Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue problems

Owners filed 518 complaints about the 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue with NHTSA between Jul 1997 and Feb 2024. The most-cited component is steering (158).

Complaints
518
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
19
Reported by owners
Fires
39
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Steering158
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic72
  3. Engine and engine cooling68
  4. Seat belts52
  5. Electrical system48
  6. Visibility34
  7. Suspension32
  8. Engine29
  9. Power train18
  10. Tires13
  11. Exterior lighting11
  12. Structure11
  13. Air bags10
  14. Fuel system, gasoline10

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19973
199844
199975
200072
200150
200223
200348
200455
200525
20068
200711
20086
200920
20108
201111
20125
20130
201417
20157
201626
20171
20181
20191
20200
20210
20220
20230
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Steering

158 reports6 crashes3 related recalls
“VEHICLE CAN NO LONGER TURN TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. I DON'T THINK RECALL 03052 WAS EVER DONE ON IT. CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE IT'S UNSAFE FOR ME AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2017SteeringODI 11030251

Service brakes, hydraulic

72 reports4 crashes
“I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS SYSTEM ON MY CAR FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. WHEN I START MY CAR THE ABS GOES TO SET ITSELF AND THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON ALONG WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT. AS I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS ONE OF THE MAIN PROBLEMS ON THE CAR, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT HIS PROBLEM. IT IS A VERY COSTLY FIX DEALING WITH THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND SENSORS. MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE IS A VERY SOLID CAR, BUT I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A FAULTY ABS SYSTEM ON THEM DUE TO THE HUB ASSEMBLIES. THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR SUCH A REPAIR THAT I HAVE SEEN IS $500- $1100. MANY DRIVERS OF THESE CARS ARE NOT GETTING THEM FIXED AS IT IS COSTLY. THUS THIS THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF INTRIGUES AROUND WITH THE ABS TURNED OF INCREASING THE CHANCES OF BRAKE FAILURE. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2006Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10160612

Engine and engine cooling

68 reports25 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/08/16*LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2016Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10907123

Seat belts

52 reports1 related recall
“I HAVE CALLED MULTIPLE GM DEALERSHIPS IN ORDER TO GET MY IGNITION RECALL, OIL LEAK FROM VALVE COVER RECALL, AND REAR SEATBELT RECALLS TAKEN CARE OF AND SO FAR NONE HAVE RETURNED MY PHONE CALLS REGARDING THE ISSUES. I HAVE HAD THE APPOINTMENTS SET FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS AT 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND HAVE YET TO HEAR BACK ON ANY PARTS ARRIVING. THEY TOLD ME OVER THE PHONE AT BOTH DEALERS THAT IT WOULD TAKE A WEEK AND A HALF FOR PARTS TO ARRIVE AND THAT THEY WOULD RETURN MY CALL WHEN PARTS DID ARRIVE, BUT I HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYTHING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2016Seat belts, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10904582

Electrical system

48 reports1 crash5 fires1 related recall
“The engine had a fire and the ignition switch is very hard Do turn, it would be available for inspection. The fire happen while driving down the highway. I have an appointment set with dealership. No prior inspections have been made and no indications of anything.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 10, 2024Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 11571241

Visibility

34 reports
“RECALL ID 75918- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING GMC OWNER CENTER, I OWN A 1998 OLDSMOBILE AND HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOW REGULATORS FAILING, SIGNAL LIGHTS, ELECTRICAL, COOLING SYSTEM AND COOLANT WARNING LIGHT SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE IN 2000. ENGINE AND GASKETS HAVE BLOWN, WATER TEMP HAS BLOWN AND AFTER COSTLY REPAIRS, THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT STILL GOES OFF AND ON. DEALERSHIP ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE LIGHT ON TO DETECT ISSUES AND STILL NEVER DETECT ANYTHING. MY COOLANT AND LEVELS ARE ALWAYS CHECKED AND FILLED AND THE LIGHT STILL TRIGGERS ON AND OFF FOR AWHILE THEN RETURN ON AGAIN THROUGHOUT CAR HISTORY. IN 2008 MY COOLANT LIGHT WAS ACTING UP AND I HAD VEHICLE CHECKED OUT AND FLUIDS AT APPROPRIATE LEVEL. VEHICLE ENDED UP OVERHEATING ON INTERSTATE AND I HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP AND SOMETHING ELSE. LIGHT WENT OUT FOR AWHILE AND VEHICLE CHECKED OUT. IN 2009 LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE CHECKED AND ALL FLUID LEVELS CORRECT. LIGHT STILL COMES ON AND BLINKS AND GOES OFF FOR AWHILE. SMELLS LIKE OIL OR SOMETHING BURNING IN CAR. I WAS ON CONSUMER RECALL SITE AND SAW THIS ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING RECALL FROM 2009 REGARDING THE SPARK PLUG WIRE RETENTION. I DON'T RECALL…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 29, 2012Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 10449652
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.