Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 1987 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 ↗FUEL:THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL:PEDAL
- Summary
- EXCESSIVE ACCELERATOR CABLE FRICTION MAY RESTRICT THE CABLES FREE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE THROTTLE BODY.
- Consequence
- THIS COULD PREVENT THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO CLOSED(IDLE) POSITION WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED; THUS, ENGINE SPEED WOULDNOT DECREASE, AND LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
- Remedy
- REPLACE ACCELERATOR CABLE.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:FUSE
- Summary
- AN IN LINE FUSIBLE LINK MAY MELT DOWN AND CAUSE A FIRE.
- Consequence
- THE IN LINE FUSIBLE LINK LOCATED IN THE AREA OF THEPLASTIC WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE BRACKET MAY, UNDER A HIGH RESISTANCE LOAD,MELT DOWN AND IGNITE THE WASHER BOTTLE BRACKET RESULTING IN AN ENGINECOMPARTMENT FIRE.
- Remedy
- THE WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE BRACKET WILL BE REPLACED.
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.
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 (15)
15 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 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 4 | 26.7% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 20% |
| Steering | 3 | 20% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 13.3% |
| Power train | 2 | 13.3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 13.3% |
| Equipment | 1 | 6.7% |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 6.7% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 6.7% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 6.7% |
How 1987 compares with other 98 years
Best and worst 98 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 1992 | 38 | 1 |
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 1987 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
1987 Oldsmobile 98 FAQ
How many recalls does the 1987 Oldsmobile 98 have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 88V080000 (vehicle speed control), 87V135000 (electrical), 87V093000 (brake). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1987 Oldsmobile 98 problems?
Owners filed 15 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (4), Electrical system (3), Steering (3) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1987 98 compare with other years?
Among the 1983–1992 Oldsmobile 98 model years at least five years old, the 1983 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 1991 the most (47). The 1987 drew 15. 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.