Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1986 Oldsmobile 98. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗BRAKES:HYDRAULIC:ANTI-SKID SYSTEM
- Summary
- THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH MAY EXHIBIT BRAKE FLUID SEEPAGE WHICH EVENTUALLY CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR. ADDITIONALLY, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR AND ABS ELECTRICAL RELAYS MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO WATER CONTAMINATION DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR AND/OR LOSS OF THE ABS FUNCTION.
- Consequence
- LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR WOULD RESULT IN A TOTALLOSS OF REAR BRAKES AS WELL AS POWER ASSIST TO THE FRONT BRAKES. THE RED BRAKEWARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON. IF THIS WARNING IS NOT HEEDED, ALOSS OF REAR BRAKES AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE IS REQUIRED COULDRESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. AN INOPERATIVE ABS ELECTRICAL RELAY COULD CAUSELOSS OF THE ABS FUNCTION, BUT NORMAL POWER ASSISTED BRAKING WOULD BE RETAINED.THE AMBER ANTI LOCK WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON.
- Remedy
- THE ABS AND HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR ELECTRICAL RELAYS AND 30 AMP FUSES WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF REQUIRED, REPLACED.
STEERING:POWER ASSIST:HOSE:FLUID
- Summary
- THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP RETURN HOSE AND THE ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: HOSE COULD OVERHEAT, RESULTING IN A HOLE AND FLUID LEAK, AND A POSSIBLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
- Remedy
- REPLACE AND CORRECTLY ROUTE HOSE, AS NECESSARY.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (13)
13 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The service brakes is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 13 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 6 | 46.2% |
| Steering | 4 | 30.8% |
| Suspension | 2 | 15.4% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 7.7% |
How 1986 compares with other 98 years
Best and worst 98 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 2 | 1 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | 1 | 1 |
| 1985 | 9 | 1 |
| 1986 | 13 | 2 |
| 1987 | 15 | 3 |
| 1988 | 10 | 0 |
| 1989 | 11 | 0 |
| 1990 | 17 | 0 |
| 1991 | 47 | 2 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 1986 98 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1986 Oldsmobile 98 FAQ
How many recalls does the 1986 Oldsmobile 98 have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 87V093000 (brake), 86V145000 (steering). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1986 Oldsmobile 98 problems?
Owners filed 13 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (6), Steering (4), Suspension (2) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1986 98 compare with other years?
Among the 1982–1991 Oldsmobile 98 model years at least five years old, the 1983 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 1991 the most (47). The 1986 drew 13. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.