What breaks most · 1990 to 2003 model years
Oldsmobile Oldsmobile problems by year
Owners have filed 58 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Oldsmobile Oldsmobile across model years 1990 to 2003. Three years stand out: 1995 for air bags complaints, 1998 for steering complaints and 2001 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 1991, 1997 and 1990.
- Years to check closely: 1995, 1998, 2001
- Fewest complaints: 1991, 1997, 1990
- Complaints on file
- 581990 to 2003, all trims
- Worst year
- 199512 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 20 fires · 2 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 71kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 0Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Tires (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (1) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Interior Lighting (1) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (2) | |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | Body and structure (1) | |
| 12 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (3) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Suspension (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Exterior lighting (1) | |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | Steering (4) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Visibility (1) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Tires (1) | |
| 7 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (2) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Engine and cooling (2) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (1) |
What fails on the 1995 Oldsmobile Oldsmobile
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 25% |
3 | 1 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 25% |
3 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 17% |
2 | 0 | Shop all brakes (hydraulic) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 17% |
2 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 8% |
1 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 8% |
1 | 0 | — |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 8% |
1 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 8% |
1 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
The traction system is inoperative, consumer is requesting dealer to correct the traction safety feature on vehicle. *slc
-
In the steering, the steering wheel shakes and the bottom area of the car makes a grinding noise. The brakes seem to make it do that when i drive. I have trouble steering, it's very tight.
-
Pass lock security system shuts car off and will not allow the car to start again until it is reset by setting the key in the on position for 10 minutes. Happened on the expressway. *nm
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Oldsmobile Oldsmobile years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1995, 1998, 2001 carry the most filings on the Oldsmobile Oldsmobile. The 1995 alone has 12 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Oldsmobile Oldsmobile problem?
On the 1995 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 3 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Oldsmobile Oldsmobile problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Oldsmobile Oldsmobile complaints that include mileage is about 71,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.