Oldsmobile OLDSMOBILE TRUCK problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
112,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 to 2002 model years. Data updated: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 8 complaints (12.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Braking behavior
1
12.5%
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
Electrical System
1
Electrical System:Wiring
1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
1
Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)
1
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Arm
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Electrical System
1
Electrical System:Wiring
1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
1
Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)
1
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Arm
1
Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Wiring: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 1; Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive): 1; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Arm: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
2
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
2
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
2
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 2
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN WHICH I AM SLOWING TO A STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND A "MOANING"SOUND OCCURS AS WELL AS THE TRUCK NOT STOPPING. TODAY THIS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT SLIDING ALTHOUGH IS DOES TEND TO HAPPEN ON WET SURFACES IT ALSO OCCURS ON BUMPY ROADS OR STREETS. NO LIGHTS LIGHT UP ON THE CONTROL PANEL TO EVEN POINT AT A POSSIBLE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WORSENING ALTHOUGH TO BE FAIR SO DO OUR ROADS. *NM
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
8 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
62.5%Usable mileage5 / 8 records
100.0%Valid incident date8 / 8 records
100.0%Valid filing date8 / 8 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates8 / 8 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
1996
1998
1999
2002
Electrical System
150.0%ODI 10446735 · 273,718 mi
SECURITY LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL IS ILLUMINATED. CAR STARTS AND RUNS WITH OWNERS IGNITION KEY. DEALER DETERMINED THAT PASS-KEY II DECODER MODULE PN 88964942 IS DEFECTIVE. *TR
ON THIS EVENING I STARTED MY VEHICLE AT APPROX. 8:30 PM AND BACKED UP, IT THEN SHUT DOWN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WERE FLAMES. I PUT OUT THE FIRE MYSELF AND REPORTED IT TO GM MOTORS INC. THEY INVESTIGATED AND COULD COME TO NO CONCLUSION ON WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. THEY ALSO DENIED IT TO BE FAILURE OF GM VEHICLE PARTS. *JB
DEFECT IN INTAKE MANIFOLD, IN MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE VAN, WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL. THIS WAS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION TO WORK AND I WAS LEFT GETTING RIDES FROM NEIGHBORS. I TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE $1000.00 TO $2000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX. I AM A MOTHER OF SIX AND DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO SHELL OUT. THE VAN BROKE DOWN ON MY WAY TO WORK, AND I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VAN THAT I CANNOT DRIVE. *JB
INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT SHIELD FOG UP,GREATLY REDUCING LIGHT OUTPUT. DEALER REPLACED IN FIRST INSTANCE,NOW OTHER SIDE GOING BAD. EVEN WHEN WORKING PROPERLY, HEADLIGHTS INADEQUATE FOR SAFE HIGHWAY/RURAL ROAD ILLUMINATION! *AK
ON A CLEAR DRY DAY IN MIDAFTERNOON THE AWD SYSTEM ENGAGED AND WON'T DISENGAGE. THE CAR WILL NOT DRIVE SAFELY IN THIS CONDITION. GENERAL MOTORS HAS ISSUED A TECH SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT BUT NO RECALL AS YET. THE VEHICLE IS AT A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. I UNDERSTAND THE COST COULD EXCEED $2000.*AK
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN WHICH I AM SLOWING TO A STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND A "MOANING"SOUND OCCURS AS WELL AS THE TRUCK NOT STOPPING. TODAY THIS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT SLIDING ALTHOUGH IS DOES TEND TO HAPPEN ON WET SURFACES IT ALSO OCCURS ON BUMPY ROADS OR STREETS. NO LIGHTS LIGHT UP ON THE CONTROL PANEL TO EVEN POINT AT A POSSIBLE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WORSENING ALTHOUGH TO BE FAIR SO DO OUR ROADS. *NM
UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, DRIVER SIDE BROKE PULLING THE WHOLE UPPER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY OFF THE VEHICLE AND THUS RESULTING IN THE WHEEL FALLING OFF THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY AT A LOW SPEED. I REPLACED THE UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND BOLTS AND SO FAR HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AFTERMARKET PARTS. REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE ALSO AS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE. *TR
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Electrical System
Too few reports for a range
273,718 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10446735 · 273,718 mi
SECURITY LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL IS ILLUMINATED. CAR STARTS AND RUNS WITH OWNERS IGNITION KEY. DEALER DETERMINED THAT PASS-KEY II DECODER MODULE PN 88964942 IS DEFECTIVE. *TR
ON THIS EVENING I STARTED MY VEHICLE AT APPROX. 8:30 PM AND BACKED UP, IT THEN SHUT DOWN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WERE FLAMES. I PUT OUT THE FIRE MYSELF AND REPORTED IT TO GM MOTORS INC. THEY INVESTIGATED AND COULD COME TO NO CONCLUSION ON WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. THEY ALSO DENIED IT TO BE FAILURE OF GM VEHICLE PARTS. *JB
DEFECT IN INTAKE MANIFOLD, IN MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE VAN, WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL. THIS WAS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION TO WORK AND I WAS LEFT GETTING RIDES FROM NEIGHBORS. I TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE $1000.00 TO $2000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX. I AM A MOTHER OF SIX AND DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO SHELL OUT. THE VAN BROKE DOWN ON MY WAY TO WORK, AND I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VAN THAT I CANNOT DRIVE. *JB
ON A CLEAR DRY DAY IN MIDAFTERNOON THE AWD SYSTEM ENGAGED AND WON'T DISENGAGE. THE CAR WILL NOT DRIVE SAFELY IN THIS CONDITION. GENERAL MOTORS HAS ISSUED A TECH SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT BUT NO RECALL AS YET. THE VEHICLE IS AT A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. I UNDERSTAND THE COST COULD EXCEED $2000.*AK
UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, DRIVER SIDE BROKE PULLING THE WHOLE UPPER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY OFF THE VEHICLE AND THUS RESULTING IN THE WHEEL FALLING OFF THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY AT A LOW SPEED. I REPLACED THE UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND BOLTS AND SO FAR HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AFTERMARKET PARTS. REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE ALSO AS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE. *TR
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1999: 0 complaints · 2002: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
1999
0
0
0
2002
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
1999
2
0
0
2002
1
0
1
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Electrical System
Electrical System:Wiring
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Arm
Electrical System
—
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Electrical System:Wiring
0
—
0
0
0
0
0
0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
0
0
—
0
0
0
0
0
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
0
0
0
—
0
0
0
0
Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)
0
0
0
0
—
0
0
0
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly
0
0
0
0
0
—
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
0
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Arm
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
1 patterns with matching reports.
Brake response concerns
1 mentions · 12.5% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
ODI 10100488
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN WHICH I AM SLOWING TO A STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND A "MOANING"SOUND OCCURS AS WELL AS THE TRUCK NOT STOPPING. TODAY THIS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT SLIDING ALTHOUGH IS DOES TEND TO HAPPEN ON WET SURFACES IT ALSO OCCURS ON BUMPY ROADS OR STREETS. NO LIGHTS LIGHT UP ON THE CONTROL PANEL TO EVEN POINT AT A POSSIBLE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WORSENING ALTHOUGH TO BE FAIR SO DO OUR ROADS. *NM