engine cutting out or the vehicle shutting off while driving, sometimes restarting on its own. Several owners say a dealer could not reproduce the problem unless it happened at the shop, while others report ignition switch or harness replacement. Some link the symptoms to wiring pinched near the seat frame or floor. Reported from low mileage up to about 100,000 miles, with several cases on vehicles over 10 years old.

   What to check: Cycle the interior lights, power seat and door locks through several cycles and watch for flicker or unwanted locking; ask whether the ignition switch or harness has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving my 1997 Oldsmobile Bravada the car shut off unexpectedly and continued to stall. I was able to pull off of the road and restart the car. I drove to my mechanics garage and he replaced the ignition harness. This has happed to me a total of ( 4) four times. The frequency has been about every 6 months to 1 year. The mileage of the vehicle was about 100,000 the first time this happened. The vehicle was purchased usedwith about 95,000 miles. Please help.”

   NHTSA complaint #10568755, filed 2014-03, 100,000 miles

   “My 1997 Oldsmobile Bravada had a problem where the car would die anytime and then outomatically turn back on while driving on the highway. The same would happen during city driving but I wiould have to re-start the car. A very dangerous occurrence if I was in the middle of making a turn when the car would suddenly stop. It turned out to be the ignition switch that needed replacement and the dealer said that this was becoming a very common problem with this kind of automobile (Bravada, blazer, jimmy). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10116338, filed 2005-04, 80,000 miles
2. 2
   Suspension

   Front upper ball joint wear or separation

   • 14 complaints (13%)
   • median 83,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2013

   Owners describe front-end vibration, clunking, difficult steering, and in some cases the upper ball joint breaking or the front end collapsing while driving or pulling into a driveway. Several complaints say a dealer or shop diagnosed loose or separated ball joints; a number of owners report being told their vehicle was not covered by a campaign on this part. Others note lower ball joints worn at the same time. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 85,000 miles, with a few cases higher.

   Recall 01V200000

   What to check: Have a shop check both upper and lower ball joints and control arms; ask whether the upper ball joint campaign was ever performed on this vehicle by VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had been experiencing excessive vibration on the front end of my 1997 old's Bravada. I took it in and was told it required ball joints but apparently there is a NHTSA campaign id # of 01i018000 in reference to it and that GM had decided to conduct a customer satisfaction campaign to replace them for a peiod of 8yr's or 100,000 miles whichever comes first from the date the vehicle was placed in service. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10098216, filed 2004-11, 80,100 miles

   “My vehicle was purchased as used with 33,000 miles, I purchased an extended warranty which has paid for many repairs to date,march of 2002 my vehicle had the lower ball joints replaced under this warranty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10005088, filed 2003-02, 57,698 miles
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield and rear wipers quit working

   • 17 complaints (16%)
   • median 57,000 mi at 6.6 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2013

   Owners report wipers that stop partway through a sweep, fail to start, or work only intermittently, sometimes restarting after the arm is moved by hand. Rear wiper motors are also described as failing. Dealers in several complaints replaced the wiper motor, often at the owner's expense. Reported across a wide range, commonly between about 45,000 and 65,000 miles and in wet weather.

   What to check: Run both front wipers at every speed setting, including intermittent, and check the rear wiper; ask whether a wiper motor has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Windshied wipers either won't work at all or stop fail after they have been working. I read in the paper that their is an on-going investigation of this problem with 1997 olds cutlasses and wanted to let you know that it is happening on my car as well.”

   NHTSA complaint #730884, filed 2000-09

   “Other: replacing the windshield wiper motor engine: a cyclinder on the vehicle cracked and needed a new motor. This is absurd. With a regularly maintained vehicle, with only 5 1/2 years of ownership there should be no reason other than improper casting, metal fatigue, default from the factory that a new motor should have been needed with this kind of mileage.”

   NHTSA complaint #10069353, filed 2004-01, 65,000 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission no reverse or gear loss

   • 13 complaints (13%)
   • median 68,508 mi at 6.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2004

   Complaints describe a transmission that would not engage reverse, lost third gear, whined in drive, or failed outright at moderate mileage. One owner reports the transmission was replaced after a leaking cooling line, and others describe transfer case, driveshaft or differential work around the same time. Costs of a replacement unit are mentioned in several reports. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 85,000 miles.

   What to check: Check that reverse engages firmly from a cold start, listen for whine in drive, and inspect transmission cooler lines and the transfer case for leaks.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I just had the transfer case and differential on my 1997 olds Bravada repaired and was driving when I heard a pop sound and saw flames shooting out from the bottom center and rear of my vehicle. I stopped immediately and got everyone out just before the whole thing went up in flames.”

   NHTSA complaint #10018998, filed 2003-05, 96,210 miles

   “Transmission_ will not go into reverse and when in drive makes a wineing sound. Other - radiator- heavy rust flushed out radiator 5 times and still have rust along with rusty fluids.”

   NHTSA complaint #10069578, filed 2004-01, 50,000 miles
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel gauge reads wrong or stops working

   • 11 complaints (11%)
   • median 74,250 mi at 6.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1999–2013

   Complaints describe a fuel gauge that shows half a tank when empty, stops reading entirely, or leaves the driver unsure of fuel level, in some cases leading to running out of gas. Owners point to the fuel level sender or float as the failed part and several mention the cost and labor of dropping the tank as a reason for leaving it unrepaired. Usually reported between about 58,000 and 90,000 miles; some say the gauge misread from purchase.

   What to check: Compare the gauge reading against actual fuel added at a fill-up; ask whether the fuel sender or pump assembly has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The fuel sensor is no longer functioning. Because of where it is located, I am choosing not to pull the fuel tank and spend the money to replace the gauge. Unfortunately, this car gets such bad gas mileage (12 - 13 miles per gallon) I can not let it go over 200 miles before refueling.”

   NHTSA complaint #10020556, filed 2003-05, 89,000 miles

   “Problems 1)alternator and battery replaced 2) tensioner replaced 3) battery replaced again 4) harmonic balancer replaced 5) started replaced 6) transfer case, drive shaft, differential replaced 7)gas float has to be replaced to get accurate gas gauge level to list a few of the problems encountered after a year and half of owning”

   NHTSA complaint #712368, filed 1999-09

Buying note. On a vehicle this old, condition and service history matter more than mileage: have the front ball joints, wipers, fuel gauge and transmission checked before purchase, and confirm by VIN whether the upper ball joint campaign was completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.