Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1991 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 ↗POWER TRAIN:TRANSMISSION:AUTOMATIC
- Summary
- THE CONSOLE MOUNTED SHIFT LEVER MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE BRACKET CAUSING LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.
- Consequence
- THE DRIVER CAN PLACE THE GEAR SHIFTER IN THE PARKPOSITION WITHOUT SETTING THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE TRANSAXLE MAY NOT ACTUALLY BEIN PARK, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT IF THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED ON AGRADE. ALSO, THE DRIVER CAN PLACE THE GEAR SELECTOR IN DRIVE OR REVERSE WITHOUTTURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND THE TRANSAXLE MAY NOT BE IN THE POSITION INDICATED,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MOVE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. BOTH CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
- Remedy
- INSTALL TWO TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIPS.
EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE:MECHANICAL:LEVER SETTLING
- Summary
- WHEN APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY MAY RELEASE ONE OR MORE TEETH, REDUCING THE CABLE LOAD TO THE REAR BRAKES.
- Consequence
- DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE LEVER RELEASE AND ROADLEVEL. THE PARKING BRAKE MAY NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING IT TO ROLL, WHICHCOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 105.
- Remedy
- REPLACE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY.
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 (47)
47 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 47 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 19 | 40.4% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 17% |
| Air bags | 7 | 14.9% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 4 | 8.5% |
| Equipment | 4 | 8.5% |
| Power train | 3 | 6.4% |
| Visibility | 3 | 6.4% |
| Child seat | 1 | 2.1% |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 2.1% |
| Parking brake | 1 | 2.1% |
How 1991 compares with other 98 years
Best and worst 98 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 15 | 3 |
| 1988 | 10 | 0 |
| 1989 | 11 | 0 |
| 1990 | 17 | 0 |
| 1991 | 47 | 2 |
| 1992 | 38 | 1 |
| 1993 | 13 | 1 |
| 1994 | 16 | 1 |
| 1995 | 30 | 2 |
| 1996 | 10 | 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 1991 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
1991 Oldsmobile 98 FAQ
How many recalls does the 1991 Oldsmobile 98 have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 91V198000 (power train), 91V167000 (brake). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1991 Oldsmobile 98 problems?
Owners filed 47 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (19), Electrical system (8), Air bags (7) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1991 98 compare with other years?
Among the 1987–1996 Oldsmobile 98 model years at least five years old, the 1988 drew the fewest complaints (10) and the 1991 the most (47). The 1991 drew 47. 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.