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Oldsmobile BravadaModel year report

1999 Oldsmobile Bravada Problems

Complaints
60filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
78,500miles, 20 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 4.3L 6-cyl 4WD/AWD · 14 city / 19 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints on this model year center on the automatic transmission and the brakes: owners describe slipping, harsh shifting and losing gears, and brake lines rusting through so the pedal sinks. Many reports are mileage-dependent, appearing from around 40,000 miles on used vehicles and often tied to corrosion or fluid leaks rather than a single sudden failure.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission slips, shifts harshly or loses gears

    • 19 complaints (32%)
    • median 82,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2017

    Owners describe the transmission slipping or chattering when pulling away, hard shifts between gears, failure to go into overdrive, and on some vehicles loss of second, fourth and reverse. Several complaints mention a burnt-smelling or blackened fluid and shops finding internal parts damaged; one dealer reportedly called the reaction shell a known weak point in this transmission family. Repairs ranged from fluid and valve work to full replacement. Mostly reported between roughly 40,000 and 120,000 miles, sometimes on vehicles only a few years old.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask for transmission service records and check the fluid color and smell on a test drive; drive at steady speed and watch for slipping, delayed engagement or harsh downshifts.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada of which I have just found out there is a TSB on its transmission stuck in 3rd gear/reverse reaction shell brakage. I have inquired with gmc and a local dealership and neither told me of this. My vehicle only has 40,000 miles on it and according to the TSB, Oldsmobile service personnel is required to repair it free of charge but they have offered me a 50/50 split. I feel this is unacceptable. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10028450, filed 2003-07, 40,120 miles

    “I am writing this complaint because I have come across some issues with my transmission and cruise control. I got to looking into it and seen where there were some recalls for the same problems on the same year model of my vehicle. I have called around and they are telling me because of my VIN number they cant do anything, but it is the same year model and I am having the same issues. The service engine light wont go off, it wont shift into overdrive, it doesn't shift right, it feels like it shifts into neutral on its on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10466451, filed 2012-07
  2. Brakes

    Brake pedal goes to the floor, lines rusted or leaking

    • 9 complaints (15%)
    • median 97,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2014

    Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking to the floor while driving, with owners stopping by shifting to neutral or using the parking brake. In several cases a mechanic found a rusted or fractured brake line, and others report long stopping distances and vibration despite new calipers and a master cylinder. One owner also reported an ABS warning light staying on. Often reported between about 95,000 and 130,000 miles, with some at lower mileage.

    What to check: Have the brake lines and fittings inspected for rust along their full length, and ask whether the lines have been replaced; check pedal firmness and any ABS or brake warning lights.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On or about april 17th, as I was turning of the main road onto my cul-de-sac, I tapped the brakes to slow and the pedal went to the floor. I immediately pulled the shifter into low to slow down and then to neutral as I came to my driveway. Turned into the driveway and applied the emergency brake to come to a stop. Upon examining the vehicle, I determined that the brake line for the drivers side rear caliper had rusted out and was leaking profusely. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10609339, filed 2014-07, 131,000 miles

    “While driving at 55mph, rear wheels felt as if they locked, vehicle began to fishtail or swerve in rear end. The vehicle accelerated over the median and hit an oncoming vehicle. Neither drivers side nor passengers side airbags deployed. Consumer states that the roads were wet and it felt as though the rear tire hit a water pocket, consumer states that vehicles brake or awd system failed also due to the skid marks, there were four injuries in the accident.”

    NHTSA complaint #8004381, filed 2002-02
  3. Vehicle speed control

    Sticking accelerator or unintended acceleration

    Mentioned in 5 of 46 sampled complaints

    Owners report the accelerator pedal sticking or the engine continuing to rev after the foot is released, in some cases requiring the vehicle to be shut off. Complaints mention intermittent behavior and, in one case, carbon buildup found at the dealer. Others describe the engine speeding up on its own at low speed or from a stop, and reports note difficulty getting the dealer to reproduce the condition. Reported across a wide range of ages and mileages, generally as an intermittent problem.

    What to check: On a test drive, work the throttle slowly and let off from a stop to feel for sticking; ask whether the throttle body has been cleaned and the pedal linkage checked.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving t at 25 MPH and with no warning accelerator pedal got stuck to the floorboard, causing the consumer to press on the brake pedal. Consumer turned the vehicle off, and had the vehicle towed to the dealer.”

    NHTSA complaint #10048338, filed 2003-11

    “When applying pressure to the accelerator engine took off and speeded up after foot was released from the gas pedal. Driver had to turn vehicle off while in drive. Dealer has not seen vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #856821, filed 2000-02
  4. Engine cooling

    Oil cooler lines and seals leaking

    Mentioned in 5 of 46 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe leaks from the rubber oil cooler lines, with oil appearing under the vehicle or burning on hot engine parts, and one owner noting a burning smell. Others mention a leaking pinion seal and coolant loss or a failed water pump. Owners report that mechanics have replaced these lines on several vehicles with this engine family. Reported from around 60,000 to 120,000 miles, though some lower-mileage vehicles are included.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Inspect the underside for oil residue around the cooler lines and fittings, check for burning smells after a drive, and ask whether the lines or seals have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “As I was on the way home from work driving on a city street and I came to a stop I downed my windows. I realized a burning smell. A little later, as I pulled up to my house the smell seemed to had gotten worse and I got out of the car and upped my hood. There had seem to be oil leakage but I'm not sure it was late. I'm not a mechanic but I kind of know a bit. From my inspection I may have oil leaking on a hot exhaust manifold. The burning smell is not the strongest but its sensible. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11076813, filed 2018-03, 122,676 miles

    “I have a 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada that has developed a serious leak in the oil lines (hoses) going to the oil cooler. I also owned a 2000 gmc sonoma that developed the same leaks while under warranty. My mechanic said they have replaced the oil lines on several vehicles with the 4.3 and 350 engines. They have also replaced 3 engines where the oil lines failed and the engine lost all oil. It seems this problem exists on nearly all if not all of GM's products using the rubber oil lines. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10049317, filed 2003-12, 60,000 miles
  5. Suspension

    Front suspension shake and ball joint separation

    • 8 complaints (13%)
    • median 46,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2004

    Owners describe vibration or shaking at highway speeds that persists after repeated tire balancing, and in some complaints the cause was traced to the transfer case or driveline. One complaint describes a front lower ball joint breaking, letting the suspension collapse and the tire tilt inward, with the owner saying the dealership declined to cover it. Vibration reports came early in the vehicle's life; the ball joint report notes a vehicle built in mid-1999.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Have the front suspension and ball joints inspected, and drive at highway speed to check for vibration; ask whether the ball joints have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “1999 Oldsmobile Bravada - front left control arm ball joint broke. Result in front suspension collapsing. Top of tire went inward. My vehicle was built in may 1999 at general motors plant in moriane, ohio. Research on the internet show this problem has existed on this and similar GM vehicles since 1996. A recall was done on them. (GM recall bulletin ? Subject 01048a ? …”

    NHTSA complaint #10016341, filed 2003-04

    “Severe vibration in vehicle at speeds of 60 MPH and up. Dealer thinks it may be in the drive axle or cluth assembly, but Oldsmobile will not let him do anything to the vehicle because they don't think it will help. Oldsmobile knows about the problem, but was not open about the problem when discussed at the time the car was new. Just now finding out it is not the tires as I was lead to believe. Dealer has replaced all four tires.”

    NHTSA complaint #724967, filed 2000-07

Buying note. Have a mechanic inspect the brake lines for rust and the transmission for slipping or fluid condition before buying, since those are the most frequently reported costs. Service records showing cooling-system, oil-line and suspension work are worth asking about.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 46 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.

NHTSA recorded 60 consumer complaints for the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada. 20 of the complaints include a mileage, and 20% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 78,500 miles. Of all complaints, 6 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 9 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 35 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

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.

Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Engine (2), Equipment (2), Steering (2), Tires (2), Wheels (2), Fuel system (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “Transmission failed. Transmission shop has seen numerous problems with 1999 gmc transmissions. They said that gmc knows that the 1999 transmission is weak. Problem started out with the car not wanting to shift into second. The car eventually lost 4th and reverse.”

NHTSA complaint #10070282, filed 2004-01, 117,000 miles

Brakes: “On 11 apr 2005, I purchased a 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada from a nh dealer, with approx. 74000 miles on it. Within one week, the vehicle was returned for a bad water pump, and driver's window switch. During the week of 21 april, I had the alternator replaced. This vehicle had a nh state inspection sticker, but it has yet to pass a ma state inspection. The air injection pump that assists in the air/fuel mix has been updated by GM, but their update allows them to call it something other than a recall, so, it would cost me an additional $400-500. For this update . …”

NHTSA complaint #10149317, filed 2006-02, 74,190 miles

Engine cooling: “The heater has failed to work this year at all. The system was flushed and radiator fluid changed with Oldsmobile rated fluids. This vehicle has had no major problems and has been good other than seatbelts not locking and dome lights are inoperable. I am going to assume it could be the heater valve and get that replaced so hopefully that does the trick.”

NHTSA complaint #10069319, filed 2004-01, 83,000 miles

Suspension: “The veichle wants to flip over by itself when driving down the road the seat belts are twisted the radiator leaks here and there along with the transmission fluid and sometimes the oil leaks”

NHTSA complaint #10966411, filed 2017-03, 209,500 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

20% of the 20 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 56,000 and 102,900 miles.

0%0–100%10–2520%25–5025%50–7525%75–10025%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (20 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 78,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’9914’01’03’05’07’11’14’18
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.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Bravada · sedan not rated3 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Bravada AWD4.3L 6-cyl4-speed automatic141916$4,200

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by 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. 35 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 35 bulletins →

Other model years of the Oldsmobile Bravada

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20041382,2742—16—Not enough data
20032756,0007—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200223843,10010—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20013360,0001—15Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20007664,0003—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19996078,5000—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19989871,0002—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199710471,0002—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19967788,7463—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199491114,0001—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199343140,8940—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199256—0—16Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199144133,0002—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada?

Complaints on this model year center on the automatic transmission and the brakes: owners describe slipping, harsh shifting and losing gears, and brake lines rusting through so the pedal sinks. The issues reported most often: Transmission slips, shifts harshly or loses gears; Brake pedal goes to the floor, lines rusted or leaking; Sticking accelerator or unintended acceleration.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada have?

NHTSA recorded 60 consumer complaints for the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 15 complaints (25% of the total), followed by brakes with 10.

Has the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada get?

The EPA rates the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada (Bravada AWD, 4.3L 6-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 19 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1999 Oldsmobile Bravada reported?

Among the 20 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 78,500 miles and the middle half falls between 56,000 and 102,900 miles; 20% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.