Most common 1997 Oldsmobile 98 problems
Share of the 30 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Oldsmobile 98 complaints by model year
Best 98 years: 1996. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1997 Oldsmobile 98:
Power rack and pinion steering failure
GM conducted a safety recall (NHTSA # 02V286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 Pontiac grand prix vehicles built between March 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, 1996-1998 Pontiac trans sport, Chevrolet lumina apv, Chevrolet venture, Oldsmobile silhouette minivans, and Chevrolet…
Engine compartment fires
Ea02-030 is closed with gmea02-030 is closed with GM?s actions in 03v-473 and 04v-090 recalling approximately 529,000 my 1998-99 c- and h-body vehicles equipped with defective fuel pressure regulators.these vehicles were equipped with plastic intake manifolds that are unable to contain pressures that occur in some backfire events and defective fuel pressure regulators with leaking diaphragms that can provide a…
What 1997 Oldsmobile 98 owners say
Seat belts
Consumers seat belts are not long enough to accomodate passengers, thee rear seat belts are sunken into the cushions ,when pulled out they do not reach. Dealer said they would give extedners when called, consumer was told they had to be obese to receive it. Oldsmobile said they would have something in September, retrofits have not been received, consumers front driver seat belt is so far behind the lock that it does not reach, and the rear seat has three belts that are not long enough. Consumer states receptacle is too short.
Female parts in three rear seat seat belts are too short, can't get a good grip to plug them into the male ends. Consumer stated that in winter time while having on a lot of clothes belts are impossible to fasten, so consumer is not properly restrained.
Electrical system
Wires to spark plugs are defective and cause misfiring. Owner's manual says to replace at 100,000 miles. They are causing problems at 46,000 miles.
Battery blew up because acid leaked from the positive terminal. Dealer has replaced the battery at the owner's expense.
Engine & cooling
While getting on the freeway the engine just stopped. I noticed the steering wheel froze, and looked down and saw that the lights had come in and the engine had stopped. I was able to put in park and start the engine. No further problems the rest of that trip. About a month later the same thing happened to my daughter. Engine shut off while getting on freeway and she wa able to start car back up. This week, Tuesday, my daughter was driving she came to a full stop at a stop sign and as she started to go the oil light came on and the voltage light came on, car would not move forward, she tried to rev engine nothing happened that is when she put in park and it started right up. The mileage no is 117,375. I have looked on recall list and have not found this year and model.
I own a 1997 Oldsmobile regency v6-3800 3.8l, VIN: [redacted]. The intake manifold is leaking coolant, and the cost to replace is approx. $800~$1000, due to a gasket failure. I don't feel that the gasket should have failed so soon. The service dept. At olds tells me that their are gasket problems with 3.1l as well as 3.8l, which is what I have. I would like to know if there are other complaints on this same issue, and what is being done, or is my problem normal. Please respond asap. Thank you, [redacted].
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Oldsmobile 98 a good car?
Based on 30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 98 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the 98 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Oldsmobile 98?
The seat belts — 15 complaints, 50% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rear/other. Next are the electrical system (3) and engine & cooling (3).
How many recalls does the 1997 Oldsmobile 98 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Oldsmobile 98. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Oldsmobile 98?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996. See the full Oldsmobile 98 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Oldsmobile 98 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 51,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.